Southern Rocks – 276 and 173 all out in 53.2 overs (Ryan Higgins 59, Cephas Zhuwao 31, Matthew Campbell 29; Brandon Mavuta 4/59, Brad Evans 3/30, Antum Naqvi 3/55)
Rhinos – 247 and 205-2 in 53.2 overs (Ben Curran 98*, Prince Masvaure 50*, Takudzwanashe Kaitano 38; Dylan Hondo 1/31, William Mashinge 1/44)
Rhinos won by eight wickets
Ben Curran and Prince Masvaure shared a match-winning unbroken third-wicket partnership of 113 to take Rhinos to a straight-forward eight-wicket victory over Southern Rocks in their Logan Cup match at Kwekwe Sports Club on Monday.
They soon lost the wicket of the night-watchman Henry Brookes, who was lbw to William Mashinge for six with the score at 92.
After that Curran and Masvaure scored freely to take Rhinos home with little trouble.
Masvaure reached 50 not out, but Mashinge denied Curran on 98 the chance of scoring a century by bowling a five-wide past the wicketkeeper to the boundary to end the match.
Rhinos have completed their eight-match programme and sit at the top of the Logan Cup table with 130 points, a lead of 14 points over Mountaineers.
Mountaineers – 308 and 241 all out in 69.3 overs (Clive Chitumba 53, Vincent Masekesa 34, Definate Mawadzi 29; Ernest Masuku 4/77, Ali Hamid 2/11, Nkosana Mpofu 2/34)
Tuskers – 422 and 128-2 in 26.2 overs (Nkosana Mpofu 50, Tanunurwa Makoni 45*, Brian Chari 30*; Vincent Masekesa 2/40)
Tuskers won by eight wickets
The opening pair of Tanunurwa Makoni and Nkosana Mpofu was prominent as Tuskers completed a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Mountaineers at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday.
Tuskers did well to win, as overnight Mountaineers in their second innings were 67 for two wickets and were capable of batting out the day.
Mountaineers certainly batted consistently b nine of their batters reached double figures b but none stayed in for the long haul apart from Clive Chitumba, who scored a bright 53 off 60 balls.
The next-best score was 34 by Vincent Masekesa, and the best partnership that for the third wicket between Chitumba and Timycen Maruma, who added 61.
The Tuskers bowlers took wickets steadily, with Ernest Masuku the most successful with four for 77.
Tuskers were set 128 to win and knocked them off at a good rate, their openers scoring 89 of them in 21 overs before Mpofu was out lbw to Musekiwa for 50.
Tafara Mupariwa, after his century in the first innings, had the misfortune to be out lbw two balls later, but Brian Chari hit out boldly to score 30 not out off 18 balls when the match was won.
Makoni was still there on 45 at the end.
Mountaineers are second in the Logan Cup table and need to score 14 points in their final match to catch Rhinos.
2024/25 LOGAN CUP POINTS TABLE
| TEAM | M | W | L | D | NR | PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhinos | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 130 |
| Mountaineers | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 116 |
| Eagles | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 101 |
| Southern Rocks | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 83 |
| Tuskers | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 71 |
