adminAn unbeaten century from Sean Ervine coupled with contrasting half centuries from Terrence Duffin and Charles Coventry saw Matabeleland Tuskers declare their second innings on 518 runs for the loss of eight wickets, leaving Mashonaland Eagles with a tough task of scoring 417 runs to win the match. A superb bowling spell by the hosts left Mashonaland Eagles staring at their fourth straight defeat in the competition, the visitors reduced to 88 for eight, a staggering 329 runs behind with two wickets in hand.
Ervine was unbeaten on 153 runs which came off 140 deliveries in 240 minutes the left hander spent at the crease in which he despatched 14 fours and five sixes in an entertaining innings. Duffin was run out for 96 runs while clean hitting Coventry slammed a brutal 76 runs off 53 balls as Tuskers ran away with the match. The declaration came soon after Ervine had passed the 150-run mark with the new batsman Christopher Mpofu still yet to open his batting account.
In an innings where there was little to celebrate for the Eagles bowlers, leg spinner Tinotenda Mutombodzi picked up four wickets with two wickets for first innings hero Kyle Jarvis and one wicket for Innocent Chinyoka.
In their run chase, Mashonaland Eagles never got going with Tuskers skipper Keegan Meth and fellow seamer Glenn Querl running through their top order with ease. Meth started the Eagles slide when he won a leg before wicket decision against Sikandar Raza to dismiss him for a nine ball duck with the visitors on six runs.
Meth who picked up five wickets in the first innings finished the day with four wickets while Querl had three wickets to his name with one wicket for left arm spinner Sean Williams.
The match goes into its final day this morning with Tuskers set to wrap it up in no time as they need the only two remaining wickets to remain unbeaten and at the top of the five team log standings.
Online Reporter