Eagles – 183 and 225 all out in 70.1 overs (Wessly Madhevere 113, Tony Munyonga 39, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 26; Antum Naqvi 5/52, Tafara Chingwara 2/28, Ryan Burl 2/77)
Rhinos – 498-8 declared in 132.2 overs (Ahsan Ali Aqil 111, Awad Naqvi 95, Ben Curran 90; Alex Russell 3/125, Alex Falao 2/71, Tony Munyonga 1/11)
Rhinos won by an innings and 90 runs
Such a finish was not unlikely when Rhinos began the day with a score of 497 for seven wickets, of which Nyasha Mayavo had 77 not out.
Rhinos no doubt wished to see Mayavo to a century, but when he was ninth out without adding to his overnight score they declared with a lead of 315.
This is the score Eagles needed to avoid an innings defeat, but they never looked likely to achieve it.
Their first two wickets fell to Tafara Chingwara for 15 runs on the board.
Madhevere was in fine form and briefly his partnerships of 34 for the first wicket with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (26) and 52 for the fourth with Tony Munyonga (39) showed resistance but expired too soon.
Munyonga went at 101 for four, and after that it was virtually a tale of Madhevere’s lone stand.
Ryan Burl took two quick wickets and then Antum Naqvi took the last five in a row as Eagles slid to 225 all out.
Madhevere was last man out, caught off Naqvi for a brilliant 113, scored off 192 balls and containing 12 fours, having scored just over half his team’s total.
Naqvi finished with five wickets for 52 as Rhinos celebrated a well-deserved innings victory.
Mountaineers – 402 and 113-3 in 19 overs (Mathew Welch 38*, Nick Welch 22, PJ Moor 20; William Mashinge 1/19, Cuthbert Musoko 1/24, Takudzwa Chataira 1/37)
Southern Rocks – 296 all out in 90.3 overs (Richmond Mutumbami 84, Tafadzwa Tsiga 83, William Mashinge 31; Victor Nyauchi 5/62, Tendai Chatara 2/49, Vincent Masekesa 2/84)
Day 3 – Stumps: Mountaineers lead by 219 runs
A fine innings of 84 from Richmond Mutumbami helped Southern Rocks to save the follow-on Wednesday at Mutare Sports Club against Mountaineers, who nevertheless finished the day in the ascendancy.
Facing a Mountaineers score of 402, Rocks were 156 for four overnight, and quickly lost a fifth wicket as Alvin Chiradza went for eight.
William Mashinge scored a dogged 31 in a partnership worth 102, dominated by Mutumbami, for the sixth wicket, but after that Victor Nyauchi broke through with the second new ball, taking four wickets in five overs.
He could not remove Mutumbami, though, who was caught off Tendai Chatara, ninth out, for 84 off 167 balls with a six and 13 fours.
Rocks were dismissed for 296, which gave Mountaineers a lead of 106 on the first innings.
Nyauchi had five wickets for 62 runs.
With time important, the home side took on the bowlers from the start when they batted again, losing three wickets for 70 within the 12 overs.
Mathew Welch with 38 and Alistair Frost with 19, both not out, stabilised the innings before the close, when Mountaineers led by 219 runs and can be hopeful of pushing for victory on the fourth and final day.
