Ryan Burl hit 92 as defending Logan Cup champions Mountaineers were made to work hard by the Mashonaland Eagles batting line-up on day one in Mutare.
Opener Keith Kondo got the Eagles off to a solid start after they had won the toss and elected to bat by making 49. Burl then took over and added 110 with Tinotenda Mutombodzi for the third-wicket. Unfortunately, he fell shortly after tea only eight runs short of his maiden century as Victor Nyauchi enjoyed his only success of the day.
Mutombodzi was next to go got 80, but skipper Greg Lamb (39), wicket-keeper Joylord Gumbie (33 not out) and the aggressive Cephas Zhuwao (45 off 35 balls) all chipped in as Eagles reached stumps on a healthy 370 for six. Tatenda Mupunga and Cuthbert Musoko were the picks of the home side’s bowlers, each taking a brace of wickets.
Early season table-toppers Mid West Rhinos had a knock off 77 from opener Prince Masvaure, playing in his 50th first-class match, to thank for their close of play score of 214 for eight in Kwekwe. Tawanda Mupariwa, Stephen Chimhamhiwa and Luke Jongwe, though, ensured that it would be Matabeleland Tuskers who would take the day one honours.
Mupariwa dismissed overseas player Brad Wadlan and captain Stephen Trenchard in his opening spell and would later remove Remembrance Nyathi to finish with economical, and impressive, figures of three for 34 from 21 overs. Jongwe accounted for Tarisai Musakanda and Bothwell Chapungu, while Chimhamhiwa dismissed 26 year-old Masvaure and Nyasha Mayavo in the same over to leave the hosts reeling at 140 for six at one point.
However, an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 48 between Mark Mbofana (27 not out) and Carl Mumba (30 not out) then lifted the Rhinos spirits late on.
Daniel Grummitt
He worked for CricketWorld.com for almost three years, leading their county and domestic cricket coverage and contributing to a book about the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, before joining the hugely ambitious World Cricket Badger early in 2014.
The first Test that he remembers watching was on Channel 4 - back before the ECB marginalised potential future fans by selling the TV rights to Sky Sports - when England beat Pakistan by an innings and nine runs at Lord’s.
Besides a passion for domestic cricket, he also has an unexplainable interest in all things Zimbabwe cricket!
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