Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ENGLISH side, Durham County Cricket Club proved too strong for Zimbabwean Select team, the Southerns as they thumped them by an innings and 145 runs in day two of the three day match taking place at Harare Sports Club.
The match started on Saturday and the Southerns, who elected to bat first were bowled out for 94 runs in 26.1 overs before the visitors went on to declare their innings on 403/8 to take a huge lead. In the second innings, Southerns only managed to get 164 runs on the board as they lost the match with a day to spare.
There was nothing to write home about from the Southerns batting line up with the first innings top scorers being Roy Kaia and Richmond Mutumbami who all scored 31 runs while Johnathan Campbell made 12 runs to be the only ones to cross double figures after the top three made zeros.
Ben Raine took four wickets for Durham in just six overs, giving away 21 runs whereas Matthew Potts took three scalps for 17 runs in six overs as well. Brydon Carse and Bas de Leede took two and one wicket respectively.
Durham’s opening batters put out a 200 runs partnership for the first wicket before Alex Lees fell for 116 runs off 101 deliveries and Michael Jones scored 85 runs off 100 balls. David Bedingham also scored a half century, finishing on 66 runs from 43 balls to guide the English side to a huge total.
Leg spinner Priviledge Chesa took four wickets for the home side in 12.2 overs giving away 110 runs while Campbell picked up two for 30 runs in five overs.
There was no half century from the Southerns in the second innings as well with Mutumbami being the top scorer again with 35 runs as they crumbled to a huge defeat.
At Old Hararians, the Northerns put out a fight as they ended the day on 18/1 with a lead of 70 runs in the second innings after bowling their opponents for 214 after a brilliant first innings ton from Joylord Gumbie. Gumbie (140 runs) and Faraz Akram (74 runs not out) fought hard to get their side to a total of 266 runs in 90.2 overs.
Billy Root was the only Glamorgan batter who scored a half century as he finished on 50 runs from 81 balls. Off spin bowler Wessly Madhevere starred with the ball for Northerns after he finished with the figures of 3/42 in 15 overs while Ernest Masuku and Ainsley Ndlovu both had two scalps for 28 runs in seven and 13 overs respectively. Akram, Trevor Gwandu and Prince Masvaure all took one wicket each for the home side.
At stumps, Northerns had lost the wicket of Tanunurwa Makoni who fell for just one run off six deliveries. Masvaure and centurion Gumbie were in the middle on five and 12 runs respectively as the match is headed towards an interesting final day.
Play resumes today for the final day of the match. The county teams, who are among the top first-class clubs within the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, are visiting Zimbabwe as part of their preseason programmes. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter