Eagles in total control after forcing Tuskers to follow on
Eagles – 296 all out in 77.5 overs (Faraz Akram 70*, Tanaka Chivanga 69, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 39; Tanatswa Bechani 5/91, Luke Jongwe 2/47, Sheunopa Musekwa 2/56)
Tuskers – 98 and 97-5 in 37 overs (following on) (Milton Shumba 24, Tanunurwa Makoni 18, Clive Madande 14*; Tapiwa Mufudza 2/27, Tanaka Chivanga 1/8, Richard Ngarava 1/12)
Day 2 – Stumps: Tuskers trail by 101 runs
Faraz Akram continues to turn out good all-round performances, following his innings of 70 not out with three cheap wickets as Eagles forced Tuskers to follow on on the second day of their Logan Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Monday.
Tuskers began the day on four without loss, with Tanu Makoni on one and Nkosana Mpofu three, in reply to the Eagles total of 296 all out.
Makoni was the first to go, caught off Richard Ngarava for eight with the score at 24.
Mpofu and Taffy Mupariwa both batted solidly, scoring 25 and 23 respectively before Akram removed them both, while Milton Shumba made nine.
The score was 72 for two wickets at one stage, but without any addition Shumba and Mupariwa were both dismissed, and now the roof caved in for Tuskers.
All the remaining batters, apart from Charlton Tshuma at number 11 with zero not out, scored at least two runs – not one of them could score more than seven as wickets fell in a steady stream.
It was a team effort by the Eagles bowlers, everybody chipping in with cheap wickets until the last one went down with the score on a meagre 98.
Akram had the best figures of three for 32, all leading batters, while there were two each for Ngarava, Tanaka Chivanga and Tapiwa Mufudza, with Brad Evans picking up the remaining one.
This sorry batting display left Tuskers with a deficit of 198, and Eagles boldly decided to strike while the iron was hot and enforce the follow-on.
This time Mpofu (12) and Makoni (18) put 30 runs on the board for both their wickets, and they were followed back to the pavilion by Mupariwa with 13.
Shumba made a good start, but was bowled by Ngarava for 24, making it four wickets down for 67.
Alvin Chiradza was out for 10, and the score when bad light stopped play early was 97 for five.
Tuskers badly needed someone who would stay there and fight it out for a big score, and their overnight batters have sometimes done that before, Clive Madande on 14 and Luke Jongwe on eight.
These two will need to do it again on day three or Tuskers appear doomed to suffer an innings defeat.
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Mega Market Mountaineers – 176 and 185-0 in 45 overs (Ben Compton 92*, Joylord Gumbie 90)
Southern Rocks – 190 all out in 63.2 overs (Innocent Kaia 42, William Mashinge 39, Brian Mudzinganyama 36; Victor Nyauchi 4/31, Wellington Masakadza 3/40, Shingi Masakadza 2/37)
Day 2 – Stumps: Mega Market Mountaineers lead by 171 runs
A superb unbroken opening partnership of 185 by Joylord Gumbie and Ben Compton in Mega Market Mountaineers’ second innings turned around their Logan Cup match against Southern Rocks at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
After falling behind on the first innings, the Mutare-based team appear to be on course for an eventual clear-cut victory.
Rocks began the day on 72 for two wickets, with Brian Mudzinganyama on 24 and the night-watchman Travor Mutsamba yet to score as they faced a rather poor first-innings score of 176 by Mountaineers.
They needed to build a big first innings to take charge of this match, but this they were unable to do in the face of some good bowling.
Mutsamba did his best to stay in, facing 49 balls for two runs before he was caught at the wicket off Victor Nyauchi at 83 for three, while Mudzinganyama followed him to a return catch for 36 in Nyauchi’s next over.
It was a major blow when Richmond Mutumbami was out for only six, caught at the wicket off Shingi Masakadza.
The Masakadza brothers took over most of the rest of the Rocks innings, taking five wickets between them, with only Tafadzwa Tsiga (25) and William Mashinge (39) able to stand up against them for long.
Rocks went into the lead with seven wickets down, but in the end finished only 14 runs ahead, all out for 190.
Nyauchi was overall the best of the bowlers, finishing with figures of four for 31, while Wellington Masakadza took three wickets and Shingi Masakadza two.
When Mountaineers batted again, it was like a different game, as this time Gumbie went in first with Compton, and the two of them made it clear, if anything, how badly they had batted in their first innings against the inexperienced Rocks bowlers.
Playing the bowling on its merits this time, the pair scored freely and with great skill and concentrated as the score mounted steadily.
Seven bowlers were tried, but no breakthrough was achieved, and by the close Gumbie and Compton had put on 185 together, more than their entire first-innings score, and Mountaineers led by 171 runs with all 10 wickets still in hand.
There was not quite enough time for either to reach his century, so they will have to sit overnight in the ‘nervous nineties’, Gumbie’s score being 90 and Compton’s, off fewer deliveries, 92.
Rocks will bitterly regret the day they let their advantage slip.
