Rhinos Trample Mountaineers

Both of this week's matches in the Faithwear MetBank one-day series wewre dead rubber that could make no difference to the final tournament table, but with the semi-finals just a few days away there was at least momentum to play for. Mountaineers have set the running for most of the series, and went into this match with an unbeaten record, but it was Rhinos who came away victorious - and by a convincing margin. Mountaineers were put into bat after Rhinos won the toss, and were it not for the efforts of Stuart Matsikenyeri (86*) and Shingi Masakadza (57*) would have posted a frankly embarrasing total - Mountaineers were at 104/8 when the pair joined forces to put of a partnership of 108 that saw the side through to the end of their allotted overs and to a total that they had a chance of defending, at least on paper. Wickets were well spread around the Rhinos bowlers, with Michael Chinouya leading the pack with 3/39.

Chasing, Rhinos got off to an inauspicious start with the early losses of Innocent Chikunya and Friday Kasteni, but Brendan Taylor at 3rd became the anchor for the innings, seeing it through to the end and closing just one short of a ton, with Vusi Sibanda, Malcolm Waller and Graeme Cremer providing support. Rhinos reached their target with 3 1/2 overs to spare, and a boost to morale ahead of their semi-final against Mashonaland Eagles. Full scorecard below the cut.
Mountaineers 212/8 (50 overs; Matsikenyeri 86*, Chinouya 3/39), Rhinos 215/4 (46.3 overs; Taylor 99*, Musoso 2/33). Rhinos win by 6 wickets.

Mountaineers innings (50 overs maximum)  	
                                                        R  	M  	B  	4s  	6s  	SR
TMK Mawoyo 	c Waller b Chinouya 	                25 	81 	51 	3 	0 	49.01
B Mlambo 	c †Taylor b Muzarabani 	                1 	5 	5 	0 	0 	20.00
J Maudzi 	lbw b Cremer 	                        7 	80 	44 	1 	0 	15.90
T Taibu† 	c †Taylor b Chinouya 	                4 	10 	8 	1 	0 	50.00
S Matsikenyeri* not out 	                        86 	138 	86 	7 	0 	100.00
SK Nyamuzinga 	c Kasteni b Chinouya 	                0 	7 	5 	0 	0 	0.00
J Marumisa 	c Sibanda b Waller 	                10 	34 	33 	0 	0 	30.30
P Utseya 	c Rainsford b Nkala 	                5 	13 	11 	0 	0 	45.45
D Tiripano 	c Chikunya b Nkala 	                9 	14 	14 	1 	0 	64.28
SW Masakadza 	not out 	                        57 	60 	44 	6 	0 	129.54
	Extras 	(b 1, lb 1, w 5, nb 1) 	                8 					
	Total 	(8 wickets; 50 overs; 225 mins) 	212 	(4.24 runs per over)

Did not bat: S Musoso

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Mlambo, 1.1 ov), 2-36 (Mawoyo, 16.1 ov), 3-40 (Maudzi, 17.3 ov), 4-40 (Taibu, 18.3 ov), 
5-44 (Nyamuzinga, 20.2 ov), 6-77 (Marumisa, 29.1 ov), 7-90 (Utseya, 32.3 ov), 8-104 (Tiripano, 36.3 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 		
EC Rainsford 	10 	3 	40 	0 	4.00 	(1nb, 2w) 	
T Muzarabani 	10 	2 	47 	1 	4.70 		
AG Cremer 	10 	1 	39 	1 	3.90 		
MT Chinouya 	10 	2 	39 	3 	3.90 	(2w) 	
MN Waller 	5 	0 	29 	1 	5.80 		
ML Nkala 	5 	0 	16 	2 	3.20 	(1w) 	


Mid West Rhinos innings (target: 213 runs from 50 overs) 	
                                                        R 	M 	B 	4s 	6s 	SR
I Chikunya 	c Matsikenyeri b Musoso 	        6 	26 	20 	0 	0 	30.00
F Kasteni 	c Matsikenyeri b Masakadza 	        10 	50 	36 	0 	0 	27.77
BRM Taylor† 	not out 	                        99 	167 	110 	7 	2 	90.00
V Sibanda* 	lbw b Utseya 	                        31 	55 	46 	3 	0 	67.39
MN Waller 	c Mlambo b Musoso 	                29 	58 	44 	0 	0 	65.90
AG Cremer 	not out 	                        18 	30 	25 	2 	0 	72.00
	Extras 	(lb 8, w 14) 	                        22 					
	Total 	(4 wickets; 46.3 overs; 195 mins) 	215 	(4.62 runs per over)

Did not bat: T Muzarabani, MT Chinouya, EC Rainsford, ML Nkala, R Nyathi
Fall of wickets1-16 (Chikunya, 6.1 ov), 2-32 (Kasteni, 11.5 ov), 3-90 (Sibanda, 25.5 ov), 4-169 (Waller, 39.3 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 		
S Musoso 	9 	0 	33 	2 	3.66 	(2w) 	
D Tiripano 	7 	0 	31 	0 	4.42 	(1w) 	
SK Nyamuzinga 	2 	0 	15 	0 	7.50 		
P Utseya 	10 	1 	28 	1 	2.80 	(1w) 	
S Matsikenyeri 	5 	0 	36 	0 	7.20 	(2w) 	
T Taibu 	5 	0 	26 	0 	5.20