Tuskers – 503-8 declared in 155.3 overs (Brian Chari 155, Awad Naqvi 89, Aliakbar Hamid 84; Alex Russell 3/139, Faraz Akram 2/40, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/141, )
Eagles – 82-0 in 21 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 61*, Larvet Masunda 18*)
Brian Chari hit the highest individual score of his first-class career, 155, as he led the way for a Tuskers total of over 500 on day two of their Logan Cup match against Eagles at Takashinga Cricket Club on Thursday.
The Tuskers top order had laid a firm foundation for a big innings by scoring 257 for two wickets on the opening day, with the overnight pair being Awad Naqvi on 46 and Milton Shumba on 20.
Shumba was soon out for 22, and Chari, having retired hurt on 88 on day one, was now fit to resume his innings.
Naqvi reached 89 before he was lbw to Tapiwa Mufudza, his dogged innings having taken him 265 balls to compile.
Chari was now past his century, and Aliakbar Hamid came in next to prove another good partner for him.
They took the score to 400 before Chari finally fell to a return catch by Mufudza for 155, an innings that lasted 280 balls and contained a six and 17 fours.
Hamid went on to make an aggressive 84 off 98 balls before he was eighth out with the total now 503.
At this point Chari declared the innings closed, having lasted 155.3 overs.
Alex Russell was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 139, while Mufudza toiled admirably for 54 overs to take two for 141.
The Eagles opening pair of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Larvet Masunda came out firing on all cylinders, putting on 82 in the 21 overs that were possible before stumps.
Kamunhukamwe raced to 50 off 64 balls and was on 61 not out at the close of play, while Masunda finished the day with 18 not out to his credit.
Mountaineers – 400 all out in 88.5 overs (Wellington Masakadza 88, Donald Tiripano 77, Shingi Masakadza 47; Dom Bess 5/99, William Mashinge 1/29, Roy Kaia 1/34)
Southern Rocks – 354-5 in 90 overs (Johnathan Campbell 88*, Roy Kaia 74, Innocent Kaia 66; Wellington Masakadza 2/98, Tendai Chatara 1/34, Donald Tiripano 1/41)
Day 2 – Stumps: Southern Rocks trail by 46 runs
There was more high scoring at Mutare Sports Club on Thursday, as a dashing innings from Roy Kaia led a strong reply by Southern Rocks to the Mountaineers’ first-innings score of exactly 400.
Rocks did so well that they finished the day on 354 for five wickets, well placed to take a lead on the first innings.
Kaia was in fine form as Rocks began their reply, opening the innings and scoring 74 off 88 balls, with two sixes and 11 fours before being out soon after lunch.
His cousin Innocent shared a second-wicket partnership of 68 with him, and went on to make 66, a more cautious innings that lasted 141 balls.
Richmond Mutumbami joined the party with 58 off 111 balls, with the score being 244 for four on his dismissal.
There followed the largest partnership of the innings so far, as the English Test all-rounder Dom Bess put on exactly 100 with Johnathan Campbell for the fifth wicket before being dismissed just before the close for 46.
Campbell became the fourth batter of the top five to pass 50, and he exceeded all his predecessors, finishing the day on his highest score of 88 not out.
The Mountaineers bowlers did not enjoy much success, with Wellington Masakadza finishing the day with two wickets, while Tendai Chatara, Donald Tiripano and Salman Mirza took one each.
