Rocks, Tuskers off to winning starts in Pro50 Championship

Eagles – 239 all out in 46.2 overs (Craig Ervine 135, Tapiwa Mufudza 32, Rodney Mupfudza 23; Takudzwa Chataira 3/44, Saifuddin Zaib 2/39, Roy Kaia 2/59)

Southern Rocks – 240-4 in 39.3 overs (Johnathan Campbell 77*, Roy Kaia 68, Tafadzwa Tsiga 40; Tapiwa Mufudza 1/37, Marshall Takodza 1/41, Talent Dzikiti 1/43)

Southern Rocks won by six wickets

Craig Ervine stood like a giant among the ruins of the Eagles’ batting, hitting 135 runs of a total of 239, but all was in vain, as Southern Rocks beat this score with six wickets in hand in the opening match of the 2024/25 Pro50 Championship at Takashinga Cricket Club in Highfield on Friday.

Eagles, the title holders, lost their first three wickets, two of them to Takudzwa Chataira, for only 10 runs.

Ervine and Rodney Mupfudza (23) took the score to 63, but six were down for 87.

Tapiwa Mufudza then gave gallant support with 32, adding 83 for the seventh wicket with Ervine, but nobody else was able to reach double figures.

Ervine was last man out in the 47th over, his 135 coming off 133 balls and containing five sixes and 12 fours.

Chataira was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 44 runs.

Rocks quickly lost Cephas Zhuwao for eight, but Tafadzwa Tsiga (40) and Roy Kaia (68) then took the score to 108 before the second wicket fell.

Johnathan Campbell took over with 77 not out off 69 balls, helped in the final stretch by Saifuddin Zaib, not out with 26.

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Rhinos – 160 all out in 31.4 overs (Solomon Mire 44, Ben Curran 24, Nyasha Mayavo 23; Ernest Masuku 5/62, Ainsley Ndlovu 3/22, Luke Jongwe 1/15)

Tuskers – 160-7 in 33.4 overs (Luke Jongwe 63*, Sean Williams 29, Adrian Mupembe 21; Brad Evans 3/32, Hendricks Macheke 2/20, Mike Chinouya 1/28)

Tuskers won by three wickets (Duckworth-Lewis method)

Luke Jongwe sprang to form with an excellent innings of 63 not out that led Tuskers to victory over Rhinos in a tight finish by three wickets in the other Pro50 Championship match played at Kwekwe Sports Club on Friday.

It was wonderful to see Solomon Mire back in Zimbabwe cricket again, and he scored an aggressive 44 off 37 balls as Rhinos began the match well.

His opening partnership with Ben Curran (24) put on 52 runs, which was to be the highest stand of the match.

Ernest Masuku then took three wickets in quick succession and the Rhinos innings went into decline, with only Nyasha Mayavo (23) and Hendrichs Macheke (17) reaching double figures after that.

Rhinos were all out for 160 in only 31.4 overs, Masuku taking five wickets for 62 runs, helped by Ainsley Ndlovu with three for only 22 in his 10 overs.

Tuskers seemed to have an easy target in front of them, but they made a disastrous start.

Three wickets, two of them to Brad Evans, finally back in action again, went down for only 15 runs, and the first four batters made only 23 runs among them.

Sean Williams briefly arrested the decline with 29 off 22 balls, but he was fifth out at 56.

His dismissal brought Jongwe to the crease, and from then on he dominated the remainder of the match with his unbeaten 63 off 68 balls.

Adrian Mupembe supported him well with 21 as they added 47 for the seventh wicket to bring victory within sight, and then Ndlovu watched as Jongwe took Tuskers home.

Evans was the best of the bowlers, with three for 32 off his 10 overs.