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A FINE innings of 90 from Milton Shumba, with excellent support from Ainsley Ndlovu and Steve Chimhamhiwa, rescued Tuskers from a slump and brought them an impressive lead of 132 runs, with a wicket in hand, by the close of play at Old Hararians Sports Club yesterday.
The overnight score for Tuskers was one run for one wicket, the run having been scored by Tanu Makoni, his partner being Craig Ervine.
Makoni showed the same confidence and form he had shown when he scored his maiden first-class century against Southern Rocks, last weekend.
But, Ervine did not last long, being caught behind off Carl Mumba, for eight.
Brian Chari came in and played rather a cautious game on the whole while Makoni continued to dominate the bowling.
By lunch they had taken the score to 116 for two, of which Makoni had scored 74 and Chari 25.
Soon after the break, though, Makoni fell to a catch by Nyasha Mayavo at the wicket off the bowling of Johnathan Campbell for 83.
Two runs later he was followed back to the pavilion by Chari, out to a return catch by Brandon Mavuta for 36.
Shumba was in now, but there was little proven batting to follow.
With Allan Chigoma caught off Mavuta for three, and Clive Madande and Ernest Masuku both caught off Campbell for 10, the score slumped to 173 for seven.
However, Ndlovu finally displayed some prowess with the bat at first-class level, as he came in and attacked the bowling with gusto, and with such success that by the tea interval he had actually overtaken his illustrious partner.
Tuskers, at the interval, were 223 for seven, with Shumba on 35 and Ndlovu 38.
After tea Tuskers went into the lead, and Ndlovu galloped to his first-ever fifty in first-class cricket, off 64 balls.
The pair put up 107 for the eighth wicket, turning the game around, before Mavuta broke the stand with a successful lbw appeal against Ndlovu, who had made 61 off 86 balls.
Chimhamhiwa provided more good support for Shumba and they took the score past 300.
This wicket added 74, taking the score to 354 before Shumba, on 90, was caught off Trevor Gwandu.
When bad light stopped play Tuskers had reached 361 for nine, with Chimhamhiwa on 35 and Charlton Tshuma on four, a lead of 132 runs over Rhinos.
Meanwhile, a fine eighth-wicket partnership of 142 by Donald Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi took Mountaineers to a good total of 330 against Alliance Health Eagles in their Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Mountaineers began the day with the score of 232 for seven.
Tiripano was on 76 and Nyauchi 23.
Both batsmen showed aggressive intent from the start and the partnership, already worth 60, continued to grow.
Tiripano reached the third first-class century of his career off 220 balls, while Nyauchi soon afterwards recorded his first fifty at this level after facing 94 balls.
The Eagles team was sorely troubled by this large partnership, which eventually reached the unusually high number for the eighth wicket of 142, before Tiripano on 116 drove a ball from Tapiwa Mufudza to Brighton Zhawi at mid-off and was caught.
Scores
Rhinos — 229 all out in 73 overs (Prince Masvaure 51, Johnathan Campbell 39, Bright Matsiwe 37; Ainsley Ndlovu 3/48, Milton Shumba 2/8, Steve Chimhamhiwa 2/50)
Tuskers — 361-9 in 88 overs (Milton Shumba 90, Tanunurwa Makoni 83, Ainsley Ndlovu 61; Johnathan Campbell 3/65, Brandon Mavuta 3/96, Carl Mumba 2/43)
Day 2 – Stumps: Tuskers lead by 132 runs
Mountaineers — 330 all out in 114.4 overs (Donald Tiripano 116, Victor Nyauchi 71, Wellington Masakadza 48; Keith Jaure 3/41, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/82, Chamu Chibhabha 1/14)
Alliance Health Eagles — 172-6 in 63 overs (Chamu Chibhabha 62, Wessly Madhevere 35*, Keith Jaure 25*; Wellington Masakadza 3/51, Tendai Chatara 2/44, Victor Nyauchi 1/17)
Day 2 — Stumps: Alliance Health Eagles trail by 158 runs — zimcricket.
Online Reporter