MOUNTAINEERS held on to a one-run win over Rhinos in a domestic Pro 50 Championship final match played at Kwekwe Sports Club today.
After winning the trophy last season by dismissing Masvingo side Rocks, Mountaineers faced a formidable opposition in the Midlands side that finished the round robin in pole position.
But in today’s match, Rhinos captain Prince Masvaure elected to field after winning the toss.
Mountaineers fell 23 runs shy of a triple century as they ended their innings on 277-7 in their allotted overs.
Thanks in the main to two half-centuries from opener Definate Mawadzi (70) and skipper Timycen Maruma (51. Peter Joseph Moor weighed in with 44 runs batting at number four while double score digits from Shingi Masakadza (27), Donald Tiripano (27) and Clive Chitumba (26) got Mountaineers just under 300 runs.
On-song spinner Brandon Mavuta claimed three wickets for 34 runs in his 10-over spell, while seamer Carl Mumba picked as many wickets in nine overs for 50 runs.
Chasing 278 for victory, Rhinos looked on course to a memorable gold. Still, they will live to rue the dot balls that characterised the final overs as they choked by one run.
Jonathan Campbell top scored for Rhinos with 57 runs. At the same time, Mumba (44 not out), Masvaure (43), Tarisai Musakanda (37), Tashinga Musekiwa (31) and Neville Madziva (25) ensured that the chase lasted until the final delivery of the match.
Tinashe Muchawaya picked two wickets for the Mountaineers as Rhinos ended their innings on 276-8.
Rhinos head coach Adam Chifo was visibly distraught after the agonising defeat but paid tribute to his charges for mounting a serious fight.
“We played some good cricket, but maybe we could have been more clinical in the last five overs. We had more dot balls than we needed,” Chifo told EnterSportNews.
“I’m very impressed with the character and hunger of my players, and the sky is the limit.”
