RAINBOW Cricket Club were saved by the bell when their Vigne Cup match against Takashinga 1 at Old Hararians was abandoned due to an unfit pitch.

Takashinga 1, led by acting captain Timycen Maruma, won the toss and elected to field first. However, the umpires, Tafadzwa Musakwa and Brian Nyamutsita quickly assessed the pitch and deemed it unsuitable for play.

Rainbow’s openers Donnex Kansonkho and Ronak Patel had taken to the crease. At the time of abandonment, they were 3 runs for no loss off 2 overs both still to get off the mark, from three wide, two from Nigel Mupurura and one from Kundai Matigimu. It was a fortunate turn of events for Rainbow, given what lay ahead of them from the wounded Takashinga 1’s bowlers had the match continued.

Takashinga 1’s seniors, including Roy Kaia, Innocent Kaia, Joylord Gumbie, and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, were part of the team on Saturday. With their experience and skill, they were sure to inflict severe damage on the youthful Rainbow side.

As it stands, Rainbow escaped without a loss, and both teams shared points, five on each side. Rainbow were lucky to leave with some points, literally saved by their namesake (the Rainbow) as the match was abandoned. The match abandonment adds an air of uncertainty to the title race, and both teams will be keenly watching the standings.

Despite the disappointment, both teams will look to regroup and refocus for their next encounters. For Rainbow, it’s a case of being fortunate, and they’ll aim to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches.

With the shared points, Takashinga 1 swapped places with their sister club Takashinga 2 and now sit in third place with 60 points while Rainbow remain at number five.