LOGAN CUP MATCH: SOUTHERN ROCKS v MID-WEST RHINOS
Day 3: Thursday 8 November, at Masvingo Sports Club
Result: Mid-West Rhinos beat Southern Rocks by an innings and 92 runs.
Predictably, Mid-West Rhinos did not have too much trouble in completing their anticipated victory over Southern Rocks at Masvingo Sports Club today.
They won by an innings and 92 runs. The main architects of their victory were Brendan Taylor and Jaik Mickleburgh, who scored centuries on the second day, and Mike Chinouya, who took 10 wickets in the match for 76 runs – some superb bowling that will certainly improve his chances of moving up to the national side this season.
The feature of the final day, though, was the hat-trick by Edward Rainsford that brought the match to a close, spread over two overs as it was. It is the first Logan Cup hat-trick since that of the former Sussex professional James Kirtley in 1996/97 and the first in Zimbabwean first-class cricket since Andy Blignaut achieved the feat in a Test match against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club in 2003/04.
The day began with Southern Rocks, with two wickets down for 34 after conceding a lead of 249 on the first innings, in an almost hopeless position. They seemed to decide that they might as well put a positive aspect on it, as from the start the batsmen tried to score freely. They did lose two quick wickets, as Ben Slater (21) hit a tame cut to backward point, where it was just held at the second attempt, and the same bowler, Chinouya, then spectacularly yorked Kudzai Maunze for four.
Richmond Mutumbami, however, is always up for a fight and the night-watchman Trevor Garwe was also determined to make the most of his promotion in the order. They added 60 runs in 15 overs together before Garwe drove a catch into the covers and departed for 38. The score was now 109 for five.
After losing Garwe, Mutumbami inexplicably went on the defensive and ended his innings of 40 by edging a ball from Chinouya to the keeper. With Tendai Chisoro going on the stroke of lunch, the score was 129 for seven. This was Chinouya’s 10th wicket of the match.
Peter Burgoyne was still there, and he received solid support from Tawanda Mupariwa (13) for almost 40 minutes, and then the last three wickets fell quickly. Burgoyne was last out for 29, reducing his brief career batting average to 65.50. His dismissal gave Rainsford a hat-trick, having dismissed Mupariwa and Tinashe Panyangara with the last two balls of one over and Burgoyne with the first ball of the next.
Rainsford’s final innings figures were four for 44, but the bowler of the match was Chinouya, who took five for 46 in the second innings. With Richard Muzhange as first change, Mid-West Rhinos have a powerful pace attack this season.
