MATABELELAND Tuskers — 367 and 211 for 7 declared (Bornaparte Mujuru 61, Keith Dabengwa 47; Bradley Wadlan 2/28, Tendai Chisoro 2/37)

MidWest Rhinos — 249 and 188 all out in 65.5 overs (Bradley Wadlan 77, Peter Moor 29; John Nyumbu 4/72, Luke Jongwe 2/14, Brian Vitori 2/33)

Day 4 at Kwekwe Sports Club: Matabeleland Tuskers won by 141 runs.

APART from a fighting innings of 77, MidWest Rhinos did not put up too much of a struggle as Matabeleland Tuskers consolidated their position at the top of the Logan Cup table with a 141-run victory at Kwekwe Sports Club yesterday.

MidWest Rhinos began on their overnight score of 23 for one, with Bradley Wadlan on 17 and the night-watchman Kudakwashe Munyede on three. For a while they fought hard. Munyede, who has a First-class career batting average of below six, batted over an hour with a tight defence to score six runs. He did his job superbly for his side, but was finally beaten and bowled, middle stump knocked out of the ground, by Luke Jongwe. The score was now 44 for two.

This began a minor collapse that virtually ensured Matabeleland Tuskers of victory. Prince Masvaure scored two before he wafted a short ball from Brian Vitori to slip. Wadlan reached a fine fifty off 74 balls before Vusimuzi Sibanda departed for five, Thabo Mboyi claiming his wicket, caught by the keeper playing forward. MidWest Rhinos were now 81 for four.

After this, the incoming batsmen seemed to accept defeat in the spirit of “Eat, drink and be merry.” Malcolm Waller went for his shots, scoring 18 off 19 balls, before he got in a tangle against John Nyumbu and was trapped leg before wicket (lbw). At lunch the score was 113 for five.

Moor followed Waller’s policy, looking for the big hits, and he hit Nyumbu for three sixes. Wadlan was next to go, however, perhaps losing his concentration. On 76, he got away with a bad stroke on the offside, the catch just eluding the fielders, but then he went for a big hit against Nyumbu, sliced it and was well caught by mid-off running back. He made 77 off 121 balls, with eight fours.

Tendai Chisoro quickly followed, lbw for one to a yorker from Vitori, who was bowling with some ferocity now that victory was imminent. When Nyumbu took his revenge on Moor, who skied a catch into the covers for 29 off 29 balls, the score was 152 for eight, and there was only the tail to come. Neville Madziva and Carl Mumba were not about to give it away easily, and though their cause was a hopeless one, they defended stoutly and made the bowlers work for their wickets — as the middle order should have done. Mumba made seven off 29 balls before Keith Dabengwa had him caught sweeping, and then the last pair held them up while Madziva (21) and Michael Chinouya (8 not out) added 27 for the last wicket.

Finally, Madziva chopped a yorker from Jongwe on to his wicket and Matabeleland Tuskers were victors by 141 runs. Nyumbu, with four wickets for 72 runs, was the most successful bowler. — ZC.

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