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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

NATIONAL cricket team all-rounders Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams may have failed to win the domestic Pro50 Championship but the duo got huge consolation after claiming individual accolades at the end of the tournament on Sunday.

Raza, who reached the final with Rocks, was rewarded for his impressive all-round performances after he was named the Pro50 Championship player of the tournament.

The 35-year-old played a key role in Rocks’ march to the final where they lost the contest to Mountaineers. He was the second highest scorer in the tournament behind Mountaineers overseas player Ben Compton, who scooped the batter of the tournament award.

Raza finished with 283 runs from eight innings. Compton was not available for the game, which Mountaineers won by 71 runs against Raza’s Rocks, but he had done enough during the round-robin stage of the one-day competition to earn the batter of the tournament accolade.

Williams of Tuskers claimed the best bowler honours after finishing top of the bowling charts with 15 wickets.

The greatest honours, however, went to Mountaineers, who had last won the tournament back in 2014. This is their third one-day title. They defeated Southern Rocks by 71 runs in an exciting final played at Harare Sports Club at the weekend with PJ Moor (76) and Wellington Masakadza (66) the biggest contributors in their score of 307/9.

Moor and skipper Kevin Kasuza (42) gave Mountaineers the ideal start on winning the toss, as they put together a superb opening partnership of 126 in just over 20 overs.

Moor, back from injury, was in blistering form and attacked the bowling powerfully, taking advantage of the opening powerplay overs to reach fifty off only 26 balls.

He was particularly severe on the pace bowlers, but found it harder to get on top of the slower bowlers, especially Dylan Hondo, who bowled a superb spell of left-arm spin.

His brilliant innings included 12 fours and a six.

Hondo began a collapse that could have shattered the innings, as in quick succession he pulled off two return catches to dismiss Kasuza four and Kudzai Sauramba for two.

He also had Timycen Maruma caught at slip second ball.

Mountaineers were tottering on 132 for four in the 25th over, and the innings was at a crucial stage.

However, the middle order came good to rescue the innings.

Tony Munyonga led the way with 36 off 32 balls, with two sixes and three fours, before he was bowled by Roy Kaia at 179 for five. Then came a magnificent partnership of 99 in 14 overs between Donald Tiripano, 45 off 58 balls, and Wellington Masakadza, 66 off 49 balls.

They took the score to 278, and after they and Shingi Masakadza all went in quick succession, some powerful blows from Victor Nyauchi, with 14 not out off eight balls, saw Mountaineers past the 300-run mark.

Amid this carnage, Hondo’s bowling figures shine out like a beacon — four wickets for only 25 runs in his 10 overs, which included three maidens.

Cuthbert Musoko also took four wickets, the last four to fall, but they cost him 59 runs off seven overs.

In response, Rocks were dismissed for 236 runs. Innocent Kaia top-scored with 82 runs while Raza contributed 76. John Masara took 4/43 while Tony Munyonga and Wellingon Masakadza had two wickets each.

Wellington Masakadza was voted the player of the match.

In the women’s game, whose final was also played at the weekend, Christabel Chatonzwa played a magnificent innings as Alliance Health Eagles Women were crowned the 2021/22 Fifty50 Challenge champions following a 167-run victory over Rhinos Women at Old Hararians on Saturday. The experienced national team all-rounder scored an unbeaten 108 runs as Eagles brought the curtain down to the women’s limited-overs cricket competition in dominant fashion.

Eagles Women batted well to reach 258-7 in 50 overs after winning the toss before making light work of their opponents, who crashed to 91 all out in 36.3 overs, thanks largely to Mitchell Mavunga’s 4/32 and Olinda Chare’s 3/11.

After winning the toss, Chatonzwa was apparently unperturbed by the loss of her opening partner and captain Modester Mupachikwa for a duck as she went on to carry her willow with aplomb, blasting 14 fours on her way to 108 not out.

Chatonzwa and Kellies Ndlovu shared a 74-run partnership for the second wicket which was only broken in the 17th over when Josephine Nkomo had the latter caught behind.

Ndlovu weighed in with 30 runs and Mavunga scored 21 runs from 19 deliveries. Dana Ndiraya took 4/40 for Rhinos women while Nomatter Mutasa had 2-45.

Despite ending up on the losing side in the final, Rhinos’ Nkomo got some consolation as she was named the Fifty50 Challenge’s best batter as well as player of the tournament. Mavunga walked away with the bowler of the tournament accolade.

Another milestone was recorded as former Zimbabwe bowler Sarah Dambanevana became the first female to officiate in a domestic final. She was one of the onfield umpires along with Percival Sizara.

Scorecards

Mountaineers: 307-9 in 50 overs (PJ Moor 76, Wellington Masakadza 66, Donald Tiripano 45; Dylan Hondo 4/25, Cuthbert Musoko 4/59, Roy Kaia 1/32)

Southern Rocks: 236 all out in 45.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 82, Sikandar Raza 76, Cephas Zhuwao 28; John Masara 4/43, Tony Munyonga 2/30, Wellington Masakadza 2/39)

Mountaineers won by 71 runs

Alliance Health Eagles Women: 258-7 in 50 overs (Christabel Chatonzwa 108*, Kellies Ndlovu 30, Mitchell Mavunga 21; Dana Ndiraya 3/40, Nomatter Mutasa 2/45, Vimbai Kavava 1/35)

Rhinos Women: 91 all out in 36.3 overs (Mary-Anne Musonda 22, Ashley Ndiraya 9, Josephine Nkomo 9; Mitchell Mavunga 4/32, Olinda Chare 3/11, Precious Marange 1/16)

Alliance Health Eagles Women won by 167 runs