The ManicaPost
TALENTED bowler, Tendai Chatara scored his maiden half century in the Logan cup, finishing on 68 as he helped Manicaland cricket franchise Mountaineers take control on Day Two of their Logan cup match against Southern Rocks on Wednesday.
Mountaineers are writing their own scintillating comeback story following their surprise triumph over the then unbeaten Eagles last week on Saturday.
Coming into the tie against Eagles, Mountaineers had not won a single match.
Their resurgence appears to be continuing after an impressive start to their match against Southern Rocks at Takashinga where they had managed 247/9 on Day Two on Wednesday.
Left-arm spinner, Wellington Masakadza played the major part in wrapping up the match at Harare Sports Club last week on Saturday, as Mountaineers completed a fine victory over Logan Cup leaders, Alliance Health Eagles by 120 runs.
His fine bowling accounted for six of the Eagles wickets, and altogether he took a haul of 10 wickets in the match.
Eagles began the day at 51 for two wickets, with Chamu Chibhabha on five, and the night-watchman Brighton Zhawi on two.
They quickly suffered a major setback when Chibhabha (13) drove a ball from Tendai Chatara uppishly towards mid-off, where Donald Tiripano held a good catch to make Eagles 59 for three wickets.
Much depended on the experienced Regis Chakabva, who came in next to join the night-watchman, who played a very solid supporting role.
However, Zhawi’s fine effort came to an end at 82 for five, when he was bowled by Masakadza for 10 runs off 53 balls.
Tino Mutombodzi did not last long, as he fell to a brilliant diving catch by Kevin Kasuza at cover point off Masakadza for four, making the score 94 for six wickets.
Victory looked far distant for Eagles now, but as long as two fine batsmen in Chakabva and Wessly Madhevere were together, they still had hope.
The pair put on 24 runs, but then Donald Tiripano, after scoring so many runs, now took his first wicket of the match, bowling Chakabva out for 18.
Keith Jaure did not score, hitting a ball from Masakadza to Kasuza at midwicket for an easy catch, and at lunch Eagles were almost on the brink of defeat at 133 for eight – Madhevere had 27 and Tapiwa Mufudza four.
After lunch Mufudza was superbly caught at long-off by Tiripano off Masakadza for 10, making the score 141 for nine.
With the last man Honest Ziwira at the crease, Madhevere hit out in desperation, scoring two successive fours in Masakadza’s next over before edging the next ball to first slip, where Timycen Maruma held the catch and brought the match to an end at 151 all out.
Masakadza took six wickets for 41 in the innings with his fine bowling, the best figures of his first-class career, and 10 for 98 in the match, and shares the match honours with Tiripano for his outstanding batting in both innings.
The bottom team in the Logan Cup table defeated the top team, as Mountaineers gained their first points of the season, while Eagles fail to win for the first time. — Senior Sports Reporter/ZC.
