Tuskers thumped

Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter

TUSKERS suffered their first defeat in the 2022/23 Logan Cup first class cricket competition, the Bulawayo-based side thumped heavily by an inning and 33 runs at the hands of Eagles at Old Hararians yesterday with a day to spare.

Batting in their second innings after being asked to follow on, Tuskers, the defending champions, were bowled out for 165 runs, 33 short of closing down their deficit. Eagles scored 296 all out in the first innings and managed to wipe out Tuskers for 98 before asking them to follow on.

After losing half their team at the end of day two, the heavy defeat was inevitable for the Tuskers team. In the first innings of the match, only two batsmen managed to cross double figures with stand-in captain Nkosana Mpofu and Tafara Mupariwa scoring 25 and 23 runs, respectively. Faraz Akram took three wickets for Eagles while Richard Ngarava, Tanaka Chivanga and Tapiwa Mufudza took two scalps each

In the second innings, Tuskers batsmen failed to get going once again, with Luke Jongwe standing out with a fighting 52 runs off 67 deliveries. Milton Shumba scored 24 runs while Clive Madande and Tanunurwa Makoni scored 19 and 18 runs respectively as Tuskers could not shut the deficit and force Eagles to bat for the second time.

Ngarava and Mufudza did the damage with the ball for the capital domiciled side, taking four wickets each.

Eagles, in pole position, are sitting comfortable with 83 points from three wins in four matches with one being a draw. With two wins from three matches, Tuskers have 45 points in second place.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the capital city at Harare Sports Club, a maiden first class double century from Englishman Ben Compton and a Joylord Gumbie ton put Mega Market Mountaineers in the driver’s seat in their clash against Southern Rocks. Compton scored 217 runs while Gumbie finished on 108 runs.

Mountaineers went on to declare their second innings on 468-9 with a mammoth lead of 454 runs and managed to get control of the match at stumps having already taken two wickets before play ended. Rocks finished day three on 10-2, needing a near impossible 445 runs for the win. Victor Nyauchi and Tinashe Muchawaya took the two wickets for Mountaineers.

The Logan Cup is taking a break after today for the festive season and action will resume next month. – @brandon_malvin.