Fine bowling by the off-spinner Tapiwa Mufudza, who took five Mountaineers wickets for 66 runs and helped to bring about another batting collapse, kept Alliance Health Eagles in the game at Harare Sports Club on Friday and gave them a chance of victory with a target of 272 runs in the final innings.

At the close of play Eagles had scored 51 for two wickets.

Eagles began the third day at 172 for six wickets, still 158 runs behind on the first innings, with Wessly Madhevere on 35 and Keith Jaure 25.

Victor Nyauchi struck almost immediately, bowling Jaure for 26 after the addition of

two runs to the total, and one run later Madhevere (36) chipped an easy catch straight to square leg off Tendai Chatara.

Chatara also removed Honest Ziwira for two, but the last pair of Mufudza and Brighton Zhawi put up a fight to add 30 runs together before the last wicket fell at 208, a deficit of 122.

Mufudza was bowled by Wellington Masakadza for 12, while Zhawi, who had the temerity to hit Chatara for six, was not out with 18.

Chatara finished with four wickets for 64 runs, while Masakadza had four for 57, Nyauchi taking the other two wickets.

Mountaineers, batting again, soon lost the wicket of Baxon Gopito, out to a simple catch at the wicket off Zhawi for two with the total nine.

Zhawi struck again three runs later, as he bowled Kevin Kasuza for six.

At lunch PJ Moor was not out with 19, partnered by Timycen Maruma with five, of a score of 36 for two wickets.

Mufudza struck after lunch, as he bowled Moor without addition to his 19; 38 for three.

For a while Maruma and Tony Munyonga stayed together, taking the score to 69 before disaster again struck.

Maruma was caught at the wicket off Mufudza for 22, Munyonga was also taken by Chakabva for 15 and Joylord Gumbie was bowled by Jaure without scoring.

In the first innings Mountaineers were 80 for six wickets – this time they were 74 for six, and Donald Tiripano and Masakadza found themselves together again trying to repair the damage.

They began their second rescue operation well, taking the score to 101 for six at tea, when Tiripano had 16 and Masakadza 12.

After tea, though, Masakadza fell to a sharp return catch by Mufudza for 22, with the score now 120 for seven.

Now Nyauchi had to try and reproduce the success of his first innings, but Mufudza struck again in his next over, as Tiripano tried a lofted drive only to hit a catch straight to the long-off fielder, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe.

His 33 was again the highest score of the innings, and Mountaineers’ second innings now appeared doomed at 131 for eight.

Without addition Nyauchi was lbw to Madhevere for two.

The last pair of Chatara, 13 before skying a catch to cover, and Brighton Chipungu, five not out, fought hard to add 18 runs, but the innings closed at 149.

Mufudza did a fine job with the ball, taking five wickets for 66 runs, while Jaure and Zhawi took two cheap wickets each to help skittle out the early batsmen.

Eagles therefore need 272 runs to win, and the poor Mountaineers batting has given them a chance of victory tomorrow.

Kamunhukamwe was promoted to open the innings with Kudzai Maunze, and they made a brisk start, putting on 26 runs in four overs before Maunze fell lbw to Nyauchi for 12.

Gareth Chirawu made four runs before he was caught at first slip by Maruma off Masakadza, to make the score 38 for two wickets.

Zhawi came in as night-watchman, but the situation became awkward for Eagles when Kamunhukamwe had to retire hurt with his score on 28 and the total 44.

The captain, Chamu Chibhabha, came in himself and hit a four, and at the close Eagles were 51 for two, with Chibhabha on five and Zhawi two.

This sets the stage for what could be an exciting finish tomorrow.

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 51-2 in 13 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 28, Kudzai Maunze 12, Chamu Chibhabha 5*; Wellington Masakadza 1/3, Victor Nyauchi 1/19)

Day 3 – Stumps: Alliance Health Eagles need 221 runs

A fine innings of 90 from Milton Shumba, with excellent support from Ainsley Ndlovu and Steve Chimhamhiwa, rescued Tuskers from a slump and brought them an impressive lead of 132 runs, with a wicket in hand, by the close of play at Old Hararians Sports Club on Thursday.

The overnight score for Tuskers was one run for one wicket, the run having been scored by Tanu Makoni, his partner being Craig Ervine.

