Masvingo’s Southern Rocks cricket team has had a disappointing start to the 2023/24 domestic cricket season narrowly losing both their Pro 50 one day matches against the Mashonaland Eagles at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare last weekend.
In their opening fixture last Friday, the Eagles, who chose to bat first, were bowled out for 255 in the 48th over. Their top scorer was Kudzai Maunze with 65 runs while Rocks bowler Kuda Macheka picked up four wickets for 36 runs. However despite a tenacious 43 from Keith Jaure, the Rocks fell six runs short trying to chase down that total with Tanaka Chivanga; Tapiwa Mufudza and Alex Russell each picking up three wickets for the Eagles.
On Sunday the Rocks, batting first, recovered from a precarious 165 for 8 to reach 270 runs with Tendai Chisoro top scoring with 71. Other reasonable contributions came from Dylan Hondo (39)Jonathan Campbell (32); William Mashinge (30) and Trevor Gwandu (22). However despite losing three wickets in the last two overs, the Eagles scraped home with four balls to spare with notable contributions from their captain Chamu Chibhabha (64); Larvet Masunda (57); Matthew Welch (52) and Rodney Mupfudza (24). Trevor Gwandu was the pick of the Rocks bowlers taking four wickets for 44 runs in nine overs.
In Mutare the Mountaineers suffered back to back defeats against the KweKwe based Midwest Rhinos team leaving the Rhinos and Eagles in joint top spot on the league. Matabeleland Tuskers had a bye but are in action this weekend against the Eagles. Both the Rocks and Mountaineers who clash this weekend at Masvingo Sports Club in back to back one dayers will be hoping for victory so as to get themselves off the bottom of the log.
