LOGAN CUP RESULT: Eagles hand Tuskers seven-wicket defeat

Tuskers – 154 and 149 all out in 48.1 overs (Brian Chari 54, Taffy Mupariwa 18, John Nyumbu 15; Tapiwa Mufudza 4/29, Tony Munyonga 2/26, Richard Ngarava 2/27, Trevor Garwe 2/32)

Eagles – 170 and 136-3 in 15.5 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 57, Regis Chakabva 47, Richmond Mutumbami 10*; Chris Mpofu 1/23, John Nyumbu 1/27, Ernest Masuku 1/36)

Eagles won by seven wickets

There was another two-day finish in the Logan Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Monday, when brilliant batting by Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Regis Chakabva enabled Eagles to chase down what could have been a very testing target of 134 with ease and only three wickets down.

Eagles began the day at 144 for three wickets in reply to Tuskers’ first innings of 154, but their plans to build up a big lead on the first innings were soon shattered.

The pitch was more difficult than ever, with many deliveries keeping abnormally low or even rolling, and they lost their last seven wickets for only 26 runs.

Their top scorer of the first day, Richmond Mutumbami, was 66 not out overnight, but his was the first wicket to fall, run out for 70 as he called for a single and failed to make his ground to a throw from Ernest Masuku as his partner rightly sent him back.

Elton Chigumbura was most unfortunate to fall first ball, one from Chris Mpofu that flew sharply and unexpectedly from the pitch, struck him on the glove and rebounded into the gully.

The other overnight batsman, Tino Mutombodzi, added only a single to his 20 before the low bounce saw him dismissed lbw to Thabo Mboyi, followed quickly by Luke Jongwe to Mpofu without scoring, the score then being only one run ahead of Tuskers at 155 for seven.

Tony Munyonga, the most promising young all-rounder, fought it out bravely from number seven to finish with six not out off 37 balls, but apart from two blows for six and four that made up Trevor Garwe’s scoring shots none of the later batsmen scored more than a single as Mpofu cleaned them up.

The team total was only 170, a lead of just 16 runs, and Mpofu finished with figures of six wickets for 60 runs, the reward for fine bowling with pace and accuracy by an experienced bowler who knew just how to take advantage of the condition of the pitch.

Tuskers then had to go in again, but at least they had the encouragement of knowing they were only 16 runs behind on the first innings.

They soon lost Cunningham Ncube for three, but then came another magnificent fifty from Brian Chari, his second of the match.

Chari showed superb skill and judgment, as well as determination, as he took on the Eagles bowlers and gave his side hope of turning the tables.

He found Taffy Mupariwa (18) to stay with him in a second-wicket partnership of 39, and then Craig Ervine (15) for 45 more for the third wicket.

Tuskers were looking good with Chari and Ervine together at 92 for two, but then came the ball that could be said to have decided the match.

It took a brilliant delivery to remove Chari, and Garwe produced it, a superb off-cutter that came back in sharply and shattered his stumps for 54.

Chari had faced only 63 balls and scored a magnificent 54 runs in such difficult conditions, with eight fours and a six.

Garwe, who produced another fine delivery to bowl out Ryan Murray for one, and the off-spinner Tapiwa Mufudza were Eagles’ best bowlers, and they now shattered the Tuskers middle order, the score slumping from 92 for two to 100 for seven in five overs.

Tuskers did not give up the fight, as Mpofu and the captain John Nyumbu scored 15 runs each with great determination, sharing a stand of 28 for the eighth wicket.

Finally the last pair had a bash, Mboyi scoring 14 not out and Ainsley Ndlovu six, but the innings ended for 149.

Apart from Chari, no batsman had been able to reach 20, although there were five very admirable innings of between 14 and 18.

Mufudza returned the best figures with four for 29, but Garwe, with the scalps of Chari and Murray, struck the most vital blows; Richard Ngarava and Munyonga also took two wickets each.

Eagles were set 134 to win, and nobody believed that this would be a simple task under the conditions.

Their coach, Stuart Matsikenyeri, advised his players to be positive, look to play off the front foot to combat the low bounce and to play straight.

He expected them to play out the day and then, it was hoped, complete the job on the third morning, but Kamunhukamwe and Chakabva made this quite unnecessary.

Cephas Zhuwao fell in the third over, bowled by Mpofu for six, but then Chakabva joined the youthful Kamunhukamwe and the two unleashed their strokes in brilliant fashion.

Kamunhukamwe followed perfectly the plan for straight hitting off the front foot, while Chakabva showed superb footwork to counter the bowling, and they slaughtered the Tuskers bowlers to the tune of 92 runs at 10 an over, as if it were a T20 match.

Kamunhukamwe scored 57 off just 35 balls, with five fours and five sixes, taking the total to 106 before he was finally out.

Chakabva soon followed him for 47, scored off 40 balls with nine fours and a six, but by this stage the match was virtually won.

Mutumbami and Mutombodzi (not out with 10 and nine respectively) finished the job before the close of play, and the final total of 136 had come off less than 16 overs.

All the Tuskers bowlers came under the hammer, except for Mpofu, who surprisingly only bowled five overs, taking the wicket of Zhuwao for 23 runs.

So Eagles romped home to victory in the style of champions, and must now be clear favourites to win the Logan Cup after increasing their lead at the top of the table.