Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
NOTHING about last week felt settled for Tuskers.
The clouds kept rolling in over Queens Sports Club, breaking up good passages of cricket, stopping play just as the momentum tilted their way.
Yet through the rain and frustration, assistant coach Chris Mpofu walked off the field with something far more useful than points on the table. He walked away convinced that his side is finally growing into the team they want to be.
The two matches against Mega Market Mountaineers never reached full conclusions. One was a Logan Cup fixture that turned into a tactical shootout where both teams agreed to forfeit an innings to force a result.
The other was a Pro50 Championship clash where Tuskers fell short of the total they wanted, then clawed control back with the ball. The rain ruined both. The performance across the week didn’t.
Mpofu has seen enough seasons to know a team’s heartbeat in November tells you where it might be in March. What he saw over the past few days pleased him.
“It was disappointing but at the end of the day you can’t control the rain. We played some good cricket and it’s something that I am really happy about,” he said.
In the four day match, Tuskers set Mountaineers a target of 322 after both sides sacrificed an innings to chase a win. When play froze, the visitors were 61 for 2 and wobbling. Earlier, the Pro50 encounter had followed a similar pattern.
Tuskers felt they were short of the ideal total, posting 228, yet they had Mountaineers under pressure at 52 for 3 after 16 overs.
That mix of intent and resilience is what Mpofu singled out. He saw youngsters hold their nerve on tricky surfaces. He saw senior players graft when the pitch demanded grit. He saw bowlers who understood the moment.
“Seeing a youngster like Munashe (Chimusoro) step up with the way he has been playing in white ball cricket, he continues shining for us, he has been a revelation. Brian Chari went in when it was a little bit tough, the wicket was doing a lot early in the morning and he really did grind,” he said.
“Young Bright (Phiri), there are a few things he can work on, but when things were tough, he tried by all means to stay in there. That was good.”
If the batting showed bravery, the opening spell with the ball showed control.
“The way we started with our bowling, Tawanda (Maposa) and (Ernest) Masuku were spectacular. It’s one of the best they have done in some time,” Mpofu said.
“When we went into the field, we said we were about 15 to 20 runs short but we said if we get a very good start in the power-play we will be back in the game and our bowlers did exactly that.
Getting three wickets in the first 10 overs, you can’t ask for more, you have already killed the spine. We started very well.”
For Mpofu, this season is about improving every week, not making loud declarations. Two matches in, he believes they’re heading that way.
“We just want to get better in everything that we do, we never said we want to challenge ourselves to win titles. We want to finish better than we did last season and at the moment we are in the right direction,” he said.
“Coming from that four dayer, disappointing also, but we batted well, we stayed in the game and took quick wickets. It might be disappointing but I am happy with the way we are going.”
Next up is a trip to Harare Sports Club where Tuskers meet Eagles. The Logan Cup tie starts tomorrow and the Pro50 encounter follows on November 22.
Rain may have blunted their charge this week, but the confidence they found in those interrupted hours feels like something that could last far longer than a washed out fixture.
