Mountaineers, Rhinos secure wins

Mountaineers brushed aside a disappointing first-innings total of 193 to fight back and beat Mashonaland Eagles by 76 runs in Harare. Their victory reduced Matabeleland Tuskers' lead at the top of the table to one point. After scoring 193 in the first innings - with an 87 from Kudzai Sauramba - Mountaineers' bowlers gave their side a slight advantage by bowling Eagles out for 191. Innocent Kaia's maiden first-class hundred - 106 off 181 deliveries - guided Mountaineers' second-innings to 319 for 8 declared. Set a target off 322, Eagles could only muster 245 with wickets falling to Natsai M'shangwe, Shingi Masakadza, Tapiwa Mufudza and Victor Nyauchi.

Mid West Rhinos forged their second win of the tournament, beating Matabeleland Tuskers by six wickets. Rhinos were on track for an innings win after they had reduced Tuskers to 103 for 6 following on but a century from Luke Jongwe and fifties from lower-order batsmen Shoun Handirisi and John Nyumbu eventually helped Tuskers wipe out a 196-run deficit and set Rhinos a target of 151 to win. The base for Rhinos' domination was set up after centuries from Vusi Sibanda (115) and Malcolm Waller (141) had helped them post a first-innings total of 415. The pair added 225 runs for the fourth wicket to lift the team from a wobbly 62 for 3. Contributions from Tendai Chisoro and Michael Chinouya lower down the order then pushed the score past 400. Jongwe was the best bowler for Tuskers with 5 for 71. Tuskers could only manage 219 in their first-innings despite most batsmen getting starts and Rhinos enforced the follow-on after taking the lead. Chinouya and Bradley Wadlan were the leading wicket-takers for Rhinos with three wickets apiece in the first innings.