Easterns and Northerns off to a winning start

All-round efforts from captain Hamilton Masakadza and Timycen Maruma helped Easterns beat Centrals at the Country Club. They each picked up two wickets and hit steady thirties in their team's three-wicket win. Put in by Easterns, Centrals got off to a bad start, losing three wickets for 21 but wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami's 53 helped them finish on 157 in 43.4 overs. He hit three boundaries and a six in his 97-ball stay before becoming the first of Donald Tiripano's two victims. Easterns lost their openers early but Masakadza, coming in at No. 3, held the innings together with a composed 31, which included five fours. Maruma managed a patient 30 off 72 balls, before Steven Nyamuzinga's breezy 31 clinched the victory in the 38th over.

Captain Elton Chigumbura and Graeme Cremer helped Northerns to a five-wicket win against Westerns at the Harare Sports Club. Northerns, who opted to field, never let the batsmen settle down and they were shot out for 98 in 45 overs - Mark Vermeulen's 79-ball 30 was the only innings of note. Chigumbura picked up 4 for 23 and Cremer 3 for 20. A slight stutter during the chase saw Northerns reduced to 66 for 4 at one stage but Keith Kondo and Ray Price ensured they reached the target by the 27th over.