HARARE - Mashonaland Eagles caretaker coach Stanley Timoni said his team will go for the kill this season instead of playing out for draws.

The Castle Logan Cup runners-up from last season are currently playing Manicaland Mountaineers at Mutare Sports Club in their second game of the season.

The Eagles lost their opener to Southern Rocks at Harare Sports Club on Friday, a result which gave the Masvingo franchise their first ever win in the country’s premier cricket competition.

In the rain affected match, Southern Rocks batted for two days to set a big first innings score of 459 for eight from 145.5 overs before they declared.

Mash Eagles battled with the rains until the final day of the match to declare at 159-1 in 23.3 overs.

Former Rocks all-rounder Chamu Chibhabha, now playing for the Eagles, scored 102 runs not out from 71 balls. The Rocks forfeited their second innings to set 301 runs as the winning target.

Rocks’ overseas players Ben Slater and Peter Burgoyne scored 89 runs from 211 balls and 102 runs from 229 deliveries respectively while wicket keeper—  batsman Richmond Mutumbami cracked a century of 141 runs off 223 balls.

The Eagles were then bowled out for 159 runs to lose the match by 141 runs.

“The Rocks played negative cricket, batting for two days on a batting track, they could easily set 700 runs if there were up for it,” Timoni told the Daily News yesterday.

“We then said if we were to bat the whole innings then the match would end up in a draw, so we reached a mutual agreement which gave either team an equal chance to win the match. The batsmen however, failed to deliver but the important thing is we managed to send a signal to say we endeavour to get results as opposed to draws.”

Timoni said he does not regret the decision to declare prematurely, a decision which eventually cost his team the game.

“I’m still proud of my boys and the decision we made. In as much as we lost, we wanted to win. We play with the same mentality against Mountaineers in the current battle of the wounded since we both lost our opening encounters.”

Mountaineers lost to Matabeleland Tuskers by five runs in Bulawayo in their season opener.