Mashonaland take control

Mashonaland 331 and 142 for 3 lead Matabeleland 220 (Nkala 64, Duffin 57, Chigumbura 4-38) by 253 runs
Scorecard

Half centuries from Mluleki Nkala, Matabeleand's captain, and opener Terrence Duffin were in vain as Mashonaland remained in control on the second day of the Logan Cup match at Bulawayo Athletic Club. At the close, Mashonaland were 142 for 3 in their second innings, a lead of 253, after bowling Matabeleand out for 220.

Matabeleand resumed on 16 for 2, and Duffin and Tawanda Mupariwa took the score to 60 before Mupariwa was caught behind by Tatenda Taibu off Chamunorwa Chibhabha for 26. Mark Vermeulen followed almost immediately for 6, cutting Chibhabha to extra cover where Tafadzwa Mufambisi dived to his right to take a brilliant low catch (68 for 4).

Duffin was joined by hard-hitting Gregory Strydom who cracked two sixes and three fours on his way to a brisk 31 before he fell to Waddington Mwayenga, caught at mid-off by Kudakwashe Samunderu (103 for 5).

Nkala and Duffin stabilized the innings, with Duffin reaching his half century off 128 balls in 188 minutes. Nkala's fifty came off 62 balls and included ten fours. But when Duffin and Nkala were dismissed, the rest of the innings folded meekly.

Chigumbura was the pick of Mashonaland's bowlers with 4 for 38 from 9.3 overs. Chibhabha was close behind with three wickets while Mwayenga claimed two. Douglas Hondo finished with remarkable figures of 1 for 8 from 15 overs - including seven maidens.

With a lead of 108, Mashonaland's opening pair of Brendan Taylor and Bernard Mlambo started confidently before Taylor fell leg-before to Nkala for 24. gavin Ewing claimed his second wicket of the match when he dismissed Barney Rogers for 35, driving hard and low and Ewing took a difficult low return-catch (127 for 2). Mlambo fell the same way to left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa for 48 (133 for 3).

Shortly after the umpires offered the batsmen the light, heavy rain pounded Bulawayo and continued into the evening.