Mountaineers, Tuskers record Logan Cup victories

Left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza played the major part in wrapping up the match at Harare Sports Club on Saturday, as Mountaineers completed a fine victory over Logan Cup leaders Alliance Health Eagles by 120 runs.

His fine bowling accounted for six of the Eagles wickets, and altogether he took a haul of 10 wickets in the match.

Eagles began the day at 51 for two wickets, with Chamu Chibhabha on five and the night-watchman Brighton Zhawi on two.

They quickly suffered a major setback when Chibhabha (13) drove a ball from Tendai Chatara uppishly towards mid-off, where Donald Tiripano held a good catch to make Eagles 59 for three wickets.

Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, who retired hurt yesterday evening, now returned to the crease to continue his innings on 28, but he did not last very long, being out to a simple return catch to Chatara when he had reached 37; 71 for four wickets.

Much depended on the experienced Regis Chakabva, who came in next to join the night-watchman, who played a very solid supporting role.

However, Zhawi’s fine effort came to an end at 82 for five, when he was bowled by Masakadza for 10 runs off 53 balls.

Tino Mutombodzi did not last long, as he fell to a brilliant diving catch by Kevin Kasuza at cover point off Masakadza for four, making the score 94 for six wickets.

Victory looked far distant for Eagles now, but as long as two fine batsmen in Chakabva and Wessly Madhevere were together, they still had hope.

The pair put on 24 runs, but then Donald Tiripano, after scoring so many runs, now took his first wicket of the match, bowling Chakabva out for 18.

Keith Jaure did not score, hitting a ball from Masakadza to Kasuza at midwicket for an easy catch, and at lunch Eagles were almost on the brink of defeat at 133 for eight – Madhevere had 27 and Tapiwa Mufudza four.

After lunch Mufudza was superbly caught at long-off by Tiripano off Masakadza for 10, making the score 141 for nine.

With the last man Honest Ziwira at the crease, Madhevere hit out in desperation, scoring two successive fours in Masakadza’s next over before edging the next ball to first slip, where Timycen Maruma held the catch and brought the match to an end at 151 all out.

Masakadza took six wickets for 41 in the innings with his fine bowling, the best figures of his first-class career, and 10 for 98 in the match, and shares the match honours with Tiripano for his outstanding batting in both innings.

The bottom team in the Logan Cup table has now defeated the top team, as Mountaineers gain their first points of the season, while Eagles fail to win for the first time.

Mountaineers – 330 and 149 all out in 58.1 overs (Donald Tiripano 33, Timycen Maruma 22, Wellington Masakadza 22; Tapiwa Mufudza 5/66, Keith Jaure 2/18, Brighton Zhawi 2/25)

Alliance Health Eagles – 208 and 151 all out in 45.4 overs (Wessly Madhevere 39, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 37, Regis Chakabva 18; Wellington Masakadza 6/41, Tendai Chatara 2/37, Donald Tiripano 1/13)

Mountaineers won by 120 runs

A fine determined sixth-wicket partnership of 48 unbroken between Milton Shumba and Clive Madande took Tuskers through to a five-wicket victory over Rhinos at Old Hararians on Saturday.

It was a day of much tension and Tuskers could not be sure of victory until the last few minutes, when the cool heads and skilful batsmanship of this pair took them home.

Overnight Rhinos were 281 for eight wickets, with Nyasha Mayavo on 49 and Brandon Mavuta four, 147 runs ahead of Tuskers.

Mayavo soon obtained the single he needed to record his fifty, which came off 106 balls.

Both batsmen played good positive cricket and the score mounted steadily, until at 315 Mavuta (22) was caught by Craig Ervine off the bowling of Shumba; 315 for nine.

The last man, Tafara Chingwara, did a noble job, holding his end up and not trying to score while Mayavo tried to get as many runs as he could for his side and neared his century.

They put on 27 runs for the last wicket before Mayavo was dismissed lbw to Shumba for 92, scored off 164 balls with 11 fours.

The total was 342 and Tuskers were set 209 runs to win the match.

Eight overs were possible before lunch, and Tanu Makoni (4) and Nkosana Mpofu (9) played steadily to put 15 runs on the board without loss.

The first ball after lunch proved fatal to Mpofu, however, as he was out caught by Takudzwanashe Kaitano off Carl Mumba.

Ervine came in, and with Makoni adopted a policy of steady play, no risks, waiting patiently for the right balls to score from, and it worked well.

By tea they had taken the score to 101 without any further wickets – Makoni had 34 and Ervine 48, both playing a very wise game.

The tea interval did Makoni no good, however, as he added only a single before he hit a return catch to Charles Kunje, the partnership having added an invaluable 89.

Ervine then completed his fifty, off 96 balls, as he was joined by Brian Chari, but had only reached 53 when he too fell, caught by Tarisai Musakanda off the surprise ‘demon bowler’ Kunje.

At 109 for three and Ervine gone, the match was very much now in the balance, with Chari and Shumba at the crease.

The partnership began to develop, helped by some rather poor bowling that gave away a considerable number of extras.

They took the score to 151, when Chari was caught off Mavuta for 18 after a partnership of 42.

Allan Chigoma came in, played carefully to score four runs off 13 balls, and was then caught off Mavuta at 162 for five – 47 needed with five wickets left.

Madande, in next, again did the right job for his team, pushing mainly for singles in support of Shumba, and slowly the Tuskers victory became more assured.

Madande, as he grew in confidence, hit Johnathan Campbell for four to bring up the 200, and then hit the next ball for four as well.

Then in the next over Shumba hit Mavuta’s first ball for four, and the match was over, with the pair having completed the job.

Shumba finished with 39 and Madande 26.

For the bowlers, there were two wickets each for Mavuta and Kunje.

Rhinos – 229 and 342 all out in 102 overs (Takudzwanashe Kaitano 105, Nyasha Mayavo 92, Tarisai Musakanda 53; Ainsley Ndlovu 4/73, Ernest Masuku 3/77, Milton Shumba 2/40)

Tuskers – 363 and 210-5 in 58.1 overs (Craig Ervine 53, Milton Shumba 39*, Tanunurwa Makoni 35; Charles Kunje 2/13, Brandon Mavuta 2/51, Carl Mumba 1/35)

Tuskers won by five wickets

2021/22 LOGAN CUP POINTS TABLE