Prosper Utseya swings the match at Alexandra for Mashonaland 'A'

On a chilly Day Three Mashonaland A edged closer to clinching the game with a late wicket-haul by their spinners on a slow Alex wicket. At stumps Manicaland were 205 /9, a second innings lead of 153 with a wicket in hand going into the final day.

With everything pointing to a draw at the start of the day, it needed the exploits of teenager Prosper Utseya to swing the game Mashonaland A's way. Playing only his second Logan Cup match, Utseya scored his maiden 50 with the bat and then took the crucial wickets of Guy Whittall and Richie Sims to cripple the Manicaland second innings.

With the experienced Whittall and Sims starting to build a solid partnership, Mashonaland A captain Henry Olonga decided to introduce Utseya, who bowls off-spin, in the 33rd over.

The move paid off immediately as Utseya dismissed Whittall, deceived by a slow ball, off the fifth ball of his very first over. Whittall was out for 36 off just 53 balls. Utseya returned to haunt Manicaland again 10 overs later when he grabbed the vital wicket of all-rounder Richie Sims, caught and bowled for 36. The departure of the two key batsmen sparked a Manicaland collapse, which saw them lose five wickets for just 66 runs having been 130/4 at one stage. Utseya closed the day with three wickets off nine overs while fellow spinners Andre Neethling and Gavin Rennie claimed three and two wickets each.

At stumps Justin Lewis had defied the Mashonaland A attack with an unbeaten 50 while Ian Coulson was yet to score but the partnership doesn't look set to last in the first session of the final day.

Earlier in the day Mashonaland A, resuming on an overnight score of 227/8, added 70 more runs to the total. Utseya and Olonga put on 95 runs for the ninth wicket. Utseya was dismissed for 58 while Olonga finished unbeaten on 37. Mashonaland A lost all their wickets to spin as Richie Sims finished with six wickets while off-spinner Keegan Taylor, playing his second first-class match, took three.