Southern Rocks clinch Associate Provincial League

Southern Rocks are the inaugural Associate Provincial League champions after they beat Centrals by 31 runs in the final of the 40-over championship played at Bindura Sports Club on Saturday.

Southern Rocks captain Blessed Muzite receives Associate Provincial League trophy from ZC board member William Chaitezvi (right) as Mashonaland West chairman Paul Mungofa looks on

Douglas Murove engineered the victory with a sensational five-wicket haul that snuffed out the Mashonaland Central outfit’s frenetic fightback and in the process reduced national Under-19 star Wesley Madhevere’s impressive half-century to a mere footnote of the historic match.

Chasing a target of 174 to win the first ever final of Zimbabwe Cricket’s second-tier provincial championship, Centrals suffered an early setback with Murove, bowling like he was possessed, taking care of their opening pair of Ashwell Karuma and Norman Tavarwisa in the third over for six and one respectively.

Madhevere attempted some repair-work with a gutsy 50 although he was twice dropped at point, while his 37-run stand for the third wicket in tandem with Artwell Nyambanje (22) was the best partnership the home side could muster as Murove unrelentingly ran riot, bagging his third wicket of the day with the latter batsman’s scalp.

Centrals continued huffing and puffing up until they were all dismissed for 142 in 26.4 overs, with the tail-end pair of Arnold Nathan and Owen Kutinyu making the chase somewhat decent with their contributions of 13 and 16 respectively.

But their efforts were simply not enough, especially on a day Murove was in sublime form with the ball, finishing with five wickets for 28 runs in seven overs that included two maidens.

Bob Mudzingwa was also impressive with the ball as he bagged two wickets that came at a cost of 28 runs off six overs.

After being put in to bat first at toss, Southern Rocks themselves had struggled for fluidity with the bat too.

A total of only nine runs was on the board when Nelson Chimbirimbiri was caught by Madhevere off a Nyambanje delivery having contributed four runs, but his opening partner Lawrence Magwenzi tried to stand firm without really owning the crease as he crafted his 39 off 63 balls.

Number-three batsman Nkosinathi Nungu lasted just three balls before departing for five, which included a boundary, but captain Blessed Muzite came in to stabilise the wobbly innings with a gritty 25.

Cornelius Munyanyiwa was however the Masvingo side’s star performer with the bat as he finished unbeaten on 43, while Fungai Hlupo chipped in with a crucial 22 runs that helped take Southern Rocks’ total to 173 for nine from their allotment of 40 overs.

Madhevere’s efforts with the ball were rewarded with three wickets for 26 runs in eight overs, while the pair of Tinofara Mafusire and Nyambanje grabbed two wickets apiece.

For a side that was scoring runs with reckless abandon in the earlier rounds – including winning last week’s semi-final against Power Turbines by 354 runs – chasing 174 to win was supposed to be easy-peasy for Centrals, but that was not to be.

Not only did the Mashonaland Central side face their first real test in the competition, they were outclassed too.