Lawrence Moyo
Head Zimpapers Sports
TAKASHINGA 2 recorded the highest innings total in domestic T20 cricket after making 277/2 against Gladiators to win by 101 runs in the final round of National Premier League T20 Blast tournament’s regular season at Takashinga Cricket Club yesterday.
It is the fourth highest T20 innings total, inclusive of internationals which occupy the top three with Nepal’s 314/3 against Mongolia on September 27 leading, followed by Afghanistan’s 278/3 against Ireland in 2019 and Czech Republic’s 278/4 against Turkey in 2019.
The previous highest domestic score was 273/2 by the Stars against Hurricanes in the Australian Big Bash League in Melbourne last year followed by the Titans’ 271/3 against the Knights in the CSA T20 Challenge in Potchefstroom last year.
Opener Cephas Zhuwao was man-of-the-match for his 132 off 48 balls, hitting 12 fours and 11 sixes while fellow opener Baxon Gopito added 61 off 44.
In reply, Gladiators made 176/8 with a topscore of 96 off 47 balls coming from wicketkeeper and number three batsman, Clive Madande who hit 12 fours and five sixes while Tashinga Musekiwa claimed three for 18 off four overs.
The two teams will clash again at Harare Sports Club tomorrow in the Qualifier 1 while the eliminator will feature Uprising and Takashinga 1 afterwards.
The winner between Takashinga 2 and Gladiators will qualify for the final while the loser will take on the winner between Takashinga 1 and Uprising in the second eliminator on Friday to decide who makes the final.
Meanwhile, Westside’s hopes of sneaking into the top four of the tournament failed yesterday as they suffered a 16-run loss at Mutare Sports Club.
Westside needed to win while hoping either Takashinga 1 or Uprising would lose big so that they move into the top four on net run rate.
However, Mutare Sports Club had other ideas as they batted first and made 199/5 off their 20 overs, setting Westside a target of 200 at a rate of 10 runs an over.
Opener Tinashe Chiorah blasted 21 off the opening over by Nkosilathi Nungu, giving Westside hope of victory but Mutare Sports Club clawed back and by the fifth over the score was 58/2. In the end they managed 183/7 with a topscore of 51 off 40 balls from opener Definate Mawadzi while the Mutare Sports Club bowlers only gave away seven extras.
Nigel Bonyongwe was man-of-the-match for Mutare Sports Club for his 62 runs off 48 balls.
Takashinga 1, who made 175/7 in their 20 overs, secured third place with a nervy five-run win over bottom club Rainbow who finished without a win.
At the end of the 17th over, Rainbow were 155/7, needing 21 runs from 18 balls for victory but fell short despite 22 extras coming from the Takashinga 1 bowlers.
Carl Mumba scored 41 runs off 19 balls at number seven to give Takashinga 1 what turned out to be a defendable total while Rainbow’s reply was built around Lavert Masunda’s 56 off 40 balls at number 3.
Trevor Mutsamba was the pick of the Takashinga 1 bowlers with five wickets for 22 in 3.5 overs as Rainbow were all out for 170 in 19.5 overs.
In the day’s other match, Amakhosi beat Uprising by eight wickets with 19 balls to spare at Kwekwe Sports Club chasing a small target 127.