Tuskers – 166 and 331-3 in 90 overs (Will Fraine 142*, Tanunurwa Makoni 140*, Brian Chari 27; Alex Falao 3/51)
Eagles – 512-8 declared in 107.3 overs (Wessly Madhevere 150, Tadiwanashe Marumani 124, Kudzai Maunze 55; Luke Jongwe 2/82, Ernest Masuku 2/110, Tanatswa Bechani 2/164)
Tanunurwa Makoni and Will Fraine staged a remarkable rescue act, forging an unbroken 230-run partnership to revive Tuskers’ hopes after they faced the threat of an innings defeat against Eagles on Thursday, the third day of their Logan Cup clash at Takashinga Cricket Club.
By stumps, Tuskers had narrowed the deficit to just 15 runs, with seven wickets still in hand – including those of their two defiant heroes.
Eagles declared at their overnight score of 512 for eight wickets, which gave them a first-innings lead of 346.
As in the first innings, Alex Falao gave the batters a hard time with the new ball, removing Nkosana Mpofu and Tafara Mupariwa for 35 runs on the board.
Makoni again withstood his attack, though, and was helped for a while by Brian Chari, who made a cautious 27, taking the score to 101 before he was the third man out.
Then came the great Tuskers fightback, as Makoni and the Englishman Fraine joined forces and took charge of the Eagles bowling.
In particular, they punished the leg-breaks of Alex Russell, whose bowling has so often troubled Eagles’ opponents in the past.
The partnership grew, and in taking the score to 208 for three wickets, the century stand having been achieved, Makoni reached his hundred off 189 balls.
Fraine soon followed suit with his century, which came off 143 balls.
The 200 partnership was passed, and Fraine slowly began to catch up with Makoni, who was by no means scoring slowly.
Both were still there by the close, with Fraine having just overtaken Makoni with 142 against his partner’s 140.
Mountaineers – 402-7 declared and 45-2 in 10 overs (Alistair Frost 28*, Nick Welch 11, Arineshto Vezha 4*; Brandon Mavuta 1/14, Brad Evans 1/14)
Rhinos – 321 all out in 86 overs (Ben Curran 116, Nyasha Mayavo 57, Antum Naqvi 57; Vincent Masekesa 6/137, Tendai Chatara 1/23, Arineshto Vezha 1/24)
Day 3 – Stumps: Mountaineers lead by 126 runs
A century by Ben Curran frustrated Mountaineers as they failed in their attempt to make Rhinos follow on, on the third day of their Logan Cup match at Mutare Sports Club on Thursday.
Mountaineers still gained a first-innings lead of 81 runs, and by the close of play had added another 45 runs to that in their second innings for the loss of two batters.
Like Eagles, Mountaineers declared at their overnight score, which was 402 for seven wickets, of which Alistair Frost had scored an unbeaten 209.
Rhinos, needing 253 to avoid the follow-on, did not start their reply well, with Tendai Chatara having Takudzwanashe Kaitano caught at the wicket for two in his second over.
Awad Naqvi soon went for 12 and Prince Masvaure for five, leaving Rhinos in some trouble at 38 for three wickets.
However, Curran was still there, and he found a good partner in Antum Naqvi, who batted more cautiously than usual in making 57, which took him 125 balls.
He was fourth out to Vincent Masekesa, at 192, a much improved position, while Curran by this time had reached his century.
Curran was eventually out for 116, also to Masekesa, who then proceeded to work his way through the later batters, although he found a tough opponent in Nyasha Mayavo, who played the most aggressive innings to date, scoring 57 off 56 balls.
Brad Evans later hit three sixes and a four in hammering 28 off 15 balls – and Masekesa dismissed them both in the end.
Rhinos avoided the follow-on with four wickets in hand, thanks especially to Mayavo, and were eventually dismissed for 321, a deficit of 81.
Masekesa seized six wickets, going for 143 runs off his 32 overs.
With little more than a day to go after the first-day washout, Mountaineers needed to score quickly in their second innings to put Rhinos in again.
This they tried to do, but lost the wickets of Joylord Gumbie for one and Nick Welch for 11 in scoring 46 for two off 10 overs by the close.
