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Rhinos – 144 and 320 all out in 103.2 overs (Tendai Chisoro 112, Nyasha Mayavo 54, Prince Masvaure 48; Clive Chitumba 3/53, Brian Mudzinganyama 3/59, Dylan Hondo 1/19)
Rangers – 248 and 66-6 in 24 overs (Brian Mudzinganyama 22, Clive Chitumba 15*, Johnathan Campbell 9; Tafara Chingwara 3/6, Tendai Chisoro 3/18)
Day 3 – Stumps: Rangers require another 151 runs with four wickets remaining
A magnificent maiden first-class century by Tendai Chisoro empowered a sagging second-innings effort from Rhinos and turned the Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club on its head on Sunday.
He then turned in a fine bowling performance, taking three quick wickets, and took a brilliant catch, to have Rangers, set 217 to win, reeling at 66 for six wickets by the close of play, and facing almost certain defeat.
Chisoro, better known as an accurate left-arm spin bowler, has been an underestimated and underperforming batsman throughout his career, but a fair technique, powerful strokes and often excellent timing showed a potential that has not been fulfilled until today.
He came in with the Rhinos score at 155 for six, only 51 runs ahead in the second innings, and took charge of the rest of the innings with only defensive support at the other end to score 112 in superb style.
Then came his and his team’s great performance in the field, and Rangers must have felt shattered by the close.
At the close of the second day’s play, Rhinos had looked as if they might get back into the game again, having wiped off the first-innings deficit with only two wickets down, with Tafadzwa Kaitano on 36 and Bright Njanji on one.
However, 105 for two quickly became 111 for four, as both overnight batsmen perished lbw in the first 20 minutes of play, Kaitano to Charlton Tshuma for 38 and Njanji to Kudakwashe Macheka for two.
Remembrance Nyathi and Nyasha Mayavo now had to take up the fight for Rhinos against enthusiastic and inspired opponents.
Runs almost dried up for a while as the pair played the defensive game with great determination.
A substantial partnership looked to be developing when Johnathan Campbell was put on to bowl, and with a faster ball beat and bowled Nyathi for nine, scored off 40 balls; 139 for five.
Neville Madziva, after such a fine batting double in his previous match, did not do so well this time, making seven runs off 26 balls before he was given out lbw to Dylan Hondo; 155 for six.
Chisoro came in next and showed an inclination to hit, scoring an unbeaten 28 out of 196 for six at lunch, a lead of 92, when Mayavo had 38 not out.
After the break the pair continued to bat with confidence, Chisoro pulling ahead of his partner with a brilliant straight drive for six off Brian Mudzinganyama on to the top of the media centre.
That took him to 47, but he was a while reaching his fifty, which eventually came off 62 balls.
On 52 he skyed an attempted pull towards fine leg, which the wicketkeeper ran for, but misjudged it and was unable to get a hand to the ball.
Mayavo at times seemed to carry caution to an extreme, as he crawled towards his fifty, but then suddenly startled everybody by cutting a ball from Macheka sharply for four; the landmark took him 148 balls.
After another two balls his dogged innings came to an end for 54; he hit just three fours and the total was 244 for seven after a partnership of 89.
Brandon Mavuta did not last long, having his off stump knocked out of the ground by Davis Murwendo before he had scored.
Chisoro passed his previous highest first-class score of 66 and, with Carl Mumba giving good support, attacked the bowling vigorously.
On 94 he skyed a ball from Mudzinganyama to extra cover, and started walking off in disgust, but, with everybody expecting the catch to be held, the fielder, perhaps handicapped by the sun, juggled the ball desperately and finally dropped it.
Chisoro reached 99, and then Mumba drove a catch to deep extra cover and was out for 20, with the total 306 for nine wickets.
Surprisingly, the players left the field for tea at this point, although it could have been delayed to enable the innings to be completed.
Fortunately Chisoro did not suffer the loss of his century through this situation, and hit the second ball he received after resumption past midwicket for four; he had faced 119 balls.
He finally fell for 112, skying a catch on the leg side that was well held by the bowler Mudzinganyama running a long distance to hold it.
He had faced 132 balls, hit eight fours and four sixes, and the team total of 320 left Rangers to score 217 to win.
Mudzinganyama and Tananurwa Makoni opened the batting again for Rangers against the bowling of Mumba and Mavuta to start with.
They did a steady job to put on 30 runs before Makoni (9) flicked a ball from Tafara Chingwara towards backward square leg, but straight to Kaitano, who took a sharp low catch.
Marshal Takodza struggled for a while to score three runs, but also fell victim to a close catch by Kaitano, off the bowling of Chisoro; 35 for two.
The Rhinos players were getting more jubilant and noisy with the fall of each wicket as they scented possible victory, and they roared in celebration as they next dismissed Clive Imbayago without scoring, lbw to Chingwara.
Next they picked up the vital wicket of Mudzinganyama, who cut hard and was brilliantly caught, diving, at third slip by Chisoro, who was having an inspired day.
Johnathan Campbell (9) was next to go, also to a fine low catch, this one at square leg by, again, Kaitano off Chisoro, immediately after hitting a six; 49 for five.
Chitumba fought back well, going for his strokes and showing good judgment in the crisis, but lost Alvin Chiradza for five, bowled by Chisoro.
Charlton Tshuma survived three balls to see out the day with Chitumba, who was not out with 15, but Rangers are going to need a near miracle to escape what appears to be certain defeat on the final morning.
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