LOGAN CUP: Mountaineers-Rocks clash peters out to rain-affected draw

Mega Market Mountaineers – 260 and 23-0 in 3 overs (Tinashe Muchawaya 12*, Vincent Masekesa 6*)

Southern Rocks – 261 all out in 58.5 overs (Roy Kaia 61, William Mashinge 52, Ben Curran 36; Shingi Masakadza 5/42, Donald Tiripano 2/27, Brian Bennett 1/21)

Match drawn

Shingi Masakadza took five wickets for Mega Market Mountaineers in their drawn Logan Cup match against Southern Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club on Tuesday.

The wet outfield meant that again no play was possible until after lunch, thereby making it certain that no outright result in this match could be achieved.

The teams therefore only had their pride and the possibility of gaining bonus points to play for, as Rocks went in with their overnight score of 64 for three wickets, with Tafadzwa Tsiga and Richmond Mutumbami both new men at the crease, Mountaineers having been dismissed for 260.

They did not last long, Mutumbami going for five and Tsiga an aggressive 18, and at 94 for five Rocks were not looking too happy.

At this point William Mashinge joined Roy Kaia, and this pair proved to be exactly what their team needed, taking charge of the bowling and adding 79 for the sixth wicket.

Kaia was much the more aggressive, hitting up 61 off 60 balls with nine fours before being out lbw to Vincent Masekesa at 173 for six.

Mashinge also reached his fifty, a more laborious effort, and with help from the later batters he took Rocks into a position to challenge for the first-innings lead.

He had 52 when he chopped a ball from Masakadza on to his wicket, having hit seven fours off 92 balls.

Rocks were now 247 for eight, and with his partner Cuthbert Musoko hitting the ball well there was still some interest in which team would lead on the first innings, although the achievement would gain them no points.

Scores were level when Masakadza removed Priviledge Chesa lbw for two, and the last man Takudzwa Chataira scored the ‘winning’ single before Masakadza finished the innings by claiming Musoko’s wicket, lbw again.

Musoko had hit 33 off 43 balls, with three sixes and a four, the final total being 261.

Masakadza finished with five wickets for 42, to add to his 63 runs with the bat.

Mountaineers had to bat again for a token three overs before the match could be called off as a draw.

2022/23 LOGAN CUP POINTS TABLE