TAKASHINGA Patriots 1 suffered an agonising three-run defeat against SOGO Rangers at Takashinga Cricket Club on Sunday afternoon but still maintained their second place on the NPL T20 Blast log standings.

SOGO have opened up a four-point lead with 10 points in five matches while Takashinga Patriots 1 are in second with six points and a healthy net run rate of 2.554.

Gladiators Mbizo and Westside are on six points, Rainbow have two while defending champions Takashinga Patriots 2 are on two, and Queens Sports Club is yet to pick up any points. 

Patriots skipper, Roy Kaia elected to field after winning the toss. However, some uncharacteristic bowling from the usually dependable bowlers helped SOGO Rangers to 200/6 in their allotted 20 overs. 

Patriots’ Munashe Chipare was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 50  runs in four overs, while Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, and Kaia took a wicket each. 

Mathew Campbell scored 60 from 34 balls for SOGO Rangers; Sean Williams weighed in with a 20-ball 38, and Alistair Frost added 28 from 29 deliveries. 

Takashinga Patriots 1 got off to a bad start losing opener Muhammad Tufail (1) on the fourth ball of their chase. Emmanuel Bawa (1) followed after 1.3 overs leaving Boys Dzangu exposed on 16/2.

A 51-run second-wicket partnership between Wellington Masakadza, 20 (11), and opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe studied the innings a bit before the former fell in the fifth over, leaving the team on 67/3.

Kamunhukamwe eventually fell for a well-played 66 off 34 balls while attempting to get a six on the leg side. Seasoned campaigners brought a lot of optimism and belief to the side, showing that class is permanent.

However, his cameo came to an end for 47 runs off 28 balls as he went down on one knee attempting to sweep Campbell’s delivery toward the Zimbabwe Grounds, only to miss and get bowled. 

Tailenders Muzarabani and Ngarava did their utmost best to chirp off the required runs, ending unbeaten on identical 13 runs each, Takashinga Patriots 1 ending their chase on 197/7 in their 20 overs.