Mountaineers – 263-8 in 81.5 overs (Shingi Masakadza 77, Joylord Gumbie 62, Timycen Maruma 33; Brandon Mavuta 4/25, Tafara Chingwara 1/32, Carl Mumba 1/35). Rhinos – Day 1 – Stumps

Joylord Gumbie and Shingi Masakadza boosted a rather colourless Mountaineers batting display in their Logan Cup match against Rhinos that started today at Harare Sports Club.

Mountaineers batted first on winning the toss, and Gumbie and Baxon Gopito put on 25 for the first wicket before Gopito (10) was caught low down in the slips by Brendan Taylor off the bowling of Tafara Chingwara. Dion Myers did not last long and had not scored when he cut a ball from Carl Mumba, who bowled with some pace, into the hands of backward point.

There followed a long partnership of 77 runs for the third wicket between Gumbie and Timycen Maruma. Gumbie reached his fifty after lunch, but Maruma, who scored 33, lofted a drive from Brandon Mavuta and was caught at mid-on.

Gumbie was out for 62 to what is perhaps cricket’s most unfair dismissal – he was doing his job in backing up as non-striker when his new partner, Tony Munyonga, drove a ball straight back and it bounced off the bowler Chingwara’s hands on to the stumps, giving Gumbie no chance of regaining his ground.

Seven wickets were down for 168, but Shingi Masakadza came in and turned the innings around, attacking the bowling in fine style. He received unexpected help from Victor Nyauchi, with whom he added 72, as he ran to 77 off 101 balls before giving Mavuta a return catch.

Tinashe Muchawaya also showed good resistance, and when play finished early owing to bad light, Nyauchi was not out with 17 and Muchawaya with 15. The closing score of 263 for eight wickets was considerably better than it had looked at one stage.

Eagles – 193 all out in 61 overs (Kudzai Maunze 51, Brad Evans 38, Oskar Kolk 31; Tendai Chisoro 4/37, Innocent Kaia 3/27, Travor Mutsamba 1/13). Southern Rocks – Day 1 – Stumps: Rocks trail by 121 runs

Eagles were skittled out for 193 on day one of their Logan Cup match against Southern Rocks at Old Hararirans today, with Tendai Chisoro claiming four of the scalps. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Eagles suffered an early setback when Rodney Mupfudza was bowled by Travor Mutsamba for nine in the seventh over, with a total of 14 runs on the board.

His opening partner, Kudzai Maunze, however went on to add 85 runs for the second wicket with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe on the other end. Rocks finally parted the pair when Maunze, who had just reached his 11th first-class fifty, was caught by the wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga off a Chisoro delivery.

His 51, which included 10 boundaries, came off 81 deliveries. Kamunhukamwe soon followed, departing for 29 after he was caught and bowled by Innocent Kaia.

Lunch was taken soon after his dismissal, with the score 100 for three. After the break, the Eagles innings started to disintegrate as all the remaining seven wickets fell for 93 runs.

Only Brad Evans (38) and Oskar Kolk (31) showed some resistance before they were bundled out. While Chisoro took four wickets for 37 runs, Innocent Kaia was also impressive with the ball as he bagged three for 27. In reply, Rocks lost Innocent Kaia for 25 and their score was 64 for one at the close of play, with Brian Mudzinganyama (30) and Gabriel Jaya (6) unbeaten.