Naqvi makes history with first ever triple-century

Tuskers – 128 and 143-2 in 64 overs (Nkosana Mpofu 65*, Bright Phiri 30, Brian Chari 26*; Mike Chinouya 1/34, Victor Chirwa 1/47)

Rhinos – 538-3 declared in 126.4 overs (Antum Naqvi 300*, Ben Curran 124, Tarisai Musakanda 48; Nkosana Mpofu 1/66, Mamoon ur Riaz 1/85, Tinotenda Maposa 1/86)

Day 3 – Stumps: Tuskers trail by 267 runs

History was made at Takashinga Cricket Club on Friday as Antum Naqvi of Rhinos became the first batter ever to record a triple-century for any Zimbabwean team.

He had reached 250 overnight against Tuskers, and after a late start he progressed smoothly to his 300 just before lunch, passing several landmarks on the way.

He first passed 265, which was Cephas Zhuwao’s record Logan Cup score in first-class matches, achieved in 2017/18.

Next to go was Ray Gripper’s 279 not out, scored in the South African Currie Cup competition against Orange Free State in 1967/68, which was until now the highest individual score ever made for any Zimbabwean team.

Finally, there was Brian Davison’s 299, scored for Midlands against Matabeleland in 1973/74 in the Logan Cup before it became a first-class competition.

Graeme Hick and Murray Goodwin have both recorded triple-centuries in first-class cricket in county cricket in England.

The first-class record score by any batter on Zimbabwean soil remains the 306 scored by Mark Richardson for the New Zealanders against Zimbabwe A at Kwekwe in 2000/01.

The declaration came at lunch at 538 for three wickets, with Remembrance Nyathi at the other end, having scored a supportive 36 not out of his unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 190 with Naqvi.

Naqvi himself faced 295 balls, batted for 444 minutes and hit 10 sixes and 30 fours.

Tuskers had to bat again in their second innings with a deficit of 410.

So far they have put up a fair fight, closing the day on 143 for two wickets, with Nkosana Mpofu on 65 and Brian Chari 26, both not out.

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Mega Market Mountaineers – 237 and 578-8 declared in 98 overs (Dion Myers 204*, Timycen Maruma 110, Kevin Kasuza 101; Alex Russell 4/192, Nick Welch 1/41, Hamza Sajjad 1/59)

Eagles – 336 and 6-0 in 2.3 overs (Larvet Masunda 5*, Matthew Welch 1*)

Day 3 – Stumps: Eagles need 474 runs

There was another big individual score in the Logan Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club, where Dion Myers scored a double-century for Mega Market Mountaineers against Eagles on Friday.

He was on 65 when he resumed his innings at the start of the day, with his team’s total 236 for two wickets, while Timycen Maruma had 50.

By the time Maruma was finally dismissed for 110, scored off 97 balls with four sixes and 12 fours, their partnership had added 179.

PJ Moor played a more restrained innings than he has often done, making 33 off 52 balls and giving further support to Myers in their partnership of 102.

The later batters all hit out enterprisingly, no doubt with a declaration in view, as Myers continued to defy the bowlers and pile on the runs.

Unusually, all 10 men who batted in this innings reached double figures or more, and Victor Nyauchi was in with Myers when he reached his 200, followed by the declaration.

Myers was not out with 204, scored off 270 balls with two sixes and 26 fours, and the total was 578 for eight wickets.

Alex Russell took four wickets in this innings, giving him 10 in the match, but he paid a heavy price for them in this innings, when he was hit for 192 runs in 29 overs.

This left Eagles, who had led by 99 runs on the first innings, the huge target of 480 runs to win the match.

Their opening batters, Larvet Masunda and Matthew Welch, scored six runs between them in 2.3 overs before a shower of rain ended play for the day.