Masvaure’s highest first-class knock compounds Rocks’ misery
Rhinos – 378-4 in 87 overs (Prince Masvaure 158*, Antum Naqvi 108, Takudzwanashe Kaitano 50; Takudzwa Chataira 3/64, Priviledge Chesa 1/79)
Southern Rocks –
Day 1 – Stumps
Prince Masvaure hit the highest score of his first-class career as Rhinos put the Southern Rocks bowling attack to the sword in their Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.
Rhinos finished the first day’s play on 378 for four wickets, and Masvaure was still there at the close with 158 not out, beating his previous best of 146 for Zimbabwe A against South Africa A in 2016.
Masvaure was in fluent form from the start of the innings as he opened the batting with Takudzwanashe Kaitano after Rhinos had won the toss.
The opening partnership put on 110 runs together with comparative ease until Takudzwa Chataira removed Kaitano lbw immediately after he had reached 50, which took him 94 balls.
Tarisai Musakanda scored 35 off 31 balls before being bowled by Priviledge Chesa at 180 for two.
There was no respite for the Rocks bowlers as this brought in the Australian Antum Naqvi, who became the second century-maker of the day, as he made an aggressive 108 off 114 balls (19 fours) in a partnership of 198 with Masvaure.
However, there was at least some little relief for Rocks at the very end, as with the last two balls of the day Chataira had Naqvi caught and then the new man, Tafara Chingwara, lbw first ball.
Chataira was certainly the pick of the bowlers with his three wickets, for which he has so far bowled 15 overs for 64 runs.
With a score of 378 for four wickets against them, though, and Masvaure still at the crease after batting the entire day, Rocks still have much work to do on day two.
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Mega Market Mountaineers – 320 all out in 86 overs (Definate Mawadzi 78, Clive Chitumba 60*, Baxon Gopito 49; Tanatswa Bechani 3/57, Ernest Masuku 3/71, Tinotenda Maposa 2/27)
Tuskers – 12-0 in 2 overs (Nkosana Mpofu 8*, Tafara Mupariwa 3*)
Day 1 – Stumps: Tuskers trail by 308 runs
Definate Mawadzi, in his second first-class match, played the most vital role in scoring 78 to see Mega Market Mountaineers through to a good first-innings total of 321 against Tuskers at Old Hararians Sports Club on Wednesday.
Mountaineers, who chose to bat first in this Logan Cup game, lost Kevin Kasuza, caught at the wicket off Ernest Masuku without scoring in the first over of the match.
There followed a good second-wicket partnership, though, between Baxon Gopito and Dion Myers, the latter on his return to Zimbabwe this season.
Gopito made 49 and Myers 39, but when Brian Bennett (2) quickly followed them, Mountaineers had lost three wickets for 12 runs and were 101 for four.
This was where Mawadzi, at number five, played his part.
He dominated a useful partnership of 76 with Nigel Bonyongwe and took the score to 230 before he was seventh out for his fine innings of 78 off 99 balls.
Clive Chitumba then took over with a valuable 60 not out off 90 balls, and enabled Mountaineers to pass the 300 mark with nine wickets down.
There were three wickets each for Masuku and Tanatswa Bechani.
In two overs before the close, Tuskers scored 12 runs without loss, including two boundaries from Nkosana Mpofu.
