National first league Champions Old Hararians recovered from their disappointing start to the season with a 39-run home win over Bulawayo Athletic Club in the second round of matches.

OH, who lost their opening game to Kwekwe Sports Club by seven wickets, opened the batting and compiled 220/6 in a 45-over match. Opener Ryan Butterworth top-scored with 96 while all-rounder Paul Strang weighed in with 50. Trevor Penney took three wickets for five runs off 2.1 overs while Nyasha Chari claimed three for 38 off nine overs.

While Old Hararians got back to winning ways, it was a different case with Bulawayo side Queens Sports Club, runners-up last season, as they slumped to their second successive defeat of the new season. Queens, who lost to Mutare Sports Club in the opening week, suffered an embarrassing 82-run home defeat to Kwekwe Sports Club.

The only success story of the Queens performance was the bowling of former national team paceman Mpumelelo Mbangwa who took four for 35 off 10 overs in Kwekwe's total of 240/8. The hosts were dismissed for 158 in 47.3 overs with spinner Raymond Price claiming four wickets for 30 off 10 overs.

Takashinga continued their fine start to the 2001/02 Castle Lager National First League season with a 47-run win over visiting Bulawayo Sports Club at Eaglesvale on Sunday. It was the second straight win for the Highfield-based outfit who won only two matches during the whole of last season. Last week Takashinga beat another Bulawayo side, Bulawayo Athletic Club, by six wickets.

On winning the toss, Takashinga batted first and made 267/8 with opener Tatenda Taibu top-scoring with 102. The Sixth-Form Churchill High School student featured in a 70-run first wicket partnership with Elton Chigumbura, who made 23. Givemore Makoni made a quickfire 65 batting at number five, smashing seven sixes. Dash Vaghmaria, the BSC captain, was the pick of the visitors' bowlers with four wickets for 37 off 10 overs.

In reply, Bulawayo Sports Club were dismissed for 220 in 47.1 overs. Taibu was once again the best bowler for Takashinga, taking four wickets for 41 off 6.1 overs. Taibu had been the wicketkeeper until the middle of the innings when he handed over the gloves to Alester Maregwede.

Mutare beat Old Georgians by 21 runs, their second win in as many matches. Mutare batted first and were dismissed for 229 in 49.5 overs with Richard Sims making 51. The hosts could only score 208/9 off their allotted 50 overs. Former national team vice-captain Guy Whittall was the pick of the bowlers with three for 27 off 10 overs, while colleague Alistair Campbell took three for 54 off 10 overs.

At Alexandra Sports Club, the hosts beat Harare Sports Club by 35 runs, while Universals recorded their first win of the season, beating Macdonald Club by 33 runs in Bulawayo.

Results from the Second Round of National First League played on 28 October, 2001.

Winstonians v Bulawayo Sports Club

Winstonians won by 47 runs.

Winstonians 267 for 6

T Taibu 102, G Makoni 65, W Chawaguta 37 D Vaghmaria 4 – 20 B.S.C. 220 all out

T Sibanda 38, M Kenny 35, M Ranchod 31 T Taibu 4 – 41

Mac Club v Universals

Universals won by 33 runs

Universals 294 for 9 in 50 overs

C Coventry 63, D Matambanadzo 30, B Mahwire 97, N Chouhan 37

Mac Club 261 for 9 in 50 overs

W Siziba 55, H Price 35, S Wilson 56* D Mutendera 3 – 58

Alexandra Sports Club v Harare Sports Club

Alexandra won by 35 runs

Alexandra 220 all out in 49.5 overs

B Benhura 39, C Anticevich 57*, S Marillier 35 A Hoffman 3 – 35

H.S.C. 185 all out in 46.2 overs

B Taylor 33, M Brundle 49 G du Plessis 3 – 41, C de Grandhomme 3 – 26

Old Hararians v Bulawayo Athletic Club

Old Hararians won by 40 runs

O H 220 for 8 wickets in 45 overs

R Butterworth 96*, P Strang 50 N Mukondiwa 3 – 54

B A C 181 all out in 43.1 overs

G Manchip 32, C Williams 62 N Chari 3 – 38, T Penney 3 – 5

Queens Sports Club v Kwekwe Sports Club

Kwekwe won by 82 runs

Kwekwe 240 for 8 in 50 overs

T Duffin 41, D Viljoen 70, D Houghton 35 M Mbangwa 4 – 30

Queens 158 all out in 42.3 overs

R King 32, N van Rensburg 48, O Msundire 32 C Sanders 3 – 30, R Price 4 – 30

Old Georgians v Mutare Sports Club

Mutare won by 21 runs

Mutare 229 all out in 49.5 overs

R Sims 51, K Went 47, L Soma 31 A Mackay 3 – 48, B McCoun 3 – 37

O G 208 for 9 in 50 overs

L Malloch-Brown 31, B Rogers 67, W Mwayenga 31 A Campbell 3 –54, G Whittall 3 – 27

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