Bowlers prosper in Mountaineers win

The bowlers dominated Mountaineers' 33-run win over Mid West Rhinos at the Harare Sports Club, with 20 wickets falling in under 76 overs of play. Timycen Maruma seemed the only batsman to come to terms with conditions, slamming five sixes in his quickfire 59 to boost Mountaineers to 163 all out. Rhinos' chase never got going, the visitors chipping away with spin and seam alike to seal the victory in the 37th over.

The Rhinos seamers soon had Mountaineers' top order reeling after Vusi Sibanda won the toss and decided to field. The score had slipped to 77 for 6 before Maruma's solo effort, Justin Lewis and Paul Franks picking up a wicket apiece and Graeme Cremer striking twice. His innings carried them to 145 before Ed Rainsford, who had picked up the wicket of opener Jonathan Beukes and effected Hamilton Masakadza's run out, returned and trapped him lbw. Rainsford also removed Shingirai Masakadza and Tinashe Panyangara to finish with 4 for 27.

Rhinos lost star batsman Brendan Taylor in the first over and had stumbled to 60 for 6 in the 17th over before some lower-order resistance from Franks and wicketkeeper Riki Wessels. After the early wickets had been shared by the seamers and young legspinner Natsai Mushangwe, Prosper Utseya's introduction to the attack sent the innings into freefall. He ripped through the tail, finishing with 3 for 10 as Rhinos were bowled out for 130 in the 37th over.

No result was possible in Matabeleland Tuskers' game against Mashonaland Eagles at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Tuskers reaching 32 for 2 in 12 overs before the weather closed in