Southern Rocks – 458 all out in 102.3 overs (Johnathan Campbell 194, Alvin Chiradza 111, Innocent Kaia 44; Mike Chinouya 4/70, Tafara Chingwara 2/69, Antum Naqvi 1/31)
Rhinos – 279-5 in 66 overs (Remembrance Nyathi 82, Bright Matsiwe 71, Patrick Rowe 60*; Cuthbert Musoko 2/33, Priviledge Chesa 2/73, Trevor Gwandu 1/31)
Bright Matsiwe and Remembrance Nyathi revived Rhinos in their first innings with fighting fifties on Thursday after they conceded a first-innings score of 458 to Southern Rocks in their Logan Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club.
Rocks began the day on 385 for five wickets, with Johnathan Campbell (176) and Alvin Chiradza (109) still at the crease with their record sixth-wicket partnership.
The stand soon came to an end, though, having realised 297 runs, as Chiradza was bowled by Mike Chinouya for 111 – he faced 193 balls altogether and hit a six and 11 fours.
Campbell took his score to 194 before he was finally bowled by Tafara Chingwara, having batted for almost six hours altogether, faced 248 deliveries and hit four sixes and 21 fours.
He just failed to beat his father Alistair’s highest first-class score of 196.
The innings eventually closed for the fine total of 458, with Chinouya being the most successful bowler with four wickets for 70 runs.
Within eight overs the Rhinos reply appeared to be in tatters, as the first three wickets tumbled for only 24 runs, two of them to Cuthbert Musoko.
This included the wicket of Antum Naqvi, who was caught and bowled by Musoko first ball.
Then came the fighting partnership between Matsiwe and Nyathi, who both played fluently and well as they added 124 runs together for the fourth wicket.
Matsiwe went for 71 off 113 balls with the score at 148 for four – he hit two sixes and 12 fours in a vital innings for his team.
Nyathi took his score to 82 off 144 balls before he was out at 221 for five, a much healthier tally.
The revival continued with the sixth-wicket pair of Patrick Rowe from Australia and Nyasha Mayavo, who were unbeaten at the close with 60 and 32 respectively, while Rhinos have reached 279 for five, still 179 runs behind but in by no means a hopeless position.
Mountaineers – 187 and 188-6 in 50 overs (Dion Myers 92*, Spencer Magodo 30, Brian Bennett 27; Mamoon Riaz 2/61, Tinotenda Maposa 1/14, Ainsley Ndlovu 1/21)
Tuskers – 210 all out in 81.2 overs (Dalu Mboyi 48, Awad Naqvi 39*, Aliakbar Hamid 29; Salman Mirza 6/42, Tendai Chatara 2/35, Vincent Masekesa 1/36)
Day 2 – Stumps: Mountaineers lead by 165 runs
A fine innings of 92 not out from Dion Myers enabled Mountaineers to stay in the match against Tuskers at Harare Sports Club on Thursday, after they fell behind on the first innings.
Tuskers began the day at 139 for six wickets in their first innings, in reply to Mountaineers’ total of 187 – Dalu Mboyi had 34 and Tinotenda Maposa 15.
The fight for the first-innings advantage went almost down to the wire, as the overnight pair took the score to 167 before Maposa was out for 28, and Mboyi soon followed him with 48 – 175 for eight.
Awad Naqvi returned after retiring hurt on day one, though, and with help from 10 runs by Ernest Masuku, Tuskers took the lead with eight wickets down and were eventually dismissed for 210, a lead of 23.
Naqvi finished unbeaten with 39.
The bowling of Salman Mirza was not so successful on the day, but he finished with figures of six wickets for 42 runs.
Mountaineers made a bad start to their second innings, losing their first three wickets for 33 runs to three different bowlers.
Myers, going in at number three, stood firm, though.
He had some aggressive support from PJ Moor, who scored 23 off 13 balls, and Brian Bennett, 27 off 19.
At 107 for five, Mountaineers were still in some trouble, but Spencer Magodo batted more solidly and the pair added 68 for the sixth wicket.
By the close Mountaineers were 165 runs ahead with four wickets in hand, with Donald Tiripano now partnering Myers, and the match is still wide open.
