LOGAN CUP MATCH: MATABELELAND TUSKERS VERSUS MID-WEST RHINOS
Day One at Queens Sports Club, Tuesday 05 March 2013
Matabeleland Tuskers vs Mid-West Rhinos

No play was possible because of rain throughout the day.

LOGAN CUP MATCH: MOUNTAINEERS VERSUS SOUTHERN ROCKS

Day One at Mutare Sports Club, Tuesday 05 February 2013
Mountaineers (309/7)

Greg Lamb scored a massive 139 runs to put Mountaineers in a commanding position as  they were bowled out for  309 runs for seven wickets. Mountaineers host the Southern Rocks in Mutare Sports Club in a Logan Cup match.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat, choosing to use Jethro Maundzi and Dan Hodgson as their opening batsman.  Hodgson was the first to depart in the tenth over after contributing just seven runs with Maundzi managing ten runs also heading for the pavilion four overs later. Kevin Kasuza was joined by Mark Pettini at the crease and the duo looked set to occupy until the end of the first day. Kasuza looked positive on the bad balls and seemed to respect the good ones but mistimed a Tanyadzwa Munyaradzi delivery in the 26th over and had his off stump uprooted, leaving the score on 50 for three.

National team hopeful Tymcen Maruma was Munyaradzi's second victim as he was caught by Prince Masvaure. Then entered a composed Lamb who took his time to settle in and carefully selected his shots in a 191 ball old innings. Lamb fired 13 fours and three sixes before he falling victim of a Tinashe Panyangara spectacular ball that removed his middle stump and left revellers wondering if Lamb had taken the correct guard.  His departure left the hosts on 298, his partnership with Pettini yielded 150 runs . Pettini had earlier failed to deal comprehensively with a Mathew Pardoe delivery as he was caught behind by an impressive wicketkeeper Richard Mutumbami for 83 runs.

Kudzai Sauramba scored 38 runs in the cause for the hosts however he was the only batsman after Pettini and Lamb to get into the meaningful double figures. At the close of day one Shingi Masakadza and Donald Tiripano were at the crease on 6 and 4 runs respectively.

The pick of the Bowlers for the Rocks was Tawanda Mupariwa and Munyaradzi who had picked up two wickets each. Mupariwa got his pair after 18 overs conceding 40 runs and seven maidens while young Munyaradzi gave away 35 runs in 9 overs. Pardoe, Panyangara and Trevor Garwe picked up a wicket each although they struggled in a wicket that favoured batsmen.

Play resumes at 10 am at Mutare Sports Club

LOGAN CUP MATCH: MASHONALAND EAGLES VERSUS MATABELELAND TUSKERS

Day Four at Harare Sports Club, Friday 01 January 2013
Result: Match drawn.

Matabeleland Tuskers (268 & 269) vs Mashonaland Eagles (250 & 261)

Five sixes in one over by Regis Chakabva were part of the thrills at Harare Sports Club, on the final day of the Logan Cup match between Mashonaland Eagles and Matabeleland Tuskers.

Added to that was the 104 runs from Chamunorwa Chibhabha that came from 130 balls which included eight fours and one six, before the all-rounder was bowled by John Nyumbu.

Chakabva finished with an unbeaten 80 crafted off 107 balls, six of them sixes, as the Logan Cup match ended in a draw.

But the manner of the Eagles reply had been such that victory looked well within their grasp. However, that changed after the fall of Chibhabha as that triggered a collapse, thanks to the bowling of Sean Williams who would finish with three wickets for 37 runs in 13 overs. Glen Querl picked up two for 45 in 16 runs and Keegan Meth, Keith Dabengwa, Christopher Mpofu and Nyumbu one wicket each.

Even then, it was close as Eagles ended 27 runs shy of the victory target.

The day had begun with Tuskers resuming their second innings on 201 for four.

Williams was the first to go, bowled by Malcolm Waller for 44. It was now 214 for five in 88.6 overs. Craig Ervine then also perished on 44, when he was trapped leg-before-wicket by Prosper Utseya. It was now 240 for six in 93.1 overs.

Tuskers went on to declare on 269 for six, in the 106th over.

Utseya was the pick of the Eagles bowlers with three wickets for 68 runs in 33 overs. Nathan Waller took two for 47 in 13, and Chinyoka picked up one wicket.

LOGAN  CUP MATCH: MIDWEST RHINOS vs. MOUNTAINEERS

Day Three at Kwekwe Sports Club, 31 January 2013
Result: Mountaineers won by 55 runs

Mountaineers went into the third day of the Logan Cup match at the Kwekwe Sports Club with an overnight lead of 230 runs.

It took Mid-West Rhinos 51 minutes to remove the remaining batters, with Shingirai Masakadza perishing to Edward Rainsford leg-before-wicket for 20.

Chasing 286 to win with all wickets intact, the host’s top order collapsed again, playing far too many shots.

Vusimuzi Sibanda (23) was the first one to go when he was bowled by Shingirai Masakadza playing the wrong line. Jaik Mickleburgh went on to contribute a patient 43, but Mark Vermeulen came in at number three and did not worry the scorers as he was bowled by Masakadza for a duck.

Graeme Cremer and Mluleki Nkala offered a bit of resistance, and then were out for 29 and 64 respectively. Thereafter, wickets started tumbling and the host were 230 all out.

Masakadza and Gregory Lamb bowled well, each claiming three wickets. Mushangwe went for 80 runs off 20.5 overs and took two wickets.

It is really disappointing to note that two Logan Cup matches played in Kwekwe this year ended in three days and yet both were played on a good batting wicket!

This shows the inexperience of the batsmen in this form of the game as they lack the patience to occupy the crease and display poor judgement in shot selection and lines.

As a result, there are no partnerships and wickets fall with alarming regularity. In the latest match, 11 wickets fell on the first day, 16 on the second and 13 on the third.

Clearly there is still quite some work for the coaches!