Ncube leads Tuskers fightback as Rhinos’ title hopes fade

Rhinos – 413 all out in 109.3 overs (PJ Moor 139, Prince Masvaure 127, Tendai Chisoro 28*; Sheunopa Musekwa 5/113, Ernest Masuku 3/108, Ainsley Ndlovu 2/63)

Tuskers – 291-5 in 103 overs (Cunningham Ncube 77*, Craig Ervine 56, Brian Chari 55; Brandon Mavuta 2/76, Mike Chinouya 1/41, Neville Madziva 1/43)

Stumps – Day 3: Tuskers trail by 122 runs with five wickets remaining in the innings

The real Tuskers team showed themselves at Harare Sports Club on Saturday, with a display of fighting batsmanship headed by a very determined innings of 77 not out from Cunningham Ncube, finding his best form at last.

Each of the first six batsmen stayed at the wicket for at least an hour as they sought to salvage a draw from the match with Rhinos, who finished the day with their hopes of winning the Logan Cup for the first time slipping away as at Old Hararians their main rivals Mountaineer tightened the noose around Eagles.

Tuskers began the day at 17 without loss, facing Rhinos’ first-innings score of 413; Nkosana Mpofu had 10 and Taffy Mupariwa five.

Neville Madziva and Mike Chinouya opened the bowling.

The first hour saw very steady cricket, with the two batsmen playing a safe game against bowling that was not particularly threatening or always very accurate.

The deadlock was broken with the score at 34, when the seamers gave way to the left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro, who had Mpofu playing back and edging it to slip after scoring 20 off 54 balls.

Mupariwa, perhaps finding his captain’s responsibilities heavy on his shoulders, was still there with nine off 49 balls.

Strangely, the dismissal of Mpofu seemed to stir him up as, off Mumba’s bowling, he turned a ball for two past square leg and then glanced his first four to fine leg.

Brian Chari immediately decided to get after the bowling of Chisoro, and hit him for four and six to the midwicket boundary off successive balls.

He took a breather for a while, and then got after Chisoro again, with two, four and a six into the sightscreen in four balls.

After that he again settled down to steady but positive play, while Mupariwa retreated into his shell and made little attempt to score.

Lunch, or even drinks, intervals can do strange things to batsmen, though, and off the last ball before lunch Mupariwa was tempted into swinging at a leg-side delivery from Brandon Mavuta, in his first over, and he hit it straight into the hands of the long-leg fielder.

He was livid with himself to give his wicket away for 23, scored off 113 balls, and the total was now 99 for two wickets, with Chari on 44.

Early during the morning session PJ Moor injured his forearm in the field and had to leave for medical treatment; Tarisai Musakanda took over as acting captain for Rhinos.

A few minutes after lunch Chari drove Mavuta for a straight six to reach his fifty off 75 balls.

His new partner was Craig Ervine, who made a positive start to his innings.

But they were not long together, as Chari slashed at the wrong ball from Madziva and skyed a straight-forward catch to backward point for 55; 117 for three.

Cunningham Ncube came in next and settled into an uneventful partnership with Ervine, both batsmen just taking runs as they came without trying to force the pace.

Ervine reached a smooth fifty off 83 balls, and by tea the score had reached 205 for three wickets, with Ervine on 56 and Ncube 34.

On resumption Ncube hit the first two deliveries, from Mavuta, for four, but lost Ervine, well caught at point, without any addition to his score.

Ncube went on to reach a good fifty off 92 balls, partnered now by Charles Kunje.

This pair settled in and resisted everything Rhinos tried to remove them, until in the penultimate over of the day Mike Chinouya finally broke through and trapped Kunje lbw for an invaluable innings of 35, scored off 107 balls.

The score was 288 for five, and Shoun Handirisi, the last recognised batsman, arrived at the wicket to see Ncube face the final over, in which he scored three runs.

Ncube finished the day unbeaten with 77 off 165 balls, a fine effort for a batsman who has been struggling for form all season.

Tuskers have the disadvantage of a long tail to their batting line-up, but, having avoided the follow-on figure of 264, they now have a face-saving draw well in their sights.

As for Rhinos, the bottom line is now that, in order to win, they will need to take 15 Tuskers wickets on the final day, as well as take a second innings themselves.

Barring exceptional circumstances, Mountaineers have retained the Logan Cup for another season.

2018/19 Logan Cup points table

Subscribe to Blog via Email