Takashinga – 234-8 in 45 overs (Innocent Kaia 85, Tinashe Nenhunzi 39, Roy Kaia 30; Taun Harrison 3/50, Johnathan Campbell 2/47, Patrick Mambo 1/28)
Harare Kings – 90 all out in 30.5 overs (Johnathan Campbell 20, Aarsh Jha 18, Ali Hamid 15; Tapiwa Mufudza 4/15, Roy Kaia 2/4, Brighton Chipungu 2/33)
Takashinga won by 144 runs
Innocent Kaia played one of his finest innings at Old Hararians Sports Club when he made an excellent 85 to pave the way for Takashinga’s big 144-run victory over Harare Kings.
His innings turned out to be only five runs fewer than the home side was able to muster between them in this National Premier League (NPL) match.
Innocent gave Takashinga a good start, although at a less frenetic pace than has been the case in recent matches, and with Joylord Gumbie (6) as a sleeping partner put on 48 for the first wicket.
There was another good partnership, between the Kaia brothers, who put on 82 for the third wicket before Roy was out for 30, with Innocent now on 80.
He was denied the century he deserved, however, as he now became rather bogged down, and was then stumped off the bowling of Taun Harrison for 85; 175 for four.
He faced 102 balls and hit five fours and two sixes, a very positive and well-judged innings.
Runs fell quickly at the end, as the batsmen went all out for runs, and the innings closed at 234 for eight wickets.
All the Harare Kings bowlers were expensive, apart from the seamer Brad Evans, who surprisingly was given only seven overs, which cost only 20 runs.
It was a good total, but with Cephas Zhuwao in the opposition scarcely a safe one.
However, in an astute move, Roy Kaia was put on to open the bowling, and his first delivery was a well-flighted ball that seemed completely to nonplus Zhuwao, who was bowled.
Saad Khan and Ali Hamid were fighting back when they collided badly in the middle of the pitch when going for a third run, and Khan was run out for nine; he was injured and had to be helped from the field.
Hamid soon followed for 15, and Kings were in real trouble now at 28 for three.
When Prince Masvaure was bowled by Tapiwa Mufudza for nine, making the score 45 for four, Kings’ last hope had virtually gone.
Johnathan Campbell stayed to score 20, but there was little fight after that, and Tapiwa Mufudza polished off the tail quickly to pick up four wickets.
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Great Zimbabwe Patriots – 146-9 in 45 overs (William Mashinge 23, Gratitude Jaya 23, André Odendaal 20; Ashley Mufandauya 3/14, Owen Muzondo 2/17, Malcolm Chikuwa 2/22)
Gladiators – 150-3 in 27.1 overs (Clive Madande 66*, Tony Munyonga 56*, Ashley Mufandauya 12; André Odendaal 2/25)
Gladiators won by seven wickets
Tony Munyonga provided the highlight again in scoring 56 not out as Gladiators, gaining in confidence after their first NPL victory last week, swept to what appeared to be an easy win over Great Zimbabwe Patriots at Mutare Sports Club.
The Great Zimbabwe innings, as they batted first, never really took off – six of their batsmen reached double figures, but none of them pushed on to score more than 23, and this proved to be their weakness.
The fact that Gladiators lost their opening batsmen for only 11 runs shows that their eventual victory was not as easy as the result appears to show.
Three batsmen were out for 31 when Clive Madande joined Munyonga, but the pair took their team through to victory without being parted, Munyonga playing steadily while Madande indulged in some big hits; his unbeaten 66 came off only 51 balls with 10 fours and a six.
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Rainbow Sharks – 189-8 in 44 overs (Robertson Chinyengetere 33*, Brandon Mavuta 29, Brian Mudzinganyama 29; Ernest Masuku 3/48, Ainsley Ndlovu 2/25, Nkosana Mpofu 1/16)
Amakhosi – 56 all out in 21.1 overs (Bright Phiri 18, Mgcini Tshuma 10, John Nyumbu 5; Brandon Mavuta 5/8, Michael Muguda 4/2)
Rainbow Sharks won by 133 runs
Michael Muguda returned the remarkable bowling figures of four wickets for only two runs in 5.1 overs as Amakhosi imploded to give Rainbow Sharks a large victory by the margin of 133 runs at Kwekwe Sports Club.
The Rainbow innings of 189 for eight was only moderately good – four batsmen made useful scores in the 20s, but then got out, while Robertson Chinyengetere was left not out at the end with 33, the top score of the match.
Amakhosi did not seem to be doing too badly at one stage, as they reached 42 with only one wicket down.
But then they collapsed totally, the last nine wickets falling for only 14 runs, with Muguda the main beneficiary.
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Easterns – 242-6 in 38 overs (Kevin Kasuza 62, Tinashe Chiora 57, Baxon Gopito 49; Christopher Masike 2/42, Jabulisa Tshuma 1/22, Tashinga Musekiwa 1/30)
MidWest – 181 all out in 32.1 overs (Remembrance Nyathi 41, Tarisai Musakanda 35, Takudzwanashe Kaitano 23; Kevin Kasuza 3/35, Vincent Masekesa 3/48, Tinashe Muchawaya 2/24)
Easterns won by 61 runs
Kevin Kasuza led his team from the front as Easterns ended the MidWest run of success with a 61-run victory on neutral ground at Takashinga Sports Club today.
He shared an opening partnership of 96 in 16 overs with the aggressive Baxon Gopito (49 off 44 balls), scoring 62 himself to give Easterns an advantage which they never lost.
Kasuza’s innings lasted 73 balls and he hit a six and 11 fours.
He then took three wickets with the ball when MidWest went in to bat.
His good batting was followed up by Tinashe Chiora, who scored 57, and the team finished with a remarkable score off only 38 overs bowled, due to a delayed start.
In the circumstances Jabulisa Tshuma returned impressive bowling figures of seven overs for the wicket of Gopito, and at a cost of only two runs.
MidWest were always struggling in their innings, although Tarisai Musakanda did his best with 35 off only 22 balls.
Remembrance Nyathi played an anchor role with 41 off 46 balls, but he needed a reliable partner on the other end able to play a major attacking innings, and such a man could not be found.
So MidWest’s run of four successive victories came to a halt, though they fought hard, but it was a fine performance by Easterns.
2020/21 National Premier League Points Table
| TEAM | P | W | L | A | T | PTS | NRR |
| Takashinga | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | +2.239 |
| MidWest | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40 | +0.447 |
| Easterns | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 30 | +0.405 |
| Rainbow | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 30 | +0.381 |
| Amakhosi | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 22 | -0.673 |
| Queens | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | +0.221 |
| Gladiators | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | -0.950 |
| Harare Kings | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | -0.739 |
| Great Zimbabwe | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -1.628 |