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An hour before lunch, Mountaineers appeared to be certain winners of the Faithwear-Met Bank Trophy final after bowling Mid West Rhinos out for 144. At the interval, Mid West appeared certain winners after taking six Mountaineers wickets for only 66 runs. Yet, after all, in this incredible final where the balance swung so strongly from one side to another, it was Mountaineers after all who took the trophy. Helped by some strange bowling changes, the two bowling all-rounders Prosper Utseya and Shingi Masakadza shared a magnificent and totally unexpected unbroken partnership of 83 for the eighth wicket that took the home side home.

Mountaineers won the toss and decided to field, despite the apparently good batting conditions: the weather was hot and sunny, while the pitch looked flat. The first few overs certainly suggested this would be a batsman's game: Vusi Sibanda drove the first ball through the covers for three, and a total of ten runs came off that opening over from Shingi Masakadza. But it did not last long; Sibanda, though looking in superb form, fatally moved across his stumps to aim a straight ball to leg and was lbw to Tendai Chitara for 19 off 23 balls; 33 for one.

Brendan Taylor made a cautious start, and then ran out his partner, Friday Kasteni (16), calling him unexpectedly for a quick run for an overthrow. Briefly the bat took over again, with Taylor pulling Shingi Masakadza for a four and six in quick succession; his new partner, Rikki Wessels, hit a big six off Njabulo Ncube, only to swat a catch to cover in the same over. Then came another run out, with Taylor again culpable, calling Malcolm Waller for a risky single to the vacant slips while disregarding the speed of Tatenda Taibu. After these running misadventures, Taylor owed it to his team to play a major innings - but he then holed out on the midwicket boundary off the bowling of Ncube, and Mid West were 69 for five in the 15th over, after just 80 minutes' play. All their specialist batsmen had gone and the match looked as good as over.

Graeme Cremer and Bothwell Chapungu now got their heads down and put on a useful partnership in a seemingly hopeless cause. Chapungu played some good aggressive strokes, with wise discrimination, and made 27 off 36 balls before edging a catch to the keeper off Utseya. He was destined to be the top scorer of the innings. Cremer, in an hour, scored a determined 19 before getting a thick outside edge to a drive and lobbing an easy catch into the covers. Taurai Muzarabani, 19 not out, was the only other batsman to make a significant contribution, and the innings closed for a mere 144 in less than 36 overs.

Mountaineers had done well in the field, though without quite touching their best, helped by a poor display from the Mid West top order and poor running. The Mid West coach, Andy Waller, did not feel it was big-match nerves; "just poor cricket," he said. Utseya was the best of the Mountaineers bowlers, taking three for 24 with his nagging accuracy and just letting the batsmen get themselves out under the pressure. It looked like a dismally one-sided final and a formality for the home team.

Unfortunately for Mountaineers, their batsmen seemed to think the same thing. It was the sort of match where, if Mid West had made 100 more runs, Mountaineers would probably have knuckled down and got them. But the batting of their top order suggested they were over-confident and eager to finish the match as soon as possible. Mid West for their part came out fighting.

They opened the bowling with the leg-spinner Cremer opposite Ed Rainsford, their two best bowlers. Tinotenda Mawoyo immediately lofted Cremer for two leg-side fours, both only yards short of six, but the captain and bowler did not panic. Cremer adjusted, while Mawoyo failed to do so. He lived dangerously, dropped off a low chance at backward point on 16, and then slicing a catch into the covers off Rainsford for 21. His partner Stuart Matsikenyeri swatted a ball from Cremer straight to midwicket, and two wickets had fallen at 29.

Taibu also showed too little discrimination in his strokeplay, and was bowled for 12, having a big swing at a ball from Cremer. At the other end Rainsford had a good battle with Hamilton Masakadza, which ended in victory for the bowler; Masakadza skied a catch to mid-on for 11. This was the big wicket, and at this point the balance of the match swung from the home side to the visitors. The score was 56 for four.

Incredibly, Mountaineers continued the same senseless tactics that had got them into trouble in the first place. Timycen Maruma hit Rainsford for two fours; two balls later he was yorked for 9, and the score was 64 for five, in only the eleventh over. Rainsford and Cremer continued to bowl, Mid West knowing they now held the whip hand; Mountaineers still continued their march of the lemmings. Steven Nyamuzinga gave a low chance to second slip off Rainsford before slicing a catch to backward point, still without scoring, and now lunch was taken at 66 for six. Fine bowling and suicidal batting had turned the match on its head.

After lunch Rainsford and Cremer, who had still only bowled six overs each, finished their allotted ten, for one more wicket, Natsai Mushangwe going lbw to Cremer for one, departing with obvious dissent. Then Utseya and Shingi Masakadza showed that Mountaineers had not altogether given up hope and shared a partnership of great determination. Both players have first-class centuries to their credit, so Mid West knew that the match was not theirs yet. Muzarabani and Mike Chinouya took over the attack and bowled with purpose, but were resisted with great determination. A four through the covers by Masakadza off Muzarabani brought up the 100 in the 27th over.

