Four out of four for Tuskers in Pro50 Championship

October 10, 2022

Four out of four for Tuskers in Pro50 Championship

Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
IT is four wins out of four matches for Tuskers in the Pro50 Championship after they defeated Southern Rocks by four runs in a 50-over cricket encounter played at Bulawayo Athletic Club yesterday.

Tuskers remain the only team yet to taste defeat in the competition and are on top of the five-team log with 40 points.
Batting first, the Ainsley Ndlovu-captained Tuskers posted 278-9 in their 50 overs, their good total aided by a century from Shane Getkate as well as a half-ton by Brian Chari.

Tuskers bowled out Rocks for 274 courtesy of a five-wicket haul by off spinner Nkosana Mpofu.

South Africa-born Irish cricketer Getkate was the star with the bat for the Bulawayo-based side as he blasted 120 off 116 deliveries. He was complemented by Chari, the veteran campaigner finally getting it right, scoring his first half-century of the season, finishing with 67 runs on the board. A late cameo by Tanatswa Bechani saw him finish with 38 runs off 28 deliveries.

A slow start with the ball saw Rocks becoming the favourites early in the match but another brilliant performance by the Tuskers bowlers ensured the home side made it four straight wins.

Mpofu made up for scoring just one run and delivered with ball in hand instead, finishing 5/47 in 10 overs. He was supported by seamer Ernest Masuku, Bechani and Charlton Tshuma who all took one wicket apiece. The other wicket that fell for Rocks was a run-out.

Opening batter Brian Mudzinganyama top-scored for Rocks with 62 runs and his partner Cephas Zhuawo scored 35 runs.
A nervy finish saw Tshuma grab the crucial wicket with Rocks needing just five runs to cross the line with just nine balls remaining.

Mpofu was pleased with his maiden five wicket haul in List A cricket, stating that he hasn’t been bowling a lot and the milestone meant a lot to him.

“I feel good, it’s my first five-wicket haul in List A cricket, I haven’t been really bowling much in the past seasons so I think I’ll bowl a lot more this season,” said Mpofu.

Walter Chawaguta, the Tuskers coach was also impressed with the clean record they have kept so far but still believes they have not been playing their best cricket so far.
“We are the unbeaten team so far, I’m very happy, I don’t believe we are playing our best cricket yet but it’s good to have four out of four,” said Chawaguta.

The coach was also pleased with the performance Nkosana Mpofu put and backs him to be a good all-rounder, not just a part-time bowler.
Next up for Tuskers is a trip to Mutare to face second-from-bottom-placed Mountaineers on Thursday and Saturday. — Follow on Twitter @brandon_malvin