Match report day 3 Manicaland v Mashonaland Logan Cup 2003/04 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Manicaland v Matabeleland

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Overnight: Matabeleland 390; Manicaland 509/7 off 112.5 overs (Chioza 23*).
Lunch: Manicaland 526; Matabeleland (2) 66/1 off 29 overs (Masakadza 35*, Mabuza 16*).
Tea: Matabeleland (2) 229/4 off 59 overs (Strydom 93*, Dabengwa 2*).
Close: Matabeleland (2) 359; Manicaland (2) 0/0 off 0.2 overs (Matambanadzo 0*, Manyande 0*).

 

Matabeleland had quite a good third day of their match against Manicaland, ending the home side’s first innings quickly and then running up 359, which included Greg Strydom’s second century of the match. But they still look the more likely team to lose on the final day, as they could set Manicaland only 224 to win on a placid pitch.

 

Manicaland continued to bat from their overnight total of 509 for seven on the third morning, seeking as big a lead as possible on this placid pitch; however, they were not to last long. They soon lost overnight batsman Stanley Chioza, who was caught at short leg off bat and pad, off the bowling of Romeo Kasawaya for 31. Allan Mwayenga, looking for a quick single, was run out for 6, a fine direct hit from mid-on by Keith Dabengwa, and finally Adiel Kugotsi, unwisely trying to sweep a straight ball from Mbeke Mabuza, had his leg stump knocked back.

 

Manicaland were dismissed for 526, a lead of 136. Tawanda Mpariwa, Mluleki Nkala and Romeo Kasawaya took two wickets each.

 

Going in again, Matabeleland lost their sheet-anchor Wisdom Siziba, who on-drove a handsome four in the first over and was then trapped lbw, playing no stroke, by a superb delivery that came back in sharply and found him right in front of his stumps. Hamilton Masakadza soon looked in good touch, though, and played some superb drives through the off-side field. They were 66 for one at lunch and Matabeleland had certainly won the morning session.

 

After lunch Masakadza moved to his fifty, always looking to have time in hand, and with the current crisis in Zimbabwe cricket may well find himself in the national side again next week. Mbeke Mabuza proved a good partner until he moved too far across his stumps to Leon Soma and was adjudged lbw for 24.

 

Masakadza himself fell in Soma’s next over, moving too far across his crease to see umpire Kevan Barbour raising his finger for a third successive lbw decision. He made 67 in a sound innings, but his team was still behind as he departed the crease.

 

Greg Strydom was soon assaulting the bowling again with timing and power remarkable in a relatively small man. He hit a six off Prosper Utseya over midwicket that cleared the large side of the ground, the grassy bank and the hedge, bouncing on the road beyond, a carry of perhaps 100 metres. In the next over he was dropped off a difficult chance near the opposite midwicket boundary.

 

He was rather slower than in the first innings mainly because this time Manicaland set more defensive fields to him, often with five men on the leg-side boundary, and Utseya bowled well to him, except for the occasion loose ball. But generally the bowlers were unable to bowl a consistent length and tie him down. He shunned the leg side to reach his fifty with a six over extra cover, having faced 50 balls. Nkala settled in with him and, with the bowlers under pressure, they began to build a good partnership. It was broken just before tea, though, as Nkala hit a skimming low off-drive off Darlington Matambanadzo to be caught at ankle-height for 24; 216 for four.

 

Strydom was 93 at tea, but it took him another 20 minutes to reach his second century of the match – only the fifth batsman from this country to do so in first-class cricket, and the others were all Test players. Then he found the right ball from Matambanadzo and hit it over the clubhouse for yet another six, his sixth of this innings and 16th of the match – the latter a Zimbabwean record. It was his last scoring shot, as he then skyed Matambanadzo high into the covers, where Allan Mwayenga held the catch, to the utmost relief of his team-mates. His 104 came off 90 balls, with 8 fours as well as the sixes. Matabeleland were 267 for five, 137 ahead.

 

Keith Dabengwa hit a brisk 22 before moving across his stumps, to be adjudged lbw to Matambanadzo. Debutant Kasawayo hit a brisk fifty off 48 balls, in partnership with Mpariwa, before being out to a brilliant catch next ball by Utseya in the gully. Next ball the bowler, Mahwire, produced a superb delivery that beat and bowled Simba Kusano all ends up, but Chris Mpofu saved the hat-trick; 337 for eight. Mahwire had done little bowling earlier as he had been feeling unwell.

 

There followed a rather comical period where the batsmen frequently swung and missed, while the bowlers were unable to locate the stumps. Finally Mahwire dismissed Mpofu (6), another lbw decision, this time by umpire Justice Tapfumaneyi, and then Mpariwa fell to the sixth lbw of the innings, to Leon Soma for 29, leaving Thabo Mboyi unbeaten with 3. The total was 359, and there were three wickets each to Mahwire and Leon Soma.

 

Manicaland, needing 224 to win, had in theory five overs to face before close of play, but after two balls without scoring they accepted the umpires’ offer to go off for bad light.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)