adminMehluli Sibanda and Ricky Zililo, Sports Reporters
MATABELELAND Tuskers are the 2014/15 Logan Cup first class cricket competition champions after they defeated Manicaland Mountaineers by six wickets after lunch on the fourth and final day at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The win saw Matabeleland 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.
Mashonaland 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.
It the fourth time since the launch of franchise cricket in 2009/10 season that the Wayne James coached Matabeleland Tuskers have landed the country’s premier first class cricket competition, winning it three times in a row at some stage. David Houghton won the competition twice in a row while Heath Streak lifted it once.
Wicketkeeper 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 Matabeleland 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 Manicaland Mountaineers blown away for a low first innings score.
While Matabeleland 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 Matabeleland Tuskers a 139 run first innings advantage.
Opening batsman Charles Kunje top scored for Manicaland Mountaineers with 93 runs as they posted a decent second innings total.
Off spinner John Nyumbu was the star bowler for Matabeleland Tuskers in the Manicaland 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.
Matabeleland Tuskers did lose four quick wickets but Mutumbami and Mamhiyo (19 not out) combined well to see them over the line.
James was ecstatic with the victory and attributing the Logan Cup win to “all-round team effort.”
“We’re obviously relieved that the premier cricket cup is back with us here in Bulawayo and we treasure every moment. Everybody really worked hard and we deserved this victory,” James said.
He heaped praises on his captain Godwill Mamhiyo who despite being 22years old, had an impressive season.
“It’s good to see a young man like Mamhiyo leading a big club like Matabeleland Tuskers to victory. The Logan Cup is a dream silverware for many and as a captain he made his mistakes but managed to pick himself up. It wasn’t really hard for him to lead the guys because he knew the demands of being a skipper having led the Zimbabwe’s Under-19 team a few years ago,” James said.
Speaking on behalf of his peers Mamhiyo said; “To be honest it hasn’t sunk in yet that we are the champions. This is really a good team win especially considering that a month ago after losing back-to-back matches it looked as if we were out but we managed to bounce back to winning ways. The guys are upbeat and now the goal is to win the Pro-50 One Day Cup which we haven’t lifted since the start of franchise cricket.”
Bongani Moyo
Online Reporter