Mega Market Mountaineers – 631-7 declared in 108 overs (Brian Bennett 264*, Tony Munyonga 237, Donald Tiripano 47; Hamza Sajjad 3/84, Alex Russell 2/208, Romario Roach 1/87)
Eagles – 263-6 in 58 overs (Matthew Welch 116, Tadiwanashe Marumani 91, Romario Roach 19*; Salman Mirza 2/42, Tony Munyonga 1/9, Victor Nyauchi 1/25)
A magnificent unbeaten innings of 264 by Brian Bennett was the highlight of the second day’s play in Mega Market Mountaineers’ Logan Cup match against Eagles at Old Hararians Sports Club on Friday.
With two double-centuries in their innings, a unique event in Zimbabwean cricket, Mountaineers established a huge total of 631 for seven wickets when they declared and set Eagles a mammoth task.
Overnight their score was 462 for five wickets after Tony Munyonga’s score of 237 – Bennett had 171 and Donald Tiripano one.
Another big stand developed as Tiripano scored a brisk 47 before he was out at 563 for six, after a partnership of 108 with Bennett, who was now past his 200.
Wellington Masakadza came in to play a supporting role in a stand of 68 before he was out on the stroke of lunch, with the score on 631 for seven wickets.
Bennett by now had reached 264, just one run short of Cephas Zhuwao’s 265 for Eagles against Rhinos at Harare Sports Club in 2017/18.
His innings lasted seven hours and 10 minutes, during which he faced 259 deliveries and hit three sixes and 33 fours.
Masakadza as captain declared the innings closed at the interval, as the most important factor was the gaining of a victory in this match.
The whole innings lasted only 108 overs, so the runs came at the rate of almost one a ball.
Of all the suffering bowlers Hamza Sajjad came out best, having taken three wickets for 84 runs in 21 overs.
Eagles made a terrible start, losing Tinashe Kamunhukamwe for one and Kudzai Maunze without scoring and with only three runs on the board.
Nick Welch and Chamu Chibhabha did a little better with 10 each, but four wickets were down for 52 runs.
Fortunately for Eagles, Matthew Welch was still there, holding the fort gallantly, and at last he found a worthy partner in Tadiwanashe Marumani.
While Welch played steadily, Marumani decided to counter-attack, and he did it so well that he ran up 91 runs off only 88 balls, with a six and 15 fours.
Their partnership added 157 runs, Marumani being caught off the bowling of Bennett at 209 for five.
Welch just failed to survive until the close, though, giving a return catch to Munyonga to depart for 116 – he faced 162 balls and hit 17 fours.
Romario Roach was 19 not out and the score 263 for six at stumps – they need to score 482 to avoid the likelihood of being forced to follow on, and all their main batters have gone.
Tuskers – 591 all out in 141.2 overs (Brian Chari 213, Nkosana Mpofu 162, Ernest Masuku 67; Tafara Chingwara 3/76, Prince Masvaure 3/138, Victor Chirwa 2/150)
Rhinos – 120-8 in 28 overs (Carl Mumba 29*, Ben Curran 27, Bright Matsiwe 19; Ernest Masuku 5/40, Mgcini Dube 2/42, Ainsley Ndlovu 1/20)
Day 2 – Stumps: Rhinos trail by 471 runs
Brian Chari hit his first double-century, 213, at Harare Sports Club on Friday for Tuskers, giving them a huge advantage over Rhinos, who then collapsed to the bowling of Ernest Masuku in their reply.
Tuskers started the day on 330 for two wickets, with Chari on 148 and in partnership with the opening batter Nkosana Mpofu, who had 151.
The pair had added 306 for the third wicket.
Mpofu was soon out for his highest score of 162, but Chari set himself to continue batting, with Ali Hamid proving to be his best partner with 43 in a fifth-wicket stand worth 70.
Chari set out his stall for a big score and passed 200 with steady play.
He was eventually eighth out at 495, having made 213 off 321 balls in the remarkable time of just over eight and half hours – he hit four sixes and 21 fours.
Tuskers were not finished yet, though, as Ainsley Ndlovu (30) and Masuku (67) flogged the tired bowling to add 65 for the ninth wicket, and Masuku carried on to take the score to 591.
Tafara Chingwara was the best of the bowlers, taking three top wickets for 76 runs, while Prince Masvaure had three for 138.
Rhinos did not begin their reply too badly, as Ben Curran (27) and Bright Matsiwe (19) made 33 for the first wicket, but that was as good as it got.
Masuku dismissed Curran at 55 for three, and then shattered the feeble middle order, the sixth wicket falling at 59.
Antum Naqvi was still there, but he was unable to reproduce his record-breaking form, and he was the eighth batter to go at 83, bowled by Mgcini Dube for 14.
Carl Mumba showed some fight and some big hits to finish not out with 29 at the close, his partner being Muhammad Adil on eight.
Masuku’s fine bowling has brought him five wickets for 40 runs so far.
With 442 required to avoid a likely follow-on, Rhinos are desperately in need of some remarkable heroics on day three.
