Champions Mashonaland, struggling shortly after lunch on the first day of
their match against Midlands at Kwekwe Sports Club, recovered to total 326.
A career-best innings by Brian Murphy, assisted by Elton Chigumbura, led the
fightback, despite six wickets from Sean Ervine. At the close Midlands were
struggling at 38 for two.
Midlands made one change from the team that beat Manicaland, bringing in the
unpredictable David Mutendera in place of Anthony Ireland, who was not given
a bat or bowl in Mutare. Mashonaland were without Dion Ebrahim and Grant
Flower, both resting minor injuries before their tour of England; however,
Brian Murphy was back after injury and the promising 17-year-old batsman
Brendan Taylor came into the side.
Midlands lost their sixth consecutive toss in Logan Cup cricket, and
Mashonaland decided to bat on a very flat-looking pitch. Taylor was making
his debut for the full Mashonaland side, although he did play for
Mashonaland A at the age of barely 16 last season, and earlier this season
scored a double-century opening for Mashonaland B. He again showed his rare
confidence, taking runs quite fluently off the Test bowlers Travis Friend
and Ervine, although getting away with a couple of dodgy hooks.
He soon lost his opening partner Trevor Gripper (3), who drove at an
overpitched ball from Ervine, who plucked a sharp chance off his bootlaces.
Gripper, appalled by his own aberration, could hardly tear himself away from
a pitch that promised hundreds of runs. His replacement Stuart Carlisle
also could have fallen cheaply; trying to shoulder arms, he touched a ball
to the keeper, who fumbled the catch and allowed the batsmen to take two
runs.
There was a bit of early movement, but once again the Midlands pacemen were
not accurate enough to put consistent pressure on the batsmen, with Friend
unable to break his habit of pitching too short. Taylor after his bright
start became bogged down and was eventually caught down the leg side off
Ervine for 22. Mashonaland were 50 for two.
Captain Tatenda Taibu came in next, at number four due to the shortage of
available batsmen. He was content to play quietly as Stuart Carlisle took
charge of the bowling, selecting his shots well, with one or two impressive
straight hits, and including two of his huge trademark sixes over midwicket.
He fell for 60, though, caught at bat-pad off Raymond Price; 116 for three.
Taibu never really took charge of the bowling, though he did keep the score
moving before being out for 38, playing the ball on to his stumps as he
tried to sweep Price. Craig Evans had only 7 to his credit when given out
lbw padding up to a ball from Ervine that moved back off the pitch, the
umpire taking an age to give him out. Mashonaland were looking none too
happy at 155 for five.
Then came the fine fighting partnership between Chigumbura and Murphy that
took the initiative. Chigumbura began slowly, but played with fine shot
selection, choosing the right ball to hit, and drove Price for a superb six
over long-off to bring up his fifty. Murphy looked more aggressive from the
start, but wasn't always able to find the gaps - unless he hit the ball to
David Mutendera, who had a nightmare in the field. Captain Dirk Viljoen
didn't seem to fancy him as a bowler either, understandably given his
disastrous season with the ball, but he did not get a chance to show if he
was coming right in that department. Again left-arm spinner Ian Coulson was
totally ignored with the ball, suggesting vast differences in opinion and
policy between the Midlands selectors and their captain.
Chigumbura (67) was eventually out rather controversially after a
partnership of 108. There was an appeal for a catch at bat-pad on the off
side off Viljoen's bowling, but umpire Justice Tapfumaneyi, although certain
the bat had made contact on the ball, was uncertain as to whether it had
carried. Before he had chance to call in the square leg umpire, who was
initially unable to hear what the question was, the fielders made a rather
unsightly protest, and eventually the umpires confirmed the dismissal.
Prosper Utseya (7) lasted until tea but was out to the first ball after the
interval, Terry Duffin's third catch of the innings at bat-pad and his best,
as he dived far to his right to hold it. Douglas Hondo (also 7) held an end
up until he chased a ball from Ervine, with the second new ball, that was
well down the leg side, to be caught by the keeper.
Murphy, looking towards his maiden first-class century, seemed to lose
confidence and slowed down while partnered by Amos Maungwa. He was dropped
by Viljoen off a skyer when 76, but only added one run before driving a
catch to the same fielder. Finally Waddington Mwayenga, after hitting
Ervine for six, skyed a catch to extra cover, scoring 12, with Amos Maungwa
not out 9.
The total was 326, and Ervine had six wickets for 82 to reward him for his
marathon bowling spells that kept him going for 28.3 overs. He kept the
ball up to the bat and sometimes moved it in the air and off the pitch;
occasionally he lacked accuracy but never persistence.
Vusi Sibanda again failed to reproduce in the book the talent that won him a
trip to England. With only 4 to his credit, he drove unwisely at Waddington
Mwayenga and was easily caught at mid-off off a leading edge. Hondo struck
another blow before the close, bowling Duffin for 18 with a full-length
delivery, and there was almost a third wicket as Douglas Marillier was
dropped at slip off Gripper. Marillier (13) survived until the close, in
company with Craig Wishart (1).