By Tendai Chisiri
Tuskers – 242 and 36-3 in 18 overs (Tafara Mupariwa 12, Tanunurwa Makoni 12, Brian Chari 5*; Roy Kaia 1/6, Tafara Chingwara 1/12, Takudzwa Chataira 1/13)
Southern Rocks – 209 all out in 73.1 overs (Roy Kaia 63, Panashe Taruvinga 51, Tafadzwa Tsiga 37; Ernest Masuku 6/40, Ainsley Ndlovu 2/31, Mgcini Dube 1/28)
Day 2 – Stumps: Tuskers lead by 69 runs
Ernest Masuku tore through the Southern Rocks batting line-up at Queens Sports Club on Monday, returning career-best figures to bowl them out for 209 on day two of their Logan Cup clash.
Half-centuries from Panashe Taruvinga and Roy Kaia briefly steadied the innings, but once Masuku struck again after lunch, the visitors crumbled – their last five wickets tumbling for just 21 runs.
Rocks resumed their first innings in the morning on 28 for two and were soon three down when Owen Muzondo, on 17, became Masuku’s first victim of the day.
Taruvinga and Kaia then dug in superbly, with Taruvinga compiling 51 off 103 balls and Kaia grinding out 63 off 163 deliveries to drag their side out of early trouble.
With Tafadzwa Tsiga adding a valuable 37, Rocks reached 188 for five and appeared well placed to edge ahead on the first innings.
But Masuku’s return spell shattered those hopes as he removed Kaia and ran through the lower order almost single-handedly.
He ended with magnificent figures of six for 40 in 17 overs – the best of his first-class career.
Rocks, however, hit back before stumps, removing Tuskers’ top three batters for just 27 runs to keep themselves alive in the contest.
Brian Chari with five and Hamid Ali with two survived the close as Tuskers finished on 36 for three, holding a lead of 69 – leaving the match finely balanced heading into day three.
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Rhinos – 274 all out in 111.5 overs (Villan Changa 62, Victor Chirwa 53, Nyasha Mayavo 34; Alex Falao 5/56, Ryan Simbi 4/65, Tapiwa Mufudza 1/65)
Eagles – 123-9 in 66 overs (Craig Ervine 38, Kundai Matigimu 30, Alex Falao 15*; Victor Chirwa 3/8, Antum Naqvi 3/47, Hendricks Macheke 2/18)
Day 2 – Stumps: Eagles trail by 151 runs
Victor Chirwa was the star of the show at Kwekwe Sports Club on day two as Rhinos tightened their grip on their Logan Cup match against Eagles, backing up a vital half-century with three key wickets to leave the visitors reeling at 123 for nine.
Earlier, he and Hendricks Macheke put on a stubborn 68 for the ninth wicket to lift Rhinos to 274, before the bowlers ripped through a fragile Eagles top order.
Rhinos resumed on 212 for eight, with Chirwa on 11 and Macheke on three, and the pair showed tremendous discipline to frustrate Eagles for more than an hour.
Macheke played the anchor role to perfection, crawling to 16 not out off 112 balls, while Chirwa compiled an invaluable 53 from 113 deliveries to push their side toward a competitive first-innings total.
The final wicket fell soon after the partnership was broken, but 274 proved a strong return.
Alex Falao closed with five for 56, while Ryan Simbi claimed four for 65.
Eagles’ reply began in disaster as Tinashe Kamunhukamwe was dismissed to the fourth ball of the innings, and the top order soon folded under pressure.
Four wickets were down for just 30 – two of them to Macheke – before Craig Ervine and Ryan Kamwemba staged a mini-recovery, taking the score to 67.
But when Ervine was bowled by Antum Naqvi for 38, the collapse resumed, with Chirwa striking twice more to reduce Eagles to 73 for seven.
Kundai Matigimu fought back with a spirited 30, while Falao held firm with a dogged 15 not out, but by stumps Eagles were still deep in trouble at 123 for nine, trailing by 151 runs.
ZIMBABWE CRICKET
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