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Coventry’s unbeaten 44 off 19 balls the highlight, as Stanbic T20 cricket tournament roared to life at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The Tuskers won the toss and elected to field, putting the hosts in to bat first and they posted 120 for the loss of eight wickets.
And the hard-hitting Coventry led his side to a comprehensive win and he also emerged the highest scorer of the day in both games that were played at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

His unbeaten 44 came off 19 balls and featured two fours and three sixes, to complete a good innings for the Tuskers as he hit a huge six off the last ball as his side needed a run to win.
Elton Chigumbura was the top scorer for the Eagles managing only 26 off 31 balls with Andrew Hall (unbeaten on 22) and Foster Mtizwa (21), the only ones who managed above 20.

Tuskers’ Njabulo Ncube finished with figures of 3-27 and was the pick of his team’s attack while Keegan Meth had two wickets to his name.
In the afternoon game, it was Mountaineers who started their campaign for glory on the right footing when they beat MidWest Rhinos by seven wickets with seven balls to spare. Batsman Chris Harris, from New Zealand, struck an unbeaten 39 off 43 balls while captain Hamilton Masakadza scored 34 off 38 as they chased MidWest’s total of 115.

Natsai Mushangwe as brilliant with the ball as he finished with figures of 3-19 while Shingi Masakadza was responsible for the scalps of Sean Tait and Rikki Wessels as they tried to restrict the Kwekwe side’s innings.
Having won the toss Mountaineers’ captain Masakadza took a decision that paid off at the end of the day as he chose to field.
With the first ball of the second over, the Rhinos opening partnership was broken when Garry Balance was run out by Prosper Utseya.

Rhinos captain Brendan Taylor, who top scored for his side with 37 off 27 balls, was the next one out after he was caught by Utseya off a Mushangwe delivery in the eighth over after a 53-run partnership with Wessels (31 off 26).
But the last seven wickets for the Rhinos fell for just 44 runs as Taylor and Wessels were the only double figure scoring players in the side. Masakadza’s 35-run partnership with Harris was the bedrock for the Mountaineers’ innings.

The Mountaineers captain was also helpful with the ball as he took two wickets.
Action continues today.

Scoreboard
Mid West Rhinos innings
Taylor c Utseya b Mushangwe 37
Ballance run out (Utseya) 1
Wessels c H Masakadza b Utseya 31
Waller c Mushangwe b Harris 0
Benade c Harris b Utseya 9
Cremer st Mustard b Mushangwe 4
Rainsford c sub (Tiripano) b S Masakadza 7
Tait b Masakadza 7
Nicolson not out 7
Muzhange not out 0
Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 3) 5
Total 115
F-o-W: 1-2 (Ballance, 1.1 ov), 2-55 (Taylor, 7.4 ov), 3-76 (Wessels, 10.4 ov), 4-77 (Waller, 11.4 ov), 5-80 (Vincent, 12.2 ov), 6-91 (Cremer, 15.5 ov), 7-92 (Benade, 16.1 ov), 8-106 (Rainsford, 18.1 ov), 9-110 (Tait, 18.6 ov)
Bowling: Nannes 4-0-21-0 (1w); Masakadza 4-0 -27 -2; Harris 4 -0 -26 -1; Mushangwe 4 -0 -19 -3 P Utseya 4 -0 -20 -2 (2w).
Mountaineers innings
Mustard c Waller b Rainsford 18
H Masakadza c Wessels b Nicolson 34
Kasuza lbw b Cremer 2
Harris not out 39
Chirimuuta run out (Benade) 2
Eckersley not out 11
Extras (lb 5, w 3, nb 2) 10
Total 116
Did not bat: Utseya, SW Masakadza, Mushangwe, Nannes, Maruma
F-o-W: 1-29 (Mustard, 3.3 ov), 2-47 (Kasuza, 6.2 ov), 3-82 (H Masakadza, 12.6 ov), 4-85 (Chirimuuta, 14.3 ov).
Bowling: Tait 4-0-27-0 (1nb, 1w); Rainsford 3-0-23-1; Nicolson 4 -0-23-1 (1nb, 1w); Muzhange 2.5-0-20-0 (1w); Cremer 4-0-12-1 ; Waller 1-0 -6 0