Day 4: 16 November 2012, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo
Result: Tuskers (378 & 66/0) beat Rocks (152 & 292) by 10 wickets.
One cannot win a test match on day one, but one can definitely lose it then.
Rocks will forever rue the day they elected to bat on a wicket with no real demons and were rolled over for a paltry 152. They were always playing catch-up from this point on but they never caught up, despite half centuries from Richmond Mutumbami and Prince Masvaure in the second innings. Tuskers were always in the pound seats.
Despite dropping a couple of catches in their quest for early wickets in the morning, Tuskers eventually bowled out the Rocks for 292. Masvaure, unbeaten on 72, was the last man standing. Glenn Querl picked up all three wickets to fall in the morning to take his match tally to five wickets, adding on to his unbeaten 188 with the bat to put up a strong case for man of the match.
Tuskers had almost an entire day to score 66 to record their second victory on the trot.
Brain Chari and Terrence Duffin got the run chase off to a flyer, reaching 30 within six overs. The two saw Tuskers home without any loss: Duffin (33*), Chari (30*), reaching their target after only 15 overs.
The match will be remembered for Christopher Mpofu, one of Bulawayo cricket’s most loved sons, getting to 200 first class wickets.
Glenn Querl batted at three as night watchman and showed the value of hitting straight as he remained unbeaten on 188. Masvaure’s 72 not out showed there was something for the batsmen prepared to apply themselves. It was concerning that on a batsman friendly wicket, none of the recognised batsmen got to treble figures.
The story of dropped catches was no different this time around as no less than five simple chances were grassed.
It was a sweet victory for Tuskers over their former mentor, Dave Houghton – largely credited with turning around the fortunes of a talented but for long under-achieving franchise.
The Tuskers next assignment is against Eagles at the same venue next week.
