Mashonland look to set up their 16th win

The match between Mashonaland and Midlands could well be heading for a good finish tomorrow, as the home side is pressing for its 16th successive Logan Cup victory. They finished the day 183 runs ahead in the second innings with seven wickets in hand.

The high point of the day was a century by Sean Ervine of Midlands, his second of the Logan Cup season. It was rather a fortunate innings, as he survived three dropped catches and several miscued strokes that evaded the fielders, but he continued to go boldly for his shots and finished unbeaten on 119 as the Midlands innings closed for 431, a deficit of 85.

Ervine came in on the departure of Wishart for 118, having added only seven runs to his overnight score. He began with an enterprising stand of 97 with Doug Marillier, who made 69, but after that only captain Don Campbell with 26 gave him much support. The tail, supposedly the strongest in the competition, disappointed, the last five wickets falling for only 45 runs. This was mainly due to some fine bowling by Gus Mackay who took four wickets with the second new ball to finish with five for 69 for the innings.

When Mashonaland batted again, they no doubt aimed to score quick runs with a decision in view, but Midlands had other ideas. Innocent Chinyoka, despite his no-balling disease, opened the bowling at gentle medium-pace in preference to the sadly off-form David Mutendera, and quickly reduced Mashonaland to 8 for two. When Grant Flower fell for 11 with the total at 31, Mashonaland had to be very wary as Andy Flower joined Darlington Matambanadzo at the wicket.

Matambanadzo meanwhile had his own problems to deal with. ZCU managing director Vince Hogg was very proud of his 87-minute duck for Rhodesia B against Natal B in 1979/80, a world record until beaten a couple of years back by New Zealander Geoff Allott. Matambanadzo seemed to be aiming to break this now local record as he spent 80 minutes and 49 balls opening his account. The introduction of Mutendera finally cracked his will power, though, and Matambanadzo suddenly hit him through the covers for four, amid great applause from his team-mates, and next ball sliced a thick edge past the slips for another boundary.

Andy Flower soon overtook him and finished unbeaten on 47 at the close, out of 98 for three; Matambanadzo closed with 24. Tomorrow Mashonaland will be very keen to continue their winning streak, but they will need to set up a declaration total and then bowl out Midlands on a fine batting pitch to do so. They may well be stretched.