CFX Academy on top after day 2 in Mutare

CFX Academy go into the third day of this Logan Cup game at Mutare Sports Club with a lead of 305 runs, three batsmen still in hand, and are clear favourites to prevail with time to spare. In a day which saw the Mutare track flatten and batsmen prosper, the youngsters have created a near impregnable position from which Manicaland will do well to draw.

Resuming his overnight score of 69, Manicaland captain Neil Ferreira pushed on to 106 (14 fours) in the best knock of the match so far. Granted another life by the Academy wicketkeeper off unlucky speedster Nicholle in the 80s, Ferreira accumulated runs calmly, showing his teammates what a four-day temperament can achieve. He left well, defended well and was happy to attack when opportunities arose.

For the Academy, blond rugby-forward-proportioned Peter Rinke improved his control greatly from the previous day to capture four for 39 with his inswinging off-cutters. Bowling a similar line but with more zip the unlucky Nicholle - recently returned from Zimbabwe Under-19 tour of New Zealand - looked the best and most likely to progress to the next level. Chouhan picked up one for 24 with his leg-spinners and, whilst he varied his pace and was prepared to toss it up, the Manicaland batsmen were guilty of letting him settle. The Academy will encounter better batting line-ups than Manicaland and their failure to put them away will worry chief coach and team manager Dave Houghton.

The second century of the day went to left-arm spinner Ian `Coolbox' Coulson, who suffered violent treatment at the hands of Glen Barrett for a second day running. Smacking consecutive missiles over the clubhouse and scorebox and another right through the top right corner of the sight-screen, Barrett continued his dominance of Manicaland's bowlers and ominously remained unbeaten on 74 (6 sixes, 4 fours in 52 balls) at stumps. An entertaining batsman who is much more than a slogger, it is however unlikely that his flamboyant technique would survive the more detailed examination of a Wasim Akram or Saqlain Mushtaq. The unlucky Coulson was left to contemplate a catch offered by Barratt in the 50s that resulted in a high-speed head-collision between Tino Mawoyo and Nyeem Sheth.

As the two (and the cricket ball) lay motionless at backward square leg, visiting Hippo Valley MD (and square-leg umpire) Mark Deary was able to verify that everyone would live and the game resumed after a 10-minute time-out. Also amongst the runs was Chouhan with 72 (12 fours) who drove and pulled well but, as with his bowling, Manicaland allowed him too much free time to acclimatize.

Manicaland face huge problems of survival on the third day, having under-performed for most of the match to date.