Masakadza Hits 178 as Zimbabwe Beats Kenya 4-1

Harare: Hamilton Masakadza hit a career-best 178 not out while pace bowler Chris Mpofu took 3/44 to lead Zimbabwe to a 142-run victory over Kenya on Sunday to complete a 4-1 win in their ODI series.

Man-of-the-series Masakadza's previous best was 156 when the two African sides met in the first match last Monday.

Opener Masakadza faced 167 balls and struck 17 boundaries and five sixes at the Harare Sports Club, putting on 127 for the first wicket with Forster Mutizwa (55) as Zimbabwe posted a challenging 329/3.

A 26-year-old right-hander, Masakadza dealt mercilessly with the Kenya attack, finding runs with relative ease on either sides of the field.

Zimbabwe lost its first wicket when Mutizwa, who steered Zimbabwe to Saturday's six-wicket victory which sealed the series win, was stumped by wicketkeeper David Obuya off a wide ball from off spinner Jimmy Kamande.

Masakadza then shared a 102-run stand off 110 balls with Brendan Taylor for the second wicket. Taylor, who hit 52 off 48 balls, plundering three boundaries and three sixes, scored his third straight half-century of the series.

Taylor was out when he miscued a Nehemiah Odhiambo delivery to be caught at midwicket by Collins Obuya.

Charles Coventry added 25 before Kamande gathered him at long off from another Odhiambo delivery.

After losing opener Alex Obanda for four runs, brothers David and Collins Obuya dominated the Zimbabwean bowlers with an aggressive 34-run stand for the second wicket.

But the partnership was ended when David Obuya was trapped lbw by Ray Price and Mpofu's subsequent wickets, clean-bowling Jimmy Kamande for 37 and Lameck Onyango for a duck, after catching Thomas Odoyo (24) off his own bowling, halted the Kenya chase.

Experienced spinner Price chipped in with 2-15 from seven overs, while debutant pace bowler Trevor Garwe, captain and off spinner Prosper Utseya and leg spinner Graeme Cremer took a wicket apiece.

Brief score
Zimbabwe 329 for 3 (Masakadza 178*, Mutizwa 55, Taylor 52)
Kenya: 189 (CB Mpofu 3-44)
Result: Zimbabwe won by 142 runs
Series: Zimbabwe won 5-match series by 4-1
MOM: H Masakadza (Zimbabwe)
Man of the series: H Masakadza (Zimbabwe)