The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
SOUTHERN Rocks coach, Shepherd Makunura is set to face his former paymasters, Mountaineers, following their 40-run win over Alliance Health Eagles on Thursday.
Mountaineers booked a place in the final of the Pro50 Championship, following a 40-run win over Alliance Health Eagles, thanks to a fine century from Ben Compton.
The Eagles won the toss and elected to field.
Mountaineers’ innings started on low note, as three of their top batting order failed to surpass the 25-run mark.
The only player to crack the 25-barrier mark from the Mutare-based franchise was Compton, who opened the innings with Kevin Kasuza, with the pair putting on 49 until Kasuza was out for a leg-before-wicket (lbw) for 25 runs.
Kudzai Sauramba was run out for 17, and then Timycen Maruma and Tony Munyonga in turn were out for 25, both scoring off 24 balls.
Each shared a useful partnership with Compton, the largest of these being 50 for the third wicket with Maruma.
Compton went on to score a fine century, before being the sixth man out in the 37th over, with the score at 215. He faced 109 balls and hit 10 fours.
The rest of the wickets fell as the tail tried in vain to attack the bowling in the dying overs.
The last six men scored only 15 runs between them, and two of them were run out.
With three balls to spare, Mountaineers were bowled out for 227.
Eagles found themselves in trouble as they chased their target, losing three wickets for 27 runs.
Chamu Chibhabha was run out for four, Kudzai Maunze caught off Nyauchi for six, and the same bowler also removed Marshal Takodza for seven.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Shoun Handirisi brought in some hope for the Mountaineers as they fought hard to build a steady innings, and he was now joined by former Tuskers wicket-keeper, Shoun Handirisi.
The two fought hard to build a valuable fourth-wicket partnership of 64, taking the score to 91, before John Masara removed Kanhukamwe for 39.
But the bowling of Nyauchi played a major part in deciding this match, as he took three vital wickets at important times, despite bowling only six overs, and he finished with figures of three for 21.
Eagles were all out for 187 after 37.1 overs, and the Mountaineers won by 40 runs.
