3-mob.com 
Southern Rocks – 245 and 78-1 in 17.2 overs (Innocent Kaia 61*, Brian Mudzinganyama 11*; Steve Chimhamhiwa 1/10)
Tuskers – 183 all out in 52.1 overs (Clive Madande 45, Ainsley Ndlovu 42, Craig Ervine 29; Nkosilathi Nungu 4/61, Privilege Chesa 3/31, Travor Mutsamba 2/30)
Day 2 – Stumps: Southern Rocks lead by 140 runs
A good team performance with the ball, followed by Innocent Kaia’s sparkling 61 not out before the close, put Southern Rocks in a good position against Tuskers in their Logan Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Sunday.
Rocks began the day on 242 for six wickets, with Roy Kaia on 56 and Tendai Chisoro 21.
Their innings lasted only another 28 balls before they were all out.
Chisoro did not add to his 21, as Steve Chimhamhiwa removed him lbw with his first ball of the day, and later in the same over had Nkosi Nungu caught by Craig Ervine without addition to the score.
In the next over, Ernest Masuku dismissed Roy, caught by Luke Jongwe for a 55 that took him 187 balls and almost four hours to compile – it included six fours.
In his following over, Masuku ended the innings at 245 with an lbw decision against Travor Mutsamba, and Tuskers found themselves batting before they had scarcely warmed up.
Chimhamhiwa earned himself five wickets for only 40 runs, a good haul, while Masuku took three for 41.
Perhaps Tuskers were not mentally prepared to bat so soon, as none of their batters shaped well for long.
The first 10 overs produced only 15 runs, and then Chisoro bowled out Tanu Makoni for five, while Nkosana Mpofu was also laboured in scoring 15.
In contrast, Ervine went on the attack, racing to 29 off 30 balls, but was then caught by Roy off Nungu.
Brian Chari (16) and Milton Shumba (3) played the dogged game without much success, and when Luke Jongwe was out for four, six wickets were down for 94.
It was Clive Madande who seemed to find the best answer to the conditions, as he played a well-balanced game, finding rather unexpected help from Ainsley Ndlovu.
They put on 62 together for the seventh wicket in 13 overs before Madande was caught off Privilege Chesa for 45 off 73 balls.
Ndlovu hit boldly to score 42 off 41 balls, with a six and five fours.
Chimhamhiwa contributed 10 not out and the final total was 183, a deficit of 62.
Tuskers had scored much more quickly than Rocks had done, but less effectively.
Nungu, with four wickets for 61, was the most effective of the bowlers, while Chesa took three for 31, and there were two wickets for Mutsamba.
When Rocks came out to bat again, Tadiwanashe Marumani was for the second time in the match dismissed without scoring, caught by Ervine off the bowling of Chimhamhiwa again.
After his fine century in his last match against Eagles, Marumani has found what an unpredictable game cricket can be.
However, Innocent was full on confidence and in superb batting form, and in the remaining time he took charge of the bowling to race to 61 not out off only 44 balls.
Brian Mudzinganyama was his partner at the close with 11 not out, and Rocks, on 78 for one, are 140 runs ahead with nine wickets still in hand.
Comments
Loading…