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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
LOGAN Cup defending champions Tuskers are on the verge of suffering their first defeat of the 2022/22 first-class cricket competition at the hands of rivals, Eagles after day two ended with the Bulawayo-based side batting on 97-5, trailing their opponents by 101 runs after being asked to follow on at Old Hararians Sports Club.
Losing half their team before the day’s play ended has left Tuskers looking at an innings defeat. Eagles scored 296 all out in their first innings and managed to bowl out the defending champions for just 98 runs before asking them to follow on.
Bad light, however, forced play to come to an end early before the completion of the day’s stipulated overs with Clive Madande and Luke Jongwe in the middle while the team’s total at stumps for Tuskers was 97-5.
Tuskers’ debutant left-arm spinner Tanatswa Bechani had the perfect start to his first-class cricket career, taking a fifer in Eagles’ first innings. Bechani finished with figures of 5-91 in 26. 5 overs whilst Sheunopa Musekwa and Luke Jongwe took two wickets each. Charlton Tshuma took the other wicket that fell in Eagles’ innings.
With the bat in their first innings, Tuskers batsmen had no answers for Eagles’ bowlers with the top scorer being stand-in captain Nkosana Mpofu contributing 25 runs. Tafara Mupariwa was the only other batsman to cross double figures for Tuskers with 23 runs while all the other batsmen were all founding wanting at the crease.
Faraz Akram took three wickets while Richard Ngarava, Tanaka Chivanga and Tapiwa Mufudza picked up two wickets each.
Madande and Jongwe ended the day with 14 and eight runs respectively while Mufudza had two scalps.
In the other match being played, Mega Market Mountaineers finished on 185-0 with a lead of 171 runs against Southern Rocks. Joylord Gumbi and Ben Compton are looking set to reach their tons as they are on 90 and 92 runs respectively.
In the first innings, Mountaineers were bowled out for 176 and Rocks managed to score 190 runs all out. Play resumes today at 1000hrs for both matches. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter