Pro50 Championship: Myers maiden fiver, record total spur Eagles

Eagles: 386/9 in 50 overs (Craig Ervine 88, Wessly Madhevere 79, Tony Munyonga 72; Prince Kaunda 3-62, Luke Jongwe 3-40)

Tuskers: 140/9 in 30.1 overs (Tafara Mupariwa 33, Luke Jongwe 18; Dion Myers 5-36, Tapiwa Mufudza 1-14)

Result: Eagles won by 246 runs.

In a stunning display of power hitting and effective bowling, the Eagles outplayed the Tuskers at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, cruising to a colossal 246-run victory in the 2024-25 Pro50 Championship league match.

After winning the toss and opting to field, Tuskers were on the back foot as the Eagles’ batting lineup fired on all cylinders, piling up a record 386/9 in their 50 overs. It is the highest score in their domestic List A match in Zimbabwe.

Craig Ervine led the charge with an 88 off 80 balls, while Wessly Madhevere contributed a solid 79 from 76. Tony Munyonga provided fireworks with a blistering 72 off just 39 balls, striking seven sixes (four of them in a row off Sean Williams).

The Tuskers’ bowlers struggled to contain the assault, with Prince Kaunda (3-62) and Luke Jongwe (3-40) picking up wickets but leaking runs.

In response, the Tuskers collapsed under relentless pressure, managing only 140 in 30.1 overs. Dion Myers emerged as the Eagles’ bowling hero, claiming a remarkable and maiden 5-36 in 5.1 overs. Faraz Akram and Tapiwa Mufudza also kept things tight, sharing crucial wickets. Only Tuskers captain Tafara Mupariwa showed some resistance with 33 off 42 balls, but it was not enough to avoid a crushing defeat.

Mega Market Mountaineers: 192 all out in 41.3 overs (Timycen Maruma 51, Joylord Gumbie 47; Brandon Mavuta 4-53, Bradley Evans 2-18)

Rhinos: 195/5 in 41.1 overs (Takudzwanaishe Kaitano 88, Ben Curran 56; Nkosilathi Nungu 2-51, Owen Muzondo 1-29)

Result: Rhinos won by 5 wickets.

Rhinos secured a composed five-wicket win over Mega Market Mountaineers at Kwekwe Sports Club, chasing down a modest target of 193 with 53 balls to spare.

Captain, Takudzwanaishe Kaitano, was the standout performer with a determined 88 off 120 balls, guiding his team to a successful run chase.

Mountaineers, batting first, were bowled out for 192 in 41.3 overs. Timycen Maruma was their top scorer with 51 off 56 balls, while Joylord Gumbie contributed 47. Brandon Mavuta led the Rhinos’ bowling attack, finishing with 4/53 in 10 overs. Bradley Evans and Trevor Gwandu supported well, each picking up two wickets.

In reply, the Rhinos overcame some initial jitters, as Nkosilathi Nungu (2-51) and Tinashe Muchawaya (1/50) troubled the top order. However, Ben Curran laid a solid foundation with 56 off 77 balls, before Kaitano steered the innings expertly to the finish line.