LOGAN CUP: Curran ton stabilises Rocks, as Maruma leads Mountaineers recovery

Southern Rocks – 282 all out in 95.3 overs (Ben Curran 134*, Cuthbert Musoko 42, Blessed Muzite 22; Ainsley Ndlovu 4/70, Milton Shumba 2/0, Hamidullah Qadri 2/43)

Tuskers – Yet to bat

Day 1 – Stumps

An unbeaten century by Ben Curran was the backbone of Southern Rocks’ first-innings score of 282 against Tuskers in their Logan Cup match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Rocks decided to bat on winning the toss, and with some good attacking strokes Brian Mudzinganyama scored 18 out of an opening partnership of 29 with Blessed Muzite.

His dismissal brought in Curran, who proceeded to bat through the rest of the innings.

Muzite and Tafadzwa Tsiga both scored 22, and at one stage Rocks were 121 for two wickets.

But with the dismissal of Tsiga the middle order collapsed, including Richmond Mutumbami for two and Roy Kaia for seven, so that seven men were out for 170.

For the second match in succession Cuthbert Musoko then came to the rescue with a fine innings, scoring 42 himself as he put on 91 for the eighth wicket and saw Curran through to his century.

The final total was 282, with Curran not out on 134, including 16 fours, a determined and solid 261-ball innings that lasted over five hours.

Ainsley Ndlovu was the most industrious and successful Tuskers bowler, sending down 34 overs and taking four wickets for 70 runs.

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Mega Market Mountaineers – 281-9 in 66 overs (Timycen Maruma 91, Spencer Magodo 63, PJ Moor 36; Mike Chinouya 3/42, Tafara Chingwara 2/42, Brandon Mavuta 2/92)

Rhinos – Yet to bat

Day 1 – Stumps

Another fighting innings from Timycen Maruma led a recovery after Mega Market Mountaineers made a poor start in their Logan Cup match against Rhinos at Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare on Saturday.

At the close of play Mountaineers had reached a score of 281 for nine wickets.

After a late start due to a wet outfield, Rhinos put Mountaineers in to bat and must have been well pleased when within 50 minutes of play they had removed the top three batters for only 29 runs.

Wickets fell in three successive overs as Mike Chinouya and Tafara Chingwara removed Joylord Gumbie for eight, Ben Compton for 17 and Kevin Kasuza without scoring.

But after that the bowlers had more than two hours of fruitless toil, as Maruma took on the bowlers, playing his strokes powerfully, while Spencer Magodo provided him with the sound support he needed.

Magodo was the first to go for 63, at 193 for four, and eight runs later Maruma, just failing to reach his century, went for 91.

Another useful partnership followed between PJ Moor and Donald Tiripano, the latter eventually going out for 24 to Chinouya, who bowled Shingi Masakadza with his next delivery.

Brandon Mavuta was not in his usual bowling form this time and took a lot of punishment, but he did manage to remove Moor for 36 just before the close, when Tinashe Muchawaya was not out with an aggressive 21 and the score 281 for nine.