This was now the best cricket in the match, with both teams fully concentrated and fighting for the final supremacy that would win the match and the trophy. Masakadza grew in confidence, some fine drives taking him past Chapangu's 27 to become the highest scorer of the match. 120 was posted in the 32nd over, and slowly Mountaineers regained hope. One or two false strokes almost resulted in catches, but the batsmen survived. Perhaps Sibanda erred in removing Muzarabani and Chinouya too soon, as the other bowlers tried made no impression, and even Wessels was called upon to turn his arm over, a quixotic decision. The match was clearly slipping away from Mid West again.

With eight runs needed for victory, Muzarabani was finally brought back. But it was not a good over and five came from it - four in singles and a no-ball. In the next over Mountaineers seized their incredible victory, as Masakadza lofted a ball from Waller high over mid-on for six. With the help and guidance of the national captain, who was unbeaten on 30, with his 41 he had dragged back for his team the victory and the trophy they had so nearly thrown away. They were wildly acclaimed by an enthusiastic crowd of several hundred that had swollen during the day.

Full scorecard & photos below the cut.
Rhinos 144 (35.5/50 overs; Chapungu 27, Utseya 3/24), Mountaineers 149/7 (37.5/50 overs; S Masakadza 41*, Rainsford 4/48). Mountaineers win by 3 wickets.

[Images © ZC]

Shingi Masakadza is escorted from the field by fans

Ozias Bvute presents Mountaineers captain Hamilton Masakadza with the tournament trophy...

...and the winning side's prize money

Brothers Hamilton (captain) and Shingi (man of the match) Masakadza

The winning Mountaineers

Mid West Rhinos innings (50 overs maximum)	
						R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
V Sibanda*	lbw b Chatara			19	27	23	3	0	82.60
F Kasteni	run out (SW Masakadza/†Taibu)	16	36	20	2	0	80.00
BRM Taylor†	c Utseya b Ncube		17	40	26	2	1	65.38
MH Wessels	c Maruma b Ncube		10	19	11	1	1	90.90
MN Waller	run out (†Taibu)		0	4	3	0	0	0.00
AG Cremer	c Maruma b Mushangwe		19	59	45	0	0	42.22
BM Chapungu	c †Taibu b Utseya		27	41	36	3	0	75.00
EC Rainsford	lbw b Utseya			1	7	7	0	0	14.28
T Muzarabani	not out				19	22	24	2	0	79.16
SM Mugava	st †Taibu b Mushangwe		5	16	19	0	0	26.31
MT Chinouya	c H Masakadza b Utseya		0	3	2	0	0	0.00
	Extras	(w 10, nb 1)			11					
	Total	(all out; 35.5 overs; 141 mins)	144	(4.01 runs per over)

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Sibanda, 5.6 ov), 2-39 (Kasteni, 7.6 ov), 3-68 (Wessels, 12.3 ov), 
4-68 (Waller, 13.1 ov), 5-69 (Taylor, 14.3 ov), 6-112 (Chapungu, 25.2 ov), 
7-118 (Rainsford, 27.3 ov), 8-120 (Cremer, 28.4 ov), 9-139 (Mugava, 34.5 ov), 
10-144 (Chinouya, 35.5 ov)

Bowling		O	M	R	W	Econ		
SW Masakadza	7	0	30	0	4.28	(1nb, 1w)	
TL Chatara	6	2	21	1	3.50	(5w)	
N Ncube		6	0	37	2	6.16	(1w)	
P Utseya	8.5	1	24	3	2.71	(3w)	
N Mushangwe	8	1	32	2	4.00		


Mountaineers innings (target: 145 runs from 50 overs)	
							R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
TMK Mawoyo	c Chapungu b Rainsford			21	18	18	3	0	116.66
S Matsikenyeri	c Sibanda b Cremer			7	21	10	1	0	70.00
H Masakadza*	c Chinouya b Rainsford			11	25	20	2	0	55.00
T Taibu†	b Cremer				12	11	11	1	1	109.09
T Maruma	b Rainsford				9	12	6	2	0	150.00
P Utseya	not out					30	108	84	2	0	35.71
SK Nyamuzinga	c Sibanda b Rainsford			0	7	6	0	0	0.00
N Mushangwe	lbw b Cremer				1	5	8	0	0	12.50
SW Masakadza	not out					41	91	68	5	1	60.29
	Extras	(lb 3, w 9, nb 5)			17					
	Total	(7 wickets; 37.5 overs; 152 mins)	149	(3.93 runs per over)

Did not bat: TL Chatara, N Ncube

Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Mawoyo, 4.3 ov), 2-29 (Matsikenyeri, 5.1 ov), 3-43 (Taibu, 7.6 ov), 
4-56 (H Masakadza, 10.1 ov), 5-64 (Maruma, 10.4 ov), 6-64 (Nyamuzinga, 12.4 ov), 
7-66 (Mushangwe, 13.6 ov)

Bowling		O	M	R	W	Econ		
EC Rainsford	10	0	48	4	4.80	(2nb, 3w)	
AG Cremer	10	3	36	3	3.60		
T Muzarabani	4	0	12	0	3.00	(3nb)	
MT Chinouya	4	1	11	0	2.75	(1w)	
SM Mugava	3	0	15	0	5.00	(1w)	
F Kasteni	2	2	0	0	0.00		
V Sibanda	1	0	4	0	4.00		
MH Wessels	2	0	10	0	5.00	(3w)	
MN Waller	1.5	0	10	0	5.45	(1w)