Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
TUSKERS bowlers put up a decent performance with the ball in their last match of the 2022/23 Logan Cup first-class cricket competition against Mega Market Mountaineers, as they ended day one trailing by 308 runs at Old Hararians yesterday.
After being sent in to bowl first, it took Tuskers 86 overs to finally take the 10 wickets despite a good start with the ball which saw Mountaineers sitting on 230/7 at one stage. Mountaineers were bowled out for 320 and Tuskers ended on 12/0 in two overs. Two players, Munashe Chimusoro and Tinotenda Maposa were handed first-class debuts by the Bulawayo side.
Tanatswa Bechani and Ernest Masuku were the two stand out bowlers for Tuskers on day one. Left arm spinner Bechani took three scalps for 57 runs in 14 overs while Masuku, in two overs more finished with figures 3/71. Debutants teamed up to get the scalp of Mountaineers’ opener, Baxon Gopito, dismissed by Maposa, the catch taken by Chimusoro. Maposa went on to finish with 2/27 in seven overs.
The other wicket taker for Tuskers was Luke Jongwe who finished with the figures 1/30 in 10 overs while the captain, Ainsley Ndlovu took one scalp for 75 runs in 27 overs. Definate Mawadzi top scored for Mountaineers with 78 runs off 99 deliveries while a defiant Clive Chitumba remained unbeaten on 60 runs from 91 balls. Gopito fell one run short of his half century on 49 runs while Dion Myers scored 39 runs.
At stumps, Nkosana Mpofu was on eight runs off 11 deliveries while Tafara Mupariwa was on three runs from two balls.
In the other match taking place at Harare Sports Club, two centuries put Rhinos in front in their match against Southern Rocks. Prince Masvaure scored his highest first class score as he finished on 158 runs not out from 275 balls while Antum Naqvi also recorded another ton before he fell for 108 runs off 114 deliveries. Takudzwanaishe Kaitano was out for exactly 50 runs off 94 deliveries as Rhinos finished on 378/4 in 87 overs.
Priviledge Chesa and Takudzwa Chataira took the four wickets for Rocks as they were made to toil on the first day. Chataira took three while Chesa had one. Play resumes this morning for day two in both matches. -@brandon_malvin
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