LOGAN CUP MATCH: MASHONALAND EAGLES VERSUS MATABELELAND TUSKERS

Day Three at Harare Sports Club, Thursday 31 January 2013
Close of Play: Matabeleland Tuskers (268 & 201/4) vs Mashonaland Eagles (250)

Hosts Mashonaland Eagles added just three runs to their overnight tally of 247 before they were dismissed by Matabeleland Tuskers, in their Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club.

The man who was central in reining them in was Keegan Meth, who finished with figures of six for 61 in 23.2 overs. The national selectors, who have put Meth in both Zimbabwe squads for the forthcoming tour to the West Indies – the one squad for the first leg which will involve the limited overs matches and the other for the two Test matches – will be hoping that the Tuskers all-rounder flies with his current form to the Caribbean.

In their second innings, Tuskers were 201 for four at the end of the day three play. They lead by 219 runs, going into the fourth and final day tomorrow.

As he did in the first innings where he contributed 51, Bilal Shafayat put up another half-century in the second innings today. He had made 53 runs from 135 balls when he was caught by Tinotenda Mutombodzi off the bowling of Nathan Waller.

Keith Dabengwa chipped in with 38 runs and Brian Chari 31. For Eagles, Prosper Utseya picked up two wickets for 58 runs in 26 overs, and Innocent Chinyoka and Nathan Waller one each.

Play resumes at Harare Sports Club at 1000 hours tomorrow, with Zimbabwe internationals Craig Ervine (15*) and Sean Williams (35*) at the crease.

LOGAN CUP MATCH: MASHONALAND EAGLES VERSUS MATABELELAND TUSKERS

Day Two at Harare Sports Club, Wednesday 30 January 2013
Close of Play: Matabeleland Tuskers (268) vs Mashonaland Eagles (247/9)

Resuming their first innings 251 runs behind and with eight wickets in hand, in their Logan Cup match against Matabeleland Tuskers, hosts Mashonaland Eagles ended just 21 runs behind.

This was thanks to the 100 run-partnership for the sixth wicket between Regis Chakabva and Stuart Matsikenyeri.

Chakabva had 79 runs from 199 balls – seven of them fours – on the board, when he was caught by Bilal Shafayat from the bowling of Keegan Meth. Matsikenyeri made 78 before he too fell to Meth, who trapped him leg-before-wicket.

Just over a week before the day, Meth gave himself an early birthday present, claiming five wickets for 41 runs in 22 overs, 10 of them maiden. He turns 25 next Friday.

Glen Querl finished the second day of the Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club with four wickets for 53 runs in 29 overs.

LOGAN  CUP MATCH: MIDWEST RHINOS versus MOUNTAINEERS

Day Two at Kwekwe Sports Club, Wednesday 30 January 2013
Close of Play: Mountaineers (252 & 161/7) and Mid-West Rhinos (183)

The overnight pair of Nyasha Mayavo and Vusimuzi Sibanda only contributed four runs together before Mayavo was bowled for 17 runs by Shingirai Masakadza.
Sibanda was then out leg-before-wicket the following over, off the bowling of Tendai Chatara. With the score on 49 for three, the Rhinos were in all sorts of problems. Mark Vermeulen and Peter Moor contributed 23 and 36 runs respectively, before the Rhinos were dehorned for 183.

Chatara and Natsai M’shangwe got three wickets each. Shingirai Masakadza bowled with control and pace and was rewarded with two wickets.
The Mountaineers came in to bat with a lead of 69 runs and again they struggled with the bat on a batting track.

The opening pair of Tinotenda Mawoyo and Dan Hodgson only managed 19 runs before the latter was dismissed lbw off the bowling of Edward Rainsford. He had made just five runs. Kevin Kasuza was looking very good before he decided to give his wicket away for 56 off just 64 balls. Timycen Maruma contributed 30 runs to the total before he was bowled by Mluleki Nkala.

Cremer again proved to be handy for the Rhinos as he ended the day with three wickets for 56 runs off 15 overs. Rainsford and Nkala got two wickets each.
At stumps the visitors were 161 for seven. They have a lead of 230 runs with three wickets in hand.

LOGAN  CUP MATCH: MIDWEST RHINOS vs. MOUNTAINEERS
DATE: JAN 29 – 1ST FEB 2013
VENUE: KWEKWE SORTS CLUB
DAY 1

Day One at Kwekwe Sports Club, Tuesday 29 January 2013
Close of Play: Mountaineers (253) and Mid-West Rhinos (40/1)

Both teams were missing the services of their top order batsmen – Brendan Taylor for the hosts and Hamilton Masakadza for the visitors - who are playing in the Bangladesh Premier League.

But Mountaineers looked more affected than the hosts because without the older Masakadza, they are always suspect.

Tinotenda Mawoyo won the toss and decided to bat on a very good batting track. He opened with Dan Hodgson and the pair only contributed 15 runs together before Hodgson was trapped leg-before-wicket by Mike Chinouya for only nine runs. Mawoyo batted well for his 58 runs before he was caught by Vusimuzi Sibanda off the bowling of Mluleki Nkala.

Kevin Kasuza was then run out by Malcolm Waller for 30runs.

After the top order had collapsed, Timycen Maruma and Kudzai Sauramba in the middle order had a very good partnership with both batters registering half centuries before Mountaineers were dismissed for 253 runs.

The Mid-West bowlers bowled well with all five of them getting a wicket each. Graeme Cremer was the stand-out bowler with three for 84 off 24 overs.

At stumps, Rhinos were 40 for one, having lost Jaik Mickleburgh who was trapped lbw by Tendai Chatara.