Easterns Win Title Showdown

The final match of this year's Faithwear Series was also the most important - a winner-takes-all match between Easterns and Northerns. Easterns won the toss and elected to bat, and after an early wobble with the loss of opener Timycen Maruma with the score on 13, they powered thier way to 249/9 from their 50 overs. Stuart Matsikenyeri claimed another half-ton (55), while Forster Mutizwa and Shingirai Masakadza both score 49. Graeme Cremer's 3/47 was the pick of the Northerns bowling.

In reply, Northerns went to pieces early on, with Tatenda Taibu (7), Tinashe Chimbambo (0) and Regis Chakabva (3) all falling early to leave their side struggling. Ishmael Senzere (36) and Cephas Zhuwawo (41) both made efforts to give their side a fighting chance, but Northerns were clearly missing a number of key players and weren't able to keep the required pace, eventually being bowled out for 157. That gave Easterns a 92-run win, and made sure they retained the Faithwear Series title. Full scorecard below the cut.
Easterns 249/9 (50 overs; Matsikenyeri 55, Cremer 3/47), Northerns 157 (39.4 overs; Zhuwawo 41, Steady Musoso 3/14). Easterns win by 92 runs.

Easterns innings (50 overs maximum)  
T Maruma 	b Masvaure 	                9 
S Matsikenyeri 	c Garwe b Price 	        55
B Mlambo 	lbw b Mlambo 	                17 
F Mutizwa 	c Chimbambo b Manyumwa 	        49 
J Marumisa 	c Chimbambo b Cremer 	        15 
P Utseya 	c Chimbambo b Cremer 	        4 
S Matsika 	b Cremer 	                4 
SW Masakadza 	b Manyumwa 	                49 
A Maparura 	b Garwe 	                3 
S Mujaji 	not out 	                21 
S Musoso 	not out 	                1 
    Extras 	(lb 2, w 16, nb 4) 	        22 
    Total 	(9 wickets; 50 overs) 	        249 

Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Maruma), 2-63 (Mlambo), 3-105 (Matsikenyeri), 
4-134 (Marumisa), 5-156 (Utseya), 6-165 (Matsika), 7-192 (Mutizwa), 
8-202 (Maparura), 9-245 (Masakadza)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
TN Garwe 	10 	1 	36 	1 	3.60 	(1w)
P Masvaure 	10 	1 	64 	1 	6.40 	(6w)
AM Manyumwa 	5 	0 	41 	2 	8.20 	(2nb, 1w)
A Mlambo 	3 	0 	18 	1 	6.00 	(1w)
RW Price 	10 	0 	29 	1 	2.90 	
AG Cremer 	10 	0 	47 	3 	4.70 	(2nb, 2w)
T Taibu 	2 	0 	12 	0 	6.00 	(2w)

Northerns innings (target: 250 runs from 50 overs) 
T Taibu 	c Mlambo b Musoso 	        7 
T Chimbambo 	c Mutizwa b Musoso 	        0 
RW Chakabva 	c Mutizwa b Masakadza 	        3 
I Senzere 	c Mlambo b Mujaji 	        36 
RW Price 	c Utseya b Musoso 	        6 
P Masvaure 	c Utseya b Masakadza 	        14 
AG Cremer 	lbw b Masakadza 	        0 
C Zhuwawo 	c Mlambo b Mujaji 	        41 
AM Manyumwa 	b Matsikenyeri          	17 
TN Garwe 	c Maparura b Maruma 	        12 
A Mlambo 	not out 	                0 
    Extras 	(b 1, lb 1, w 17, nb 2) 	21 
    Total 	(all out; 39.4 overs) 	        157 

Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Chimbambo), 2-12 (Taibu), 3-14 (Chakabva), 
4-31 (Price), 5-60 (Masvaure), 6-64 (Cremer), 7-122 (Zhuwawo), 
8-130 (Senzere), 9-153 (Manyumwa), 10-157 (Garwe, 39.4 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
SW Masakadza 	8 	1 	24 	3 	3.00 	(4w)
S Musoso 	6 	0 	14 	3 	2.33 	(2w)
S Mujaji 	7 	1 	29 	2 	4.14 	(1nb, 7w)
P Utseya 	6 	0 	26 	0 	4.33 	(1w)
T Maruma 	4.4 	0 	32 	1 	6.85 	
S Matsikenyeri 	7 	0 	19 	1 	2.71 	(3w)
A Maparura 	1 	0 	11 	0 	11.00 	(1nb)

Comments

maehera hav you heard that...

maehera hav you heard that brendan taylor is or might quit at end of the week hes returing the zc should let him play overseas india is not coming .

Already a story on that.

Already a story on that. Last I heard, he and Elton Chigumbura were already in England - I doubt ZC will object now that the season is over.

maehera do you think that...

maehera do you think that the logan cup should be 8 macthes and not 4 it should be extended for the better of the plyers its to short i hope you agree if their were more extended macthes players like non club players like mufambisi, rinke , rodgers , butterworth could all get a chance and impress even the one day competetion is to shorth they should have atleast 12 to 16 macthes.

If the season were longer...

If the season were longer it would just mean more matches for the current mob, and not any greater exposure for the lower levels. To be honest, this season was already too long - between the provincial leagues, National League, CSA domestic competitions and the three inter-provincials, there's too much going on if they want the top players to play at all levels. Only way all the current competitions could fit into a proper timescale would be to take the players with national contracts out of the club competitions - but them clubs need those players to raise standards there.

Zimbabwe's season needs to end before the IPL & English seasons begin, so that our top players can get some good experience there.

maehera i agree but do...

maehera i agree but do you see a good future for zim?

do you think more rebels could return

Not while the current board...

Not while the current board is in place.