Tuskers are Logan Cup champions

Mehluli Sibanda in BULAWAYO
Matabeleland Tuskers are the 2014-15 Logan Cup first class cricket competition champions after they defeated Mountaineers by six wickets after lunch on the fourth and final day at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

The win saw Tuskers collect seven points, six for the victory and one bonus point for the first innings lead which took their points tally to 38, 10 more than Mashonaland Eagles in second place.

Eagles who make the trip to Bulawayo for the last match of the season next week cannot overtake Tuskers as a maximum of seven points can be obtained from a match.

Wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbami coming in to bat at number five top scored with an unbeaten 72 runs, an innings with seven fours as well as three sixes as Tuskers, who bowled out their opponents for 150 runs in their first innings, made 289 in their own first innings before they cleaned up their opponents for 275 in the second innings scored 140 runs for the loss four wickets to cruise to victory.

It was a fine batting display by Mutumbami who made 55 runs in the first innings in which Luke Jongwe was the highest run scorer.

Five wickets from right arm pace bowler Jongwe, backed up by four wickets by left arm fast bowler Brian Vitori saw Mountaineers blown away for a low first innings score.

While Tuskers did not get off to a good start with the bat, there were good contributions in the middle order. Besides Jongwe and Mutumbami, skipper Godwill Mamhiyo (48), Keith Dabengwa (38) and John Nyumbu (38) chipped in to give Tuskers a 139 run first innings advantage.

Opening batsman Charles Kunje top scored for Mountaineers with 93 runs as they posted a decent second innings total.

Off spinner John Nyumbu was the star bowler for Tuskers in the Mountaineers second innings with six wickets for 96 runs in 32.1 overs, Vitori took two wickets while there was one wicket each for left arm spinner Ainsley Ndlovu and Jongwe.

Tuskers did lose four quick wickets but Mutumbami and Mamhiyo (19 not out) combined well to see them over the line.