LOGAN CUP: Naqvi fifty boosts up Tuskers, as Mutumbami leads Rocks recovery

Tuskers – 245-6 in 79 overs (Awad Naqvi 51, Allan Chigoma 41, Luke Jongwe 36*; Wessly Madhevere 2/58, Faraz Akram 1/28, Alex Falao 1/39)

Eagles –

Day 1 – Stumps

Another fifty by Awad Naqvi was the highest innings for Tuskers as they scored 245 for six wickets on the first day of their Logan Cup match against Eagles at Harare Sports Club on Friday.

The side batted consistently after Nkosana Mpofu (33) and Taffy Mupariwa (23) had put together an opening partnership worth 60 runs in the morning.

Both were out in quick succession, but Naqvi, batting doggedly, came in third and scored 51 off 128 deliveries.

He shared a partnership of 86 with Alvin Chiradza for the fourth wicket.

The absence of a big individual score, though, meant that Tuskers lost six wickets for 176 runs.

But then Luke Jongwe and Ainsley Ndlovu came together and shared a good partnership that had added 69 together without being broken when rain ended play early – they finished the day with 36 and 31 respectively.

Four bowlers took wickets, with Wessly Madhevere with two being the most successful.

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Southern Rocks – 187-5 in 69 overs (Richmond Mutumbami 52*, Blessed Muzite 41, Roy Kaia 39; Mike Chinouya 2/21, Antum Naqvi 2/45, Tafara Chingwara 1/30)

Rhinos –

Day 1 – Stumps

Two early wickets by the veteran pace bowler Mike Chinouya encouraged Rhinos in their Logan Cup match against Southern Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club on Friday morning, but some sound middle-order batting, led by a fifty from Richmond Mutumbami, enabled the Masvingo-based team to recover to 187 for five wickets by the early close.

In his third and fifth overs, Chinouya trapped Brian Mudzinganyama lbw for six and took a return catch from Ben Curran (3) to make the score 18 for two wickets by Rocks.

However, Blessed Muzite (41) and the English professional Nick Gubbins (32) survived his opening spell and took the score to 86 before both were dismissed in successive overs.

However, Mutumbami, assisted by 39 from Roy Kaia, then put on 80 for the fifth wicket before Kaia fell not long before rain stopped play.

Mutumbami was 52 not out, partnered by William Mashinge with 15, when play ended early.

So far Chinouya and Antum Naqvi have taken two wickets each.