Mutumbami’s fine century puts Rocks in driver’s seat
Southern Rocks – 310-6 in 84 overs (Richmond Mutumbami 144*, Roy Kaia 76*, Sikandar Raza 43; Ernest Masuku 4/64, Luke Jongwe 1/45, Charlton Tshuma 1/56)
Tuskers –
Day 1 – Stumps
Richmond Mutumbami found his best batting form for Southern Rocks against Tuskers in their Logan Cup match at Takashinga Sports Club on Thursday, hitting his fifth first-class career century.
Rocks were put in to bat and lost their first three wickets quickly, only to recover under the influence of Mutumbami, partnered first by Sikandar Raza and then by Roy Kaia.
At the close they had reached the fine score of 310 for six wickets, with the partnership between Mutumbami and Kaia having put on 182 runs for the seventh wicket without being broken.
Brian Mudzinganyama and Tafadzwa Tsiga opened the batting for Rocks, but put 15 runs on the board before Charlton Tshuma trapped Tsiga lbw for five.
Tadiwanashe Marumani scored nine before being caught off Ernest Masuku, and immediately afterwards Mudzinganyama fell to Luke Jongwe for 20, reducing Rocks to 38 for three wickets.
Then with the score at 50, Kaia was forced to retire hurt, which brought in Mutumbami to join Raza.
The pair responded to the difficult situation with some positive batting, Raza playing a fine innings of 43 off 70 balls before being caught off Masuku – the partnership had added 74 together and the score was 124 for four.
However, Masuku was in the middle of a golden spell, and he quickly followed by bowling Cephas Zhuwao and then dismissing William Mashinge first ball, leaving Rocks in sudden trouble at 128 for six wickets.
At this point Kaia returned, and stayed in with Mutumbami, who batted with increasing confidence.
The score mounted steadily and the Tuskers bowlers were unable to break through again.
Mutumbami reached his century off 138 balls and was still good for more, while Kaia played an excellent supporting role.
Both were still there at the close, 310 for six wickets, with Kaia on 76 and Mutumbami now on 144, within easy reach of his highest first-class score of 150.
Masuku was the most successful bowler as he finished the day with four wickets for 64 runs, while Jongwe and Tshuma claimed one wicket apiece.
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Rhinos – 282 all out in 87.2 overs (Charles Kunje 73, Carl Mumba 45, Remembrance Nyathi 31; Tapiwa Mufudza 3/48, Richard Ngarava 2/49, Keith Jaure 2/50)
Eagles –
Day 1 – Stumps
A fighting innings of 73 from Charles Kunje rescued Rhinos from a top-order batting slump in their Logan Cup match against Eagles at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
His innings started a revival of the middle order which led eventually to a total of 282 all out at the close of play.
It almost invariably seems to happen that whenever Eagles play at Harare Sports Club, they win the toss and put their opponents in to bat, and this happened again today.
Rhinos did not make a convincing start, as Takudzwanashe Kaitano struggled to score five out of 16 runs on the board before he was caught at the wicket by Regis Chakabva off the bowling of Richard Ngarava.
Prince Masvaure had little more success, making 17 and then being dismissed lbw by Keith Jaure, with the score on 33 for two wickets.
This soon became 43 for three, as Bright Matsiwe failed to score, caught at the wicket off Jaure.
Remembrance Nyathi, captaining his team for this match with Tarisai Musakanda not playing, took a positive approach in scoring a brisk 31 off 46 balls, in partnership with Kunje, before he was bowled by Tino Mutombodzi – 87 for four wickets.
Nyasha Mayavo scored 11 before he was bowled by Tapiwa Mufudza, and at 119 for five Rhinos were in some trouble.
However, Kunje was still there, playing a very cautious game at first, and a better partnership now developed with Johnathan Campbell.
The situation began to look considerably better for Rhinos as they added 58 together, the best partnership of the innings so far, but then Kunje, after a fine determined innings of 73, became another wicket-keeping scalp for Chakabva off Ngarava; 177 for six.
Carl Mumba decided immediately to stamp his authority on the game, hitting Ngarava for two fours in the same over as he came in to bat, and continued to attack.
After a few overs he launched a full-blooded assault on the bowling of Jaure, hitting him for a four and two sixes off successive balls.
He went on to score 45 out of his partnership of 53 with Campbell, off 32 balls, before he was caught by Tanaka Chivanga off Mufudza – the score was now 230 for seven wickets.
Campbell followed him out, lbw to Wessly Madhevere, without a run being added, having scored a solid 29 off 83 balls.
Mufudza dismissed Brandon Mavuta lbw for eight, and then followed a tenacious last-wicket partnership of 42 between Tafara Chingwara and Kudakwashe Macheka.
Chingwara attacked the bowling well to score 24 not out, while Macheka, cautious at first, played some strokes as well to make 15 before Chakabva took another catch at the wicket off the bowling of Chivanga to end the innings at 282.
The best figures among the bowlers were three for 48 by Mufudza, while Ngarava and Jaure both took two wickets.
