Southern Rocks – 347 all out in 115.2 overs (Tafadzwa Tsiga 110, Panashe Taruvinga 93, Innocent Kaia 48; Graeme Cremer 9/144, Mike Chinouya 1/54)
Rhinos – 49-1 in 18 overs (Ben Curran 23*, Takudzwanashe Kaitano 20, Tarisai Musakanda 6*; Newman Nyamhuri 1/16)
Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer rolled back the years with a remarkable nine-wicket haul for Rhinos on the third day of their Logan Cup clash against Southern Rocks at Kwekwe Sports Club on Saturday.
Making a comeback to first-class cricket at the age of 39, Cremer delivered a vintage performance to become only the fourth Zimbabwean bowler in the country’s first-class history to claim nine wickets in an innings – joining the elite company of the late Mike Procter, Steve Peall and John Rennie.
His heroics overshadowed some fine batting from the Rocks duo of Panashe Taruvinga and Tafadzwa Tsiga, who had resumed on 202 for four after rain washed out the second day’s play.
The pair shared a solid 153-run stand, steering their side to 268 before Taruvinga fell agonisingly short of a maiden first-class century – caught by Mike Chinouya off Cremer for 93.
His patient knock came off 194 deliveries and included eight fours.
Tsiga went on to reach his second career century, eventually dismissed lbw by Cremer for 110 off 205 balls, with seven fours.
From there, Cremer sliced through the lower order, as no other batter managed more than 13 runs, and the innings closed on 347.
It was a marathon effort from the leggie, who bowled 46.2 overs and conceded 144 runs for his nine wickets.
The only wicket to elude him had fallen on the first day, when Chinouya trapped Roy Kaia lbw for five.
In reply, Rhinos openers Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Ben Curran made a cautious start, putting on 32 runs for the first wicket.
Kaitano was eventually caught and bowled by Newman Nyamhuri for 20 off 57 balls.
Curran then began to play more positively, striking Roy Kaia for consecutive boundaries, but worsening weather forced an early halt to play.
Rhinos closed the day on 49 for one, with Curran unbeaten on 23 and Tarisai Musakanda on six.
Meanwhile, only 2.2 overs were possible at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, where Tuskers added just eight runs to their overnight total before bad light ended play early at 256 for four against Mountaineers.
Aliakbar Hamid had advanced to 50 not out, while Clive Madande was unbeaten on 46 when play was called off.
