Match Thread Mountaineers v Rocks (Logan Cup)

[tawac]

Day Three lunch:
Southern Rocks 51/7, leading by 14 runs.

Unbelievable. Either someone in batting really bad Or someone is bowling really good I hope the latter is true.

[Train Driver]

The cricinfo scorecard is still a bit dodgy but a fantastic fightback by the Rocks

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimdomestic-09/ ... 14294.html

Great knocks by Maregwede, Kamungozi and Matanga in the face of two excellent spells from Maruma

[Detective RDS]

Good batting display by Alester Maragweede...

Timycen Maruma picked up 10 wickets in a match, very well done ! His form has been tremondous in the domestic arena. He may consider himself very unfortunate that Zimbabwe has already three spinners in the national side. I guess, all of them will be under pressaure to perform and that's good for the game...

[tawac]

Timycen Maruma picked up 10 wickets in a match, very well done ! His form has been tremondous in the domestic arena. He may consider himself very unfortunate that Zimbabwe has already three spinners in the national side. I guess, all of them will be under pressaure to perform and that's good for the game...

Timycen Maruma has been a consistant performer in these opening rounds. I especailly enjoyed his batting display of late, its great to see that his getting the wickets as well. He is a great asset to the A' side. If he maintenance his form then he will most definately deserve a nation team shot. Im guessing the three spinners who are "allready" in the national side you are refering to here are Price, Cremer and Utseya who have also been putting in good performances in their respective sides. Remember what Campbell said, "We are starting on a new slit." So who knows! Anything can happen. Its great to see this competition for national team places it will only work for the betterment of Zimbabwe cricket.

[Detective RDS]

I think, this will again put a question mark over Utseya's role in the team and the captaincy issue. Raymond Price is a legend and has been in an excellent form in the ODI's since his return and also doing well for Eagles. Cremer's allround performance for Rhinos has been a key point of their success. Meanwhile he hasn't got sufficient chances in the ODI's as Utseya was there as the 2nd spinner. So, if Maruma pushes hard for the national side then Utseya's spot may be at risk. His recent performance in the ODI's has been poor though domestic performance is okay but Maruma is providing a lot of fight.

[maehara]

No Steve Tikolo in the Rocks side

I'm told Kenyan media are reporting (not online, sadly) that he's due to join the Rocks on 1st October.

[maehara]

Mountaineers win by 8 wickets. ZC match report:

Mountaineers win against Rocks

Review of Round 2 of the 2009/2010 Logan Cup - Mountaineers vs. Southern
Rocks


The second round of the 2009/2010 Logan Cup started off Tuesday this week on
a temperate note, with a balanced mixture of outstanding performances and
disappointments, all the elements that give the traditional four day game
its distinctive edge.

Mountaineers' captain Hamilton Masakadza won the toss on the very flat
Mutare Sports Club wicket and elected to field.

The visiting Southern Rocks had a bold start of their first innings thanks
to a second wicket partnership of 105 runs between captain Chamunorwa
Chibhabha and Erick Chauluka. The Rocks innings took a slight depression as
batmen in the lower order lost easy wickets due to the spin bowling
combination of national team captain Prosper Utseya, and Tymcen Maruma who
collectively took 7 wickets between the two of them. After five hours and
sixteen minutes of play the Rocks were bowled out for a very disappointing
250 which could have been lower if not for the 28 extras Mountaineers
considered. Erick Chauluka fell short of his 50 and scored a handy 43 off
133 balls, Chamunorwa Chibhabha was bowled out for a hard hit 60 off just 82
balls and Robertson Chinyengetere scored 59 from 110 balls before being
trapped leg before wicket by sneaky bowling Tymcen Maruma. Maruma had a
grand day getting five wickets for 37 runs complimented by national team
captain Prosper Utseya and Jabulo Ncube got two wickets a piece.
Mountaineers then negotiated the remaining thirteen overs as they closed on
35 without loss.

Overnight drizzle delayed proceedings by an hour and when play got underway
at 11am it was the Rocks who drew first blood when Bernard Mlambo was
brilliantly caught at backward point by Hilary Matanga off the bowling of
Tendai Chisoro without adding to his overnight score of 13. Mountaineers
then found themselves in even deeper trouble after lunch as they slumped to
81 for four. A fifth wicket stand of 110 between Stuart Matsikanyeri and
Prosper Utseya seemingly put the home side back on track before Matsikanyeri
presented Matanga with the simplest of catches for a polished 73.

Wickets then started to fall at regular intervals and despite Utseya's
gritty 54; the home side could only manage a lead of 37 over the rocks as
they were bowled out for 287. It was team effort by the Rocks bowlers with
Tendai Chisoro being the pick of the bunch with figures of 2 for 33 off 11
overs. The Rocks' second innings could not have got to a worse start and at
lunch of day three they found themselves floundering at 51 for seven thanks
to their first innings tormentor Tymcen Maruma who produced a devastating
spell of five wickets for 37 runs off ten overs. A day three finish seemed
almost certain as the Rocks then found themselves in further trouble at 109
for nine. Alistair Maregwede then found an unlikely partner in Matanga who
frustrated the Mountaineers as the two of them added 110 for the tenth
wicket before Matanga was finally out for a heroic 33 which then left
Maregwede unbeaten on a hard fought 82 off 190 deliveries.

Tymcen Maruma followed up his first innings success by taking five for 62
off 18 overs giving him match figures of 10 for 99 which meant that the
Mountaineers were set 175 to win. Openers Tinotenda Mawoyo and Tatenda Taibu
laid the platform with an opening stand of 107 before Taibu was well caught
by wicket-keeper Maregwede off the bowling of Matanga for 49. Even though
Matanga trapped then promoted Natsai Mushangwe for eight, Tinotenda Mawoyo
was in an uncompromising mood as the previously out of form opener guided
the Mountaineers to a comfortable eight wicket win.

[maehara]

Scorecard's finally up:
http://www.cricinfo.com/zimdomestic-09/ ... 14294.html

[Train Driver]

I guess that Mountaineers may be kicking themselves for failing to score a little more freely in their 1st innings, they may well have been able to pick up an extra batting point.

The Rocks side looks very weak indeed, Steve Tikolo is going to have his work cut out to produce a team that can compete with the other four, other than Chamu Chibhabha they don't look as though they will have any of their players called up for National duty, that may work in their favour as they can at least rely on a settled side. I wonder if Tilolo will have any money to work with to allow any more signings after himself and Odoyo.

Really good performance from Timycen Maruma, i wonder if he'll get another chance in the National side ?