At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, 31 October 2012: Day 2
Close of play: Tuskers (317/8 dec) v Mountaineers (264 & 18/0).

Half centuries from the two Seans – Ervine and Williams – saw Tuskers declare on 317 runs, a first innings lead of 53, on the second day of their Logan Cup match against Mountaineers, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Mountaineers had negotiated their way to 18 without loss in their second innings, by the end of the day’s play.

Resuming on five overnight, only one run was added to the total before Terrence Duffin was caught behind off Tendai Chatara in the second over of the morning. Moeen Ali then came to the crease and made batting look easy as he masterly stroked his way to 41 before edging Chatara to Tinotenda Mawoyo at second slip when he looked set for a big one.

Craig Ervine did not last long at the crease, also edging Chatara to the slips for two. His older brother strode to the crease with a purpose and batted effortlessly to get Tuskers close to their target. Opener Brian Chari (42) had all the while quietly gone about his business, with the occasional big hit. However, he was tied down after lunch and after surviving two good shouts eventually played a rush shot. He was snapped up at mid-wicket off an attempted sweep from the bowling of Natsai M’shangwe. Williams joined his name-sake and the two then took apart the Mountaineers bowlers. They added 87 before Ervine was clean-bowled on 84 by Donald Tiripano.

As if the 80s was the target, Williams fell on 88 to Tiripano and what seemed to be a big lead for Tuskers was slowly coming undone. At eight wickets down and with two overs to stumps, they then declared. The Tuskers coaching stuff will be rueing the fact that many of their batsmen got starts, but none of them managed to convert to three figures.

Chatara and Donald Tiripano picked up three wickets each. Mountaineers will resume batting at 1000 hours tomorrow – 35 runs behind and with all 10 wickets still standing.