zimcricketnews.com

Round Three of the Faithwear Series was the day of crushing defeats. In the first match, at Harare Sports Club, Westerns were the unlucky victims as their opening win in the competition proverd to be a false dawn. After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Bulawayo-base side were soon wishing they were elsewhere, as the combined Easterns attack ripped through their batting lineup in under 30 overs. Keith Dabengwa's 26 was the "highlight" of the innings, with Romeo Kasawaya (11) the only other man to reach double figures as their side collapsed to 90 all out. For Easterns, Steady Musoso led the figures with 3/21 while the four other bowlers used all chipped in.

In reply, Easterns weren't inclined to hang around. Prosper Utseya showed he wasn't made to be an opener by falling on the first ball of the innings, but #2 and #3 batsmen Stuart Matsikenyeri (51*) and Hamilton Masakadza (31*) finished the job inside 13 overs as Easterns claimed a 9-wicket win. Chris Mpofu took 1/52 for Westerns. Full scorecard below the cut.
Westerns 90 (28.1 overs; Dabengwa 26, Musoso 3/21), Easterns 92/1 (12.3 overs; Matsikenyeri 51*, Mpofu 1/52). Easterns win by 9 wickets.

Westerns innings (50 overs maximum)
B Staddon 	c Matsikenyeri b SW Masakadza 	1 
T Ngulube 	c Mutizwa b Mujaji 	        6 
B Mujuru 	c H Masakadza b Musoso 	        0 
KO Meth 	c Utseya b SW Masakadza 	9 
KM Dabengwa 	b Nyamuzinga 	                26 
T Mupariwa 	c Matsikenyeri b Musoso 	2 
RT Kasawaya 	c H Masakadza b Nyamuzinga 	11 
T Madiri 	lbw b Utseya 	                2 
MM Dube 	run out (Utseya) 	        7 
TM Mboyi 	not out 	                3 
CB Mpofu 	b Musoso 	                1 
    Extras 	(lb 3, w 17, nb 2) 	        22 
    Total 	(all out; 28.1 overs) 	        90 

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Staddon), 2-4 (Mujuru), 3-17 (Meth), 
4-18 (Ngulube), 5-24 (Mupariwa), 6-60 (Dabengwa), 
7-73 (Kasawaya), 8-73 (Madiri), 9-84 (Dube), 10-90 (Mpofu, 28.1 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
SW Masakadza 	9 	1 	20 	2 	2.22 	(4w)
S Musoso 	5.1 	0 	21 	3 	4.06 	(4w)
S Mujaji 	8 	0 	26 	1 	3.25 	(2nb, 7w)
SK Nyamuzinga 	5 	1 	20 	2 	4.00 	(2w)
P Utseya 	1 	1 	0 	1 	0.00 	


Easterns innings (target: 91 runs from 50 overs)
P Utseya 	b Mpofu 	                0 
S Matsikenyeri 	not out 	                51 
H Masakadza 	not out 	                31 
    Extras 	(lb 1, w 9) 	                10 
    Total 	(1 wicket; 12.3 overs) 	        92 

Did not bat: B Mlambo, J Marumisa, wicketkeeperF Mutizwa, T Maruma, 
SK Nyamuzinga, SW Masakadza, S Musoso, S Mujaji

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Utseya)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
CB Mpofu 	5.3 	0 	52 	1 	9.45 	(4w)
T Mupariwa 	6 	0 	25 	0 	4.16 	(4w)
KO Meth 	1 	0 	14 	0 	14.00