Trio rescues Zimbabwe Emerging in four-dayer against SA side

Zimbabwe Emerging – 216 all out in 69.3 overs (Ernest Masuku 56, Brandon Mavuta 52, Alistair Frost 50; Tristan Luus 4/34, Codi Yusuf 3/35, Dian Forrester 2/24)

South Africa Emerging – 51-0 in 13 overs (Lesego Senokwane 29*, Modiri Litheko 15*)

Day 1 – Stumps: South Africa Emerging trail by 165 runs

Brandon Mavuta, Alistair Frost and Ernest Masuku rescued the Zimbabwe Emerging men’s team from disaster in the first innings of their first four-day match against the South Africa Emerging side at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday.

The Zimbabweans, captained by Takudzwanashe Kaitano, decided to bat on winning the toss, which soon looked to be a calamitous decision as the first five wickets fell, three of them to Tristan Luus, within 11 overs for only 31 runs.

Antum Naqvi had scored 18 of these, while the other four men out had contributed a mere six runs among them.

Mavuta then joined Frost at the wicket, and the gallant pair added 101 for the sixth wicket to save their team from ignominy.

Mavuta, the more aggressive of the two, was first out, having scored 52 carefully off 115 balls, with five fours.

Frost went on to make 50 off 136 balls with six fours.

Masuku continued their efforts with some good selective hitting and made the highest score of the innings, 56 off 86 balls with four sixes and four fours.

This took the Zimbabweans to a total of 216.

Luus was the leading South African bowler, with four wickets for 35 runs, while his new-ball partner Codi Yusuf took three for 35.

The tourists made a sound start to their innings, as in 13 overs before the close Modiri Litheko (15) and Lesego Senokwane (29) put on 51 runs together without losing their wickets.