[Match Thread] Rhinos v Mountaineers (Logan Cup)

[maehara]

Midwest Rhinos v Moutaineers
Kwekwe Sports Club, 28-31 October 2010



Rhinos Squad: Vusi Sibanda, Gary Ballance, Bothwell Chapungu, Innocent Chikunya, Graeme Cremer, Paul Franks, Friday Kasteni, Solomon Mire, Taurai Muzarabani, Ian Nicolson, Remembrance Nyathi, Ed Rainsford, Brendan Taylor, Malcolm Waller, Riki Wessels

Mountaineers Squad: Hamilton Masakadza, Tendai Chatara, Steve Chihamhiwa, Gary Chirimuta, Gareth Cross, Benjamin Katsande, Timycen Maruma, Johnson Marumisa, Shingi Masakadza, Tino Mawoyo, Jethro Mawudzi, Bernard Mlambo, Tapiwa Mufudza, Silent Mujaji, Natsai Mushangwe, Steady Musoso, Cunningham Ncube, Tony Palladino, Tinashe Panyangara, Kudzai Sauramba, Greg Smith, Donald Tiripano, Propser Usteya, Mark Vermuelen, Lance Klusener, Jonathan Beukes

[andybligz]

far our rhinos have a bloody good squad to pick from

[Conant]

These two squads will ne the strongest this season. Eagles this year are weak, Rocks dont have bowlers and Tuskers as usual will be found to be out of their depth.

Even though they don't have much now in the batting stocks (well Tino Mawoyo has come good!), the Mountaneeers pace line-up is fearsome: Panyangara, Chitara, Shingi Masakadza... Watch out Rhinos

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Go Mountees

[CrimsonAvenger]

Sibanda has lost it completely . He could not have hit this atrociously rough patch at a worse time. He is disappearing into obscurity as we prepare for our test return.

[sloandog]

What's the deal with GARY BALLANCE ?? Is he staying or going....He's clearly got talent with the bat.

[maehara]

Wicket: Ballance (c Beukes b Utseya 104). Rhinos 234/2 after 64.2 overs.
Wicket: Sibanda (c Smith b Utseya 0). Rhinos234/3 after 64.4 overs.

[bayhaus]

Sibanda has lost it completely .

Brian Lara hexed Vusi! He must take his words back!!!!

[maehara]

Day One Close: Rhinos 320/3 (90 overs; Taylor 110, Utseya 2/69), Mountaineers yet to bat.

[zimfan1]

Rhinos batter Mountaineers

Sports Reporter/Zimcricket

OPENERS Brendan Taylor and Gary Ballance scored centuries to give hosts Mid West Rhinos a good start against Mountaineers on the first day of their Logan Cup match at Kwekwe Sports Club yesterday.

The day belonged to the batsmen as Mid-West Rhinos took advantage of a flat pitch and amassed 320 runs for the loss of three wickets.

The main feature of the day was the double-century opening partnership between Taylor (110) and Balance (104), who gave their team the dominant position right from the start.

But the Mountaineers bowlers, to their credit, never gave in, and their resistance meant that the scoring rate was kept within reasonable limits.

Both teams were playing virtually their full teams, although Mountaineers were without Shingi Masakadza, who is suffering from a back strain.

Mountaineers did what appears to be the usual procedure in Zimbabwe this season, putting the opposition in to bat on a flat pitch on winning the toss on a hot day.

So far this policy has rarely had much success, but it did not succeed yesterday.

The first over was the most memorable of the morning. Taylor drove the first ball of the match, a half-volley from Tendai Chatara, for four.

He slashed recklessly at the third, and the wicket-keeper diving to his right was unable to hold the chance in front of first slip. It was to be an expensive miss.

Mountaineers bowled terribly for three overs, after which the total was 25 runs.

Then they tightened up, and did it so well that it took the batsmen another 12 overs to double to score and reach 50.

Ballance had most of the bowling, and reached his fifty off 102 balls just before lunch. Taylor, who attained that landmark just after the interval, took only 79balls.

The stand continued to prosper into the afternoon session, although Taylorwas dropped again, on the midwicket boundary at 65.

Just before tea Ballance went to 96 with a huge straight six off Timycen Maruma — the most spectacular stroke of the day — but Taylor beat him to the century, which came off 137 balls.

But Taylor departed after he had made 110 off 142 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes.

The opening pair had put on 217 runs.

Vusi Sibanda was the third wicket to fall shortly after Ballance’s departure when he was caught for a golden duck at short leg the second ball. Prosper Utseya took both wickets in succession.

But Friday Kasteni (41) and Malcolm Waller (40) settled in for another crucial partnership of 86 runs. They saw their team through to the close, and Mid-West Rhinos will probably want to bat for much of the second day. — Sports Reporter/Zimcricket.