The ManicaPost
Fungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
MANICALAND cricket franchise Mountaineers’ hopes of maintaining their grip on the Logan Cup remains alive albeit Monday’s abandoned tie that had started with so much promise for the Mountain Goats. A fine innings of 41 by Innocent Kaia of Mountaineers, with an unlucky ending, was the highlight of less than two hours’ play possible on the first day of the Logan Cup match against Eagles at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
A New Year offers a new start, but many old traditions are still observed, including the tradition of Eagles winning the toss at Harare Sports Club and putting their opponents in to bat.
The weather at the start was warm and sunny, while the pitch had a greenish tinge to it.
The match began with Richard Ngarava and Faraz Akram bowling to Innocent Kaia and the Mountaineers captain, Tino Mawoyo.
The batsmen had scored only three runs before, in the fifth over, Mawoyo, on two, drove a firm low catch off Ngarava to mid-off. This brought the Kaia brothers together, Roy joining Innocent, and they slowly began to come to grips with the Eagles bowlers.
They were soon scoring almost at will, and brought up the team fifty in the 17th over, with Innocent looking especially fluent and impressive.
At 65, though, Roy overreached himself, driving at the wrong ball from Chamu Chibhabha and falling to a good diving catch by Tony Munyonga at second slip for 24.
This brought in the experienced Foster Mutizwa to join Innocent, who did not last much longer – he moved across his wicket, played across the line to a ball from Chibhabha, and had to limp out, painfully lbw, for 41.
He had even more cause a minute later to rue his misfortune, as the sky had been quickly clouding over.
Before he had even been able to leave the field, a nearby flash of lightning persuaded the umpires to call for lunch 10 minutes early and for the covers to be brought on. Then came a downpour so heavy that within minutes half the field was under water and the wind had blown off a large corner of the covers, fortunately away from the pitch.
Had the lightning arrived a minute earlier, the unfortunate Innocent would have preserved both his leg and his wicket. As it was, play was halted at 72 for three in the 24th over, with Mutizwa unbeaten on two.
Before three o’clock the decision was made to abandon play for the day. The Eagles bowlers had all bowled quite well, with Trevor Garwe perhaps the best despite not getting a wicket and being overlooked with the new ball, but were not accurate enough to keep the pressure on the batsmen all the time.
The domestic cricket league resumed after the festive season break with two Logan Cup matches in Harare and Bulawayo. The four day games kicked off on Monday.
Mountaineers faced Eagles at Old Georgians Sports Club while Tuskers played host to Mid West Rhinos at Queens Sports Club. The Shepherd Makunura coached side came into the encounter looking forward to return their lost glory after a losing their opening game to Mid West Rhinos in December, in Kwekwe.
The domestic league started on December 3, 2018 featuring four teams, instead of the five that took part in the previous edition.
This follows the disbandment of Rising Stars. The other change to the 2018/19 tournament is that it is being played across six rounds, instead of ten, as per the previous years. Mountaineers are the defending champions.
In the last round of fixtures before the break, Mountaineers lost by 104 runs to Mid West Rhinos. Tuskers and Eagles drew in their round one match.
In the second round, Eagles won by an inning and 17 runs against Rhinos.
In their five remaining fixtures, Mountaineers will face Tuskers at Queens Sports Club, Eagles at Mutare Sports Club, Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club, Tuskers at Mutare Sports Club and Eagles at Harare Sports Club.
In an interview before the Eagles encounter, coach Shepherd Makunura believes his charges will turn the tables around and win their remaining fixtures.
“We lost a match to Mid West Rhinos but we are hoping to bounce back a stronger side. We will work hard and try to win all our remaining fixtures. We are the defending champions and we know we are under pressure but we will make it. We are looking forward to our match against Eagles. We are ready for the battle,” he said.
Mountaineers – 72-3 in 23.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 41, Roy Kaia 24, Forster Mutizwa 2*; Chamu Chibhabha 2/30, Richard Ngarava 1/14) Eagles