Makoni from the start showed the same confidence and form he had shown when he scored his maiden first-class century against Southern Rocks last weekend, but Ervine did not last long, being caught at the wicket off Carl Mumba for eight.

Brian Chari came in and played rather a cautious game on the whole while Makoni continued to dominate the bowling.

By lunch they had taken the score to 116 for two wickets, of which Makoni had scored 74 and Chari 25.

Soon after the break, though, Makoni fell to a catch by Nyasha Mayavo at the wicket off the bowling of Johnathan Campbell for 83; 137 for three.

Two runs later he was followed back to the pavilion by Chari, out to a return catch by Brandon Mavuta for 36.

Shumba was in now, but there was little proven batting to follow.

With Allan Chigoma caught off Mavuta for three, and Clive Madande and Ernest Masuku both caught off Campbell for 10, the score slumped to 173 for seven.

However, Ndlovu finally displayed some prowess with the bat at first-class level, as he came in and attacked the bowling with gusto, and with such success that by the tea interval he had actually overtaken his illustrious partner.

Tuskers at the interval were 223 for seven wickets, with Shumba on 35 and Ndlovu 38.

After tea Tuskers went into the lead, and Ndlovu galloped to his first-ever fifty in first-class cricket, off 64 balls.

The pair put up 107 for the eighth wicket, turning the game around, before Mavuta broke the stand with a successful lbw appeal against Ndlovu, who had made 61 off 86 balls; 280 for eight.

Chimhamhiwa provided more good support for Shumba and they took the score past 300.

This wicket added 74, taking the score to 354 before Shumba, on 90, was caught off Trevor Gwandu.

When bad light stopped play Tuskers had reached 361 for nine wickets, with Chimhamhiwa on 35 and Charlton Tshuma on four, a lead of 132 runs over Rhinos.

A fighting innings of 76 not out from Donald Tiripano, aided by Wellington Masakadza and Victor Nyauchi, enabled Mountaineers to recover from the precarious position of 80 for six wickets on the first day of their Logan Cup match against Alliance Health Eagles at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Mountaineers – 232-7 in 86 overs (Donald Tiripano 76*, Wellington Masakadza 48, PJ Moor 41; Keith Jaure 3/31, Chamu Chibhabha 1/14, Wessly Madhevere 1/18)

Alliance Health Eagles –

Day 1 – Stumps

By the close, the score was looking much happier for the Mutare-based team at 232 for seven wickets.

Once again Eagles won the toss at Harare Sports Club and put their opponents in to bat.

Keith Jaure soon had Mountaineers in trouble, bowling out both openers in his first and third overs for 11 runs on the board: Kevin Kasuza second ball without scoring and Baxon Gopito for five.

However PJ Moor, now playing for his fourth province, showed good form and steadied the innings, along with Timycen Maruma, and the pair put on 55 runs for the third wicket.

Then Eagles struck back just before lunch, as Chamu Chibhabha trapped Moor lbw for 41 and then in his first over Tapiwa Mufudza had Maruma superbly caught by Wessly Madhevere off a skyer to midwicket for 18.

Mountaineers thus went in to lunch on 67 for four wickets and in some trouble.

The situation worsened for them after the break, as they quickly lost Tony Munyonga for five, a great catch by the wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva diving to his right off Jaure, followed by the run-out of Joylord Gumbie (7) by Madhevere; six wickets down for 80.

Then at last came a determined fightback, as Tiripano and Masakadza put their heads down and worked hard for their runs.

They survived until the tea interval arrived at 147 for six wickets, when the partnership was worth 67, Tiripano having 28 and Masakadza 34.

They took their partnership to 92 before Masakadza was bowled by Madhevere just short of his fifty – he scored 48, including seven boundaries, off 117 balls – and his dismissal left Mountaineers on 172 for seven.

Tiripano did reach his fifty successfully, with Nyauchi providing solid support at the other end.

The score reached 199 for seven wickets before the umpires took the players off the field due to bad light, with Tiripano on 58 and Nyauchi eight.

They soon resumed, but in the end bad light ended play for the day – however, it had not affected the batsmen who were still there.

Tomorrow, Tiripano will resume his innings on 76 and Nyauchi, a much improved batsman this season, on 23, with their partnership now worth 60 runs.