The ManicaPost
Takudzwa Manzero
Sports Reporter
RAIN played spoilsport and stole the show when the Mountaineers and Tuskers battled it out to a draw in a tense encounter of the Logan Cup.
The highly anticipated match was dulled when hours of play were lost after the pitch outfield was drenched by rain.
A victory would have propelled the Mutare-based reigning Pro-50 champions’ title challenge by pushing their position up the table. However, besides the rain, the Mountaineers were missing a number of players after some first-team players received a call-up to the national side.
In an interview with Post Sport, Mountaineers coach, Njabulo Ncube said: “We are happy we have been playing a good brand of cricket, it’s unfortunate we drew some games we could have won, but that’s part of cricket. We were missing most of our senior players, but it also gives most of our youngsters opportunity to play.”
The match included youngsters, Marshford Shungu and Definate Mawadzi in the Mountaineers line-up on their first-class debut.
The trio of Vincent Masekesa, Mawadzi, and Shungu, a debutant fast left-arm bowler who was part of the national Under-19 squad that recently toured India, took two wickets apiece.
Brian Bennett and Shingi Masakadza’s first-class 50s against the Tuskers at Harare Sports Club boosted the Mega Market Mountaineers’ fight to stay on terms with their opponents.
A steady partnership of 90 runs between Tony Munyonga and Bennett for the fourth wicket forged pushed the Mountaineers closer to the mark after the Tuskers’ Clive Madande’s scored an unbeaten 121 runs not out.
The Mountaineers have now only won and lost once, while accumulating five draws from seven four-day matches in the Logan Cup.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe senior national cricket team will be looking to come out as victors of the first Dafabet test match at Queens Sports Club where they face the West Indies.
In the tightly contested first innings, the visitors managed to set a target of 447 due to a formidable partnership between Kraigg Brathwaite 182 and Tagerine Chanderpaul 207 not out that withstood the bowlers and the rain.
The Chevrons managed to mount a challenge against their seasoned opponents through spinner Brandon Mavuta who managed to expose the middle order as he claimed 5 wickets for 140 runs on his test cricket debut.
Mountaineers left-hand batsman Gary Balance proved his mettle with a masterclass amassing 137 runs not out as he managed to rejuvenate the hosts and overcome a follow-on.
Together with Mavuta the pair uplifted Zimbabwe’s batting by 135 runs.
Speaking about the ongoing test match series tour of the West Indies, Ncube backed the national side and its abilities.
He said: “My message to the National team is let’s keep raising the flag high and challenging ourselves to do better all the time. We have been playing good positive cricket past 10 months or so. We need to keep trusting our abilities and playing entertaining cricket. Last time we played at Queens in the T20 Qualifiers we won every game so I’m sure the boys still have good memories and are looking to continue from where we left from. Winning every series or all games of cricket is important for us.”
The five-day test match concludes tomorrow in Bulawayo with play beginning at 9:30 am local time.
Summary
First Innings
Tuskers: 294 Clive Madande 121 not out (149) Nkosana Mpofu 45. Mountaineers Definate Mawadzi 2/2; Marshford Shungu 2/38.
Mountaineers: 292 Shingi Masakadza 75(75), Brian Bennett56(84); Ernestly Masuku 4/80, Ainsley Ndlovu3/85
Second Innings
Tuskers: 230/5 Taffy Mupariwa 71 (113), Nkosana Mpofu 59(113) Vincent Masekesa 3/76 Brian Bennett 2/42.
