Manicaland post their second consecutive victory in Bulawayo

Manicaland posted their second consecutive victory when they handed Matabeleland their second defeat in a row after beating them by three wickets on the fourth day of their Logan Cup match at Queens Sports Club on Monday.

In a close finish, Manicaland lost seven wickets in their way to scoring 134 in 35 overs, with one over to spare. This was after Matabeleland in their follow-on had taken the lead after scoring 350 in 104.5 overs, with Barney Rogers recording his maiden first-class century.

Matabeleland resumed on 152 for three on the last day with Rogers and Hoffman the two men at the crease. Rogers raeched his 50 off 76 balls, smashing ten fours. Their partnership was not to last, for Hoffman departed for 21 when he was dismissed by Gary Brent in the fourth over of the day, caught behind by wicketkeeper Neil Ferreira.

Medium-pacer Blessing Mahwire took his first wicket when he dismissed Nkala for 19 with Ferreira taking another catch behind. Matabeleland had hopes of salvaging the game when Gavin Ewing, who put up a brilliant show with the bat in the first innings, joined Rogers. This was the partnership that could carry the day for Matabeleland. The two put up 33 for the sixth wicket before Ewing was trapped leg before wicket by spinner Richard Sims for 23.

The home side went for lunch on 268 for six off 71 overs with Rogers on 98 while Wisdom Siziba was on five runs. Rogers reached his century after four hours at the crease, facing 181 deliveries and smashing 19 fours. He failed to add a run to his ton when he was dismissed by Paul Strang, caught at silly point by Stuart Matsikenyeri.

Siziba and Piet Rinke shared an eighth-wicket stand of 59 before Siziba was clean bowled by young spinner Tinashe Ruswa for 34 runs. Rinke was to follow suit after offering a return catch to Strang off his own bowling to depart for 25.

Matabeleland were finally finished when Jordane Nicolle, who had put up some resistance down the order, was caught at silly mid-on by Matsikenyeri off a Strang delivery for 13 runs. Mpumelelo Mbangwa, who was batting with the aid of a runner owing to a hamstring injury, was left unbeaten with one run to his name.

Brent and Strang were the pick of the Manicaland bowlers with three wickets each. Brent gave away 60 runs in his 20-over spell and bowled four maidens, while Strang on the other hand conceded 37 runs from 16.5 overs with four maidens. Ruswa was close behind with two wickets while Mahwire and Sims took one wicket each.

Chasing 134 runs to win with 36 overs to make that score, Manicaland saw their record-breaking pair of Neil Ferreira and Sims failing to live up to expectations, putting on 22 runs before Ferreira was caught and bowled by Mluleki Nkala for nine runs.

Nkala rattled through the Manicaland top three when he dismissed Sims for 35 and Guy Whittall for 13. The situation got tense with Manicaland losing wickets cheaply and they were on the brink of giving it away. Matabeleland brought on Nkala for the 35th over, and in dramatic fashion, he clean bowled Mahwire with the first ball of the over for three runs.

Nkala however failed to remove Gary Brent and Strang, with Strang hitting the last four runs to seal the match. Matabeleland used only three bowlers, Nkala, Ewing and Gavin Rennie, and they all proved effective.

Nkala was the pick of the home bowlers with a haul of four wickets from 12 overs, giving away 53 runs and bowling one maiden. Rennie took two wickets from nine overs with one maiden and giving away 19 runs, while Ewing took one wicket.