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TENDAI Chatara was at the centre of the action at Old Hararians Sports Club on Saturday as Mega Market Mountaineers bowled out Eagles twice to win the match by an innings and 123 runs and lift the Logan Cup trophy for the first time since 2018/19.
The points they gained for victory saw them overtake Southern Rocks’ tally of 122 to finish with 130 at the head of the table.
Eagles began the day at 263 for six wickets in their first innings, with Romario Roach on 19 and Tapiwa Mufudza still to score.
Roach went on to make 37, but none of his tail-end companions lasted very long, as Chatara and Wellington Masakadza between them closed the innings for 302.
Chatara finished as the best bowler with three wickets in the innings for 71 runs.
Mountaineers, 425 runs ahead, enforced the follow-on, and Eagles batted rather like men resigned to their fate.
In 14 overs they took their score to 70 for the loss of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe for 10.
Then Matthew Welch was out for 70, his brother Nick for five, and Kudzai Maunze took the score to 106 before he was dismissed for 35.
He was caught at the wicket off Chatara, who did not open the bowling in the second innings after doing so much work in the first, but now came on to good effect.
Of the remaining batters, only two reached double figures.
Chamu Chibhabha played well to make 43 off 45 balls, while Roach hit out powerfully to score his first 50 in first-class cricket as the tail collapsed about him.
He was left not out on that figure when the last wicket fell and the match was over, having scored his runs off 33 balls with a six and nine fours.
Chatara again had the best figures of four wickets for 48 runs off only eight overs, having taken seven for 119 runs in this great match for Mountaineers.
Brief Scores
Mega Market Mountaineers – 631-7 declared in 108 overs (Brian Bennett 264*, Tony Munyonga 237, Donald Tiripano 47; Hamza Sajjad 3/84, Alex Russell 2/208, Romario Roach 1/87)
Eagles – 302 and 206 all out in 36.5 overs (following on) (Romario Roach 50*, Chamu Chibhabha 43, Kudzai Maunze 35; Tendai Chatara 4/48, Salman Mirza 3/63, Victor Nyauchi 2/58)
Result: Mega Market Mountaineers won by an innings and 123 runs
2023/24 LOGAN CUP (top 3)
P W L D NR Pts
Mountaineers 8 4 1 1 2 130
Southern Rocks 8 3 1 3 1 122
Eagles 8 1 2 5 0 104
Online Reporter