Eagles clinch Pro50 Championship title

Rhinos – 246-9 in 50 overs (Brandon Mavuta 69, Prince Masvaure 48, Muhammad Adil 40*; Ameer Hamza 4/46, Faraz Akram 2/18, Richard Ngarava 2/55)

Eagles – 247-5 in 44.3 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 63, Nick Welch 58, Chamu Chibhabha 46*; Muhammad Adil 2/59, Brandon Mavuta 1/23, Mike Chinouya 1/26)

Eagles received by 5 wickets

Eagles have claimed the 2023/24 Pro50 Championship trophy after defeating Rhinos by 5 wickets within the closing of the provincial one-day competitors performed at Takashinga Cricket Membership in Harare on Saturday.

On successful the toss, Eagles opted to discipline and after six overs it appeared as if the match was successfully over as some good tempo bowling from Richard Ngarava and Ameer Hamza shattered the early Rhinos batting.

Takudzwanashe Kaitano made a dashing begin, however within the third over he misplaced Brilliant Matsiwe, caught on the wicket off Ngarava with out scoring, and in the identical bowler’s subsequent over he himself skyed a catch and was caught for a dashing 28 off 22 balls.

Then got here the best blow, as Antum Naqvi, the hero of a number of Rhinos victories this season, was caught on the wicket off Hamza’s fourth ball with out getting off the mark, and the rating was 38 for 3.

The disaster deepened when Ben Curran was given out caught at slip off the bowling of Wessly Madhevere for 9 to make the rating 50 for 4, adopted by Nyasha Mayavo, one other wicket-keeping catch, off Hamza, for seven – 65 for 5.

Thankfully, there was preventing spirit left within the Rhinos staff, as Brandon Mavuta joined Prince Masvaure and the pair fought fantastically so as to add 78 for the sixth wicket in 18 overs earlier than Masvaure fell to Hamza for 48.

The eighth wicket went down at 151, however there adopted two extra preventing stands, firstly by Mavuta and Muhammad Adil with 47 collectively earlier than Mavuta went for 69, crafted off 88 balls with 4 sixes and three fours – it was to be the very best rating of the match.

Adil continued to assault the bowling, with assist now from the final man, Mike Chinouya, and this last-wicket pair placed on one other 48 unbroken earlier than the innings closed at 50 overs with 246 for 9 wickets – Adil with 40 off 38 balls and Chinouya with 11.

Hamza was essentially the most profitable of the bowlers, taking 4 wickets for 46 off eight overs, however for as soon as Tapiwa Mufudza did not take a wicket.

It was a discipline day for Tadiwanashe Marumani as wicket-keeper, as he took six catches, together with three off Adil.

This was nonetheless not a goal anticipated to hassle the assured Eagles staff unduly, and so they made a stunning begin, as Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Marumani hammered 45 runs off the primary 4 overs earlier than Marumani was out lbw to Adil for 30, which took him all of 17 deliveries.

Nick Welch joined Kamunhukamwe, who continued to attain at a thunderous tempo, reaching his fifty off solely 31 balls and citing the staff hundred on the similar time.

He performed Mavuta with care, however handled the remainder of the bowling with digital contempt.

At 114 he was gone, lbw to Tashinga Musekiwa for 63 off 49 balls, together with 12 fours.

Madhevere was out for 2 and Chamu Chibhabha got here in to play a really cautious innings.

In all probability as captain he felt it was his obligation to ensure he was nonetheless there on the finish to make sure that victory was achieved, and he did so efficiently, although remarkably slowly for him.

Welch performed a superb innings of 58 off 69 balls, whereas Tino Mutombodzi scored 16 earlier than being out at 200 for 5.

Chibhabha now started to play extra freely, whereas Faraz Akram proved a superb companion, and the final 47 runs have been hit out with out additional loss in six overs.

Chibhabha completed with 46 not out off 85 balls, whereas Akram’s 20 took solely 17.

Adil took two wickets, however they have been costly, costing 59 runs off seven overs, whereas Mavuta bowled out his 10 overs for less than 23 runs and the wicket of Madhevere.

So Eagles claimed the trophy, however Rhinos deserve nice respect for the decided struggle they put up after such a disastrous begin to the match.

Naqvi scooped the batter and participant of the Pro50 Championship accolades, whereas Mufudza was named bowler of the event.