TAKASHINGA Patriots 1 kept their title defense alive following a three-wicket derby National Premier League win against Patriots 2 at Old Hararians Sports Club on Thursday.

The defending champions, put in to field first, bowled out Takashinga Patriots 2 for 137 inside 30.2 overs.

Ronak Patel (47), Samuel Muyambo (22) and Graeme Cremer, 16 not out helped chased down the target in 28.5 overs with Patriots 1 reaching 139/7.

Takashinga Patriots 1 leg-spinner Graeme Cremer kept the selectors’ minds at bay with his usual commanding display.

The former Zimbabwe captain picked four wickets for 29 runs from 6.2 overs, taking the wickets of captain Baxon Gopito (13), caught by Muyambo; Kagumba (21), trapped Leg Before Wicket; Arineshto Vhezha (5), bowled; and Ryan Simbi, caught behind by Tsiga for two runs.

The leg-spinner looks likely to be in the side that will face Namibia in three T20Is scheduled for Bulawayo from September 15.

Antum Naqvi and Samuel Muyambo took two wickets each, while Kundai Matigimu grabbed one. For Patriots 2, Tino Chiwara top-scored with 41 runs off 37 balls before being caught by wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga off Matigimu’s bowling.

Kupakwashe Muradzi and Tanyaradzwa Kagumba scored 24 and 21 runs, respectively. Patriots 1 are tied on 18 points with log leaders SOGO Rangers, with only net run rate separating the two.

The defending champions have a net run rate of 2.587 against Rangers’ 3.114. With the ICC Africa Qualifiers coming up this month at home, Cremer may have just booked his place in the national T20I side.