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Provinces' batsmen finally fired to deliver an impressive performance, while Ray Price marked his return to Zimbabwean colours with a more-than-useful 4-wicket haul, to give Provinces their first win of the SAA Provincial Cup campaign, beating Northerns by 21 runs. With the top order of Tino Mawoyo (85), Regis Chakabva(60) and Hamilton Masakadza (62) all scoring half-centuries, Provinces were able to rack up 265 from their allotted overs, for the loss of just 3 wickets as Northerns struggled to make headway against batsmen who suddenly seemed to have a purpose. Stuart Matsikenyeri also contributed a useful 44.

In reply, Northerns' openers Pieter Malan and Alwyn Viljoen put on 61 runs before Viljoen fell to a catch by Regis Chakabva off the bowling of Admire Manyumwa. Malan and Dikgale put on another 38 together, but from there Northerns fell apart, with Ray Price (4/48) playing a large part in their demise, helped by some acrobatics in the field. Northerns were eventually bowled out for 244 in their 44th over, giving Provinces reason to celebrate as they took their first scalp.

Good performances all around in this match, even moreso than in the 3-day game before it, and a little ray of sunshine for the side to bask in for a while.
Result: Zimbabwe Provinces 265/3 (Mawoyo 85, Maskadza 63*, Chakabva 60; Phangiso 1/34), Northerns 244 (van Biljon 82, Malan 46, Price 4/48). Zimbabwe Provinces win by 21 runs. Full scorecard below the cut.
Next match: versus Namibia in Windhoek, on 13 January 2008.

Zimbabwe Provinces innings (45 overs maximum)
TMK Mawoyo	c & b Phangiso	                        85
RW Chakabva	lbw b Engelbrecht	                60
H Masakadza	not out	                                62
S Matsikenyeri	c Malan b Wagner	                44
T Duffin	not out	                                0
    Extras	(b 3, lb 1, w 9, nb 1)	                14
    Total	(3 wickets; 45 overs)	                265

Did not bat: KO Meth, AM Manyumwa, AG Cremer, RW Price, 
PM Tsvanhu, T Muzarabani 

Fall of wickets: 1-135 (Chakabva, 25.6 ov), 2-168 (Mawoyo, 34.6 ov), 
3-264 (Matsikenyeri, 44.4 ov)

Bowling	        O	M	R	W	Econ	
N Wagner	8	0	42	1	5.25	(2w)
LMG Masekela	7	1	39	0	5.57	(1w)
MA Mashimbyi	6	0	51	0	8.50	(1nb)
SW Liebisch	3	0	33	0	11.00	(1w)
SA Engelbrecht	9	0	39	1	4.33	(1w)
AM Phangiso	9	0	35	1	3.88	(1w)
AF Viljoen	3	0	22	0	7.33	(3w)


Northerns innings (target: 266 runs from 45 overs)
P Malan	        c Tsvanhu b Price	                46
AF Viljoen	c Chakabva b Manyumwa	                36
T Dikgale	b Price	                                21
SW Liebisch	lbw b Price	                        0
PJ van Biljion	run out (Tsvanhu/Price)	                82
SA Engelbrecht	c & b Price	                        3
AM Phangiso	c & b Cremer	                        13
AL Ndlovu	c Chakabva b Meth	                6
N Wagner	c Tsvanhu b Meth	                0
MA Mashimbyi	c Price b Manyumwa	                25
LMG Masekela	not out	                                0
    Extras	(lb 2, w 10)	                        12
    Total	(all out; 43.3 overs)	                244

Fall of wickets: 1-61 (Viljoen, 8.5 ov), 2-99 (Malan, 17.1 ov), 
3-100 (Liebisch, 17.3 ov), 4-127 (Dikgale, 21.6 ov), 
5-137 (Engelbrecht, 23.6 ov), 6-176 (Phangiso, 31.5 ov), 
7-200 (Ndlovu, 36.2 ov), 8-201 (Wagner, 36.4 ov), 
9-241 (van Biljion, 42.2 ov), 10-244 (Mashimbyi, 43.3 ov)

Bowling	        O	M	R	W	Econ	
T Muzarabani	4	0	33	0	8.25	
PM Tsvanhu	6	1	30	0	5.00	(2w)
AM Manyumwa	8.3	0	51	2	6.00	(1w)
RW Price	9	0	48	4	5.33	(2w)
AG Cremer	9	1	36	1	4.00	
S Matsikenyeri	5	0	32	0	6.40	(1w)
KO Meth	        2	0	12	2	6.00	(2w)