Northerns boss Logan Cup 2nd round

Northerns boss Logan Cup 2nd round

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Posted to the web: 05/04/2009 13:07:16
Northerns – 300 & 267:

(E. Chigumbura 94, R. Price 77, T. Taibu 43; C.Mpofu 3/36 K. Dabengwa 3/78 T. Mupariwa 2/47)

Westerns – 158 & 140:

(K. Dabengwa 34, T. Mupariwa 33, M. Mabuza 28; R. Price 6/69, G. Cremer 4/36)

Northerns beat Westerns by 269 runs

THE second round of the 2008/2009 Logan Cup tournament ended in Harare on Friday with a win for the defending champions, Northerns, and a draw for Centrals and Easterns.

Northerns’ 269 runs victory over a disappointing Westerns side came at a canter with captain Elton Chigumbura asking just three bowlers to finish off the opponents on the fourth day at Alexandra Sports Club on Friday.

After a late afternoon massacre in which Raymond Price and Graeme Cremer removed six batsmen for just 39 runs before stumps on Thursday, Chigumbura felt no need to employ his other bowlers, content with adding just the in-form Admire Manyumwa to the twin spin menace for variation.

And they duly polished off the remaining four batsmen – Mbekezeli Mabuza (28), Keith Dabengwa (34), Romeo Kasawaya (14) and Tawanda Mupariwa (33) with Price (6/69) clearly the match winner licking up all resistance just before lunch to give the side extra time to rest ahead of the third round match against arch rivals Easterns, which begins on Monday.

Westerns’ second innings lasted 62 overs, during which they failed to overhaul the 567 runs garnered by Northerns in their two sessions. They fell 269 runs short, in a match in which Price was clearly the man of the series dominating with both ball and bat. Few would have thought Price would get 104 runs in two sessions.

But he did. His six wickets in the second innings and two in the first ensured he became the best bowler in the second round. Manyumwa took five in the first innings and grabbed the headlines then but he failed to take any in the second session toil.

The Keith Dabengwa-captained Westerns were terrible in their batting while their bowling operated in fits and starts. In the two sessions, none of their batsmen got a half century, with Mark Vermuelen’s 44 off 97 balls in the first innings their highest score.

The second innings was particularly disappointing as they could only get 140 runs with Dabengwa top-scoring on 34 off 69 balls, batting at number eight. Number 10 batsman Tawanda Mupariwa came to the crease with Westerns tottering at 106 for nine, still 403 runs in arrears.

He quickly set down to repair the innings, hitting three boundaries and two maximums before he was cleanly bowled by Price for 33 off 44 balls in 41 minutes of occupation.

Njabulo Ncube was left stranded on five as Northerns claimed their second victory in as many matches going into the third round of matches on Monday, when they face Easterns at the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy grounds.

Centrals, who featured in a draw with Easterns at Alexandra, will play Westerns at Harare Sports Club.

Easterns resumed their second innings on 138 for four wickets on the fourth day on Friday, with Johnson Marumisa and Douglas Hondo at the crease.

Marumisa added 22 runs to his overnight 26 before he was caught by Chamunorwa Chibhabha off the bowling of Brighton Mugochi, while Hondo was good for 38 before he too fell to Mugochi – caught by Tafadzwa Kamungozi – who finished with five wickets for 115 runs in 37 overs, with seven maidens. Added to his 2/38 in Easterns’ first innings, Mugochi will be happy with his second round endeavour with the ball.

The highest scorer on the day for Easterns was Timycen Maruma who continued to consolidate his case for all-rounder status with an unbeaten 66 runs off 91 balls, three of which were fours and two sixes.

And then there was the man who remains in the runs for both club and country. Forster Mutizwa hit an unbeaten 52 runs from 62 balls, four of them fours and one six.

He also featured in the highest partnership of the day – 103 runs for the eighth wicket with Maruma – which was left standing when Easterns declared their second innings on 331 for seven.

Centrals were 176 for four in their second innings when the match fizzled into a draw.

Malcolm Waller (68*) made an unbeaten stand for the fifth wicket with Tendai Chitongo who put up a run-a-ball 31 in 40 minutes.
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