All-round Wadlan stars in Rhinos win

Bradley Wadlan's 7 for 39 dismantled Mashonaland Eagles' chase of 133 and gave Mid West Rhinos a 17-run win in the first round of the Logan Cup. Wadlan struck three times in the second over to leave Eagles struggling at 10 for 3. The side never recovered from that start and folded for 115, narrowly falling short of the 133-run target. That, despite having taken a first-innings lead of 81.

Wadlan's left-arm spin helped him to a ten-wicket haul - he had 3 for 49 in the first innings - and made up for the Rhinos' middling performances with the bat. Opting to bat, they were 123 for 7 but battling half-centuries from Bothwell Chapungu (78) and Mark Mbofana (60) pushed them to 228. The Eagles' opening pair of Simbarashe Gupo and Chamu Chibhabha gave the side a strong start but quick wickets between the 80th and 90th overs ate away some of that advantage as they made their way to 309. Rhinos struggled once again, mustering only 213 in their second innings with the best effort coming from Wadlan who made a fifty opening the innings.

A second-innings century from Charles Kunje helped Mountaineers to escape with a draw against Matabeleland Tuskers in Bulawayo. Tuskers had taken a 193-run lead thanks to hundreds from Keith Dabengwa and Zimbabwe international Sean Williams but several interruptions due to bad weather denied them the chance of victory.

Having chosen to bat, defending champions Mountaineers got off to a poor start, dismissed for 158 on the first day, Tawanda Mupariwa and Brian Vitori sharing five wickets. Tuskers passed that score with just two wickets down, as Dabengwa and Williams put on a 166-run stand, and although the middle and lower order failed to contribute much, they secured a big advantage. However, Kunje scored 115, opener Kevin Kasuza 57 and Roy Kaia 68 as Mountaineers battled through 67 overs on the final day to finish on 348 for 9.