Zimbabwe National League - round 7 report and scores

Matches played on Sunday 30 January 2000

Sunday saw the final round robin games of the league with several teams making a final effort to clinch a semi-final berth. Rain once again played a part, with the Bulawayo match between Queens and McDonalds abandoned without a ball being bowled, whilst in Mutare the match between Manicaland and Universals was washed out after lunch.

Alexandra Sports Club won by 1 run

ALEXANDRA OLD GEORGIANS D A Marillier c Evans b Mackay 3 L S Malloch-Brown run out (?) 0 J Wells c Rogers b Wright 24 B Rogers run out (?) 16 *G J Rennie c Waller b Mackay 6 T Friend c E Marillier b Duers 0 A M Blignaut b Wright 64 C N Evans c D Marillier b de Beer 108 D de Beer c McCoun b Mackay 40 A C Waller c Bezuidenhout b Rennie 17 +E R Marillier lbw b Waller 1 *A J Mackay lbw b Rennie 0 C M Anticevich c M-Brown b Wright 1 A J Erasmus b de Beer 16 J A Young lbw b Wright 9 D Oberholzer c D Marillier b de Beer 0 R Liddell c Friend b Wright 2 S Wright b de Beer 13 D Bezuidenhout not out 26 B D McCoun c Duers b Blignaut 9 K G Duers b Mackay 4 D J Rowett not out 0 (b 2 lb 8 w 11 nb 2) 23 (b 4? lb 7? w 13 nb 3) 23 (49 overs, 199 min) 203 (49.1 overs, 201 min) 202

Mackay 10 0 44 4 Bezuidenhout 7 1 25 0 Rowett 6 0 19 0 Duers 10 4 27 1 Evans 8 0 51 0 Young 6 0 39 0 Friend 3 0 7 0 Anticevich 5 0 38 0 Waller 10 0 26 1 Rennie 10 3 18 2 Wright 10 1 38 5 de Beer 6 1 22 4 McCoun 2 0 8 0 D Marillier 2 0 16 0 Blignaut 3.1 0 10 1

This was a match both sides had to win to qualify for the semis and fittingly went down to the wire. Alex batted first and after lapsing to 105/6, recovered to post 224 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks in part to the efforts of Eaglesvale schoolboy Dillon De Beer.

OGs took up the challenge enthusiastically, with big-hitting Craig Evans scoring a century in his characteristic style. But Alex claimed wickets steadily, and with two overs left OGs required two runs for victory with one wicket in hand. However, the pressure proved too much as the last OGs batsman was caught in the deep by Kevin Duers and Alex claimed victory by the narrowest of margins - one run.

The disappointment was tangible for OGs who would needed only a draw to qualify for the knockout round.

The win for Alex ensured them a second-place finish on the final points table and will now meet Harare Sports Club in the semi-final in two weeks' time, whilst OGs finished in fifth spot.

OLD HARARIANS HARARE SPORTS CLUB E A Brandes b Swannell 74 T R Gripper b Stephens 46 R Butterworth b Watambwa 22 K J Davies lbw b Rawnsley 27 +C Delport run out (Gripper) 36 M A Vermeulen c Rawnsley b Stephens 3 B C Strang c Campbell b Gripper 5 D J Peacock c Delport b Price 27 D P Viljoen c Vermeulen b Davies 88 *+D J R Campbell c Penney b Stephens 0 G Lamb b Davies 40 N R Ferreira b Price 8 *T L Penney not out 8 J Oldrieve c Penney b Rawnsley 0 G Parker not out 6 G D Ferreira lbw b Price 16 R W Price P Swannell lbw b Rawnsley 0 M J Rawnsley B T Watambwa c Delport b Viljoen 9 D Stephens T Nkosana not out 0 Extras 25 Extras 4 (6 wkts; 50 overs, 202 min) 304 (37.2 overs, 148 min) 140

Watambwa 10 0 63 1 Strang 8 1 28 0 Davies 10 0 56 2 Brandes 6 1 28 0 Swannell 10 0 52 1 Stephens 6 0 15 3 Peacock 8 1 55 0 Rawnsley 10 2 26 3 Gripper 9 0 47 1 Price 6.2 0 36 3 G Ferreira 3 0 23 0 Viljoen 1 0 5 1

In contrast to the cliffhanger at Alexandra, OH overwhelmed HSC in a onesided game at Harare Sports Club. OH continued their unbeaten run in the league to finish top of the points table with seven wins from seven matches.

The star-studded Old Boys side, boasting internationals such as Bryan Strang, Eddo Brandes, Dirk Viljoen and Raymond Price, were sent into bat on a slow wicket after losing the toss. Brandes opened the batting for OH and got the innings off to a flyer with characteristic big hitting, and Dirk Viljoen continued the momentum with an aggressive 88 scored at more than a run a ball to help OH pass the 300-run mark.

The target of 320 proved beyond HSC who struggled against tight and disciplined bowling from Strang, Brandes and Price, and were bundled out for 120, giving OH an easy victory.

OH now meet Universals in the other semi-final in what should be a keenly contested game.

Match drawn (rain)

UNIVERSALS MANICALAND D R Matambanadzo b Lawson 54 D Yatras I Meman lbw b Percival 28 S Lawson D D Ebrahim b Burmester 86 +K Went *A H Shah c Taylor b Lawson 25 *M G Burmester +B I Robinson b Burmester 15 K G B Ziehl A Burki c Taylor b Burmester 1 G Penfold T Madondo b Burmester 0 N Sheth S Shah c Yatras b Burmester 0 L Soma S Adam b Burmester 6 A Taylor H Adam not out 4 D Percival M Sirdar T Denyer Extras 14 (9 wkts; 50 overs) 233

Soma 6 0 32 0 Burmester 10 2 21 6 Taylor 2 0 17 0 Percival 3 0 19 1 Lawson 10 0 56 2 Yatras 10 1 27 0 Sheth 6 1 21 0 Ziehl 3 0 37 0

Universals won the toss and elected to bat on a good batting wicket at Mutare Sports Club. Darlington Matambanadzo and young Imran Meman got the visitors off to a flying start, although Matambanadzo was lucky to be dropped whilst on 3. Dion Ebrahim also batted well for 86 which took his average for the season to over 50. Ali Shah made his usual contribution, but an excellent spell of bowling from Mark Burmester pegged the Universals batsmen back and restricted their total to 233/8.

Unfortunately, the rain started during the break and no further play was possible.

Universals ended in fourth place on the points table due to a better net run rate than Old Georgians, thus claiming the last semi-final spot. However, the saga over the covers in the Universals match against Queens a few weeks ago has not been finalised, and the pending decision from the ZCU may still have an impact on the final points table.

As matters stand at the moment, Universals will play Old Hararians in the semi-final.

QUEENS SPORTS CLUB V MacDONALD CLUB, at Queens Sports Club

Match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain.