Match report day 2 Manicaland v Midlands, Logan Cup 2003/04 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Midlands v Manicaland

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Overnight: Midlands 212/2 off 36 overs (Friend 91*, Wishart 37*).
Lunch: Midlands 438/4 off 80.4 overs (S M Ervine 2*).
Tea: Midlands 555 all out.
Close: Manicaland (2) 138/6 off 35 overs (Utseya 15*, Chioza 25*).

 

Midlands were in total dominance of their match against Manicaland at Kwekwe Sports Club on the second day. Based on a massive partnership between Travis Friend and Craig Wishart, both of whom scored centuries, they set up a first-innings lead of 399, and had six Manicaland wickets down in their second innings by the close.

 

The march of the umpires and players to the middle for start of play resembled a funeral procession, coming as it did immediately after the news of Heath Streak’s turning his back on Zimbabwe cricket. Indeed it may well prove to be the death of Zimbabwe cricket as a credible force in international cricket, coming after the loss of more than 20 other international players prematurely since the 1999 World Cup. Forget the Irish – Zimbabweans are the most self-destructive people on earth at present.

 

The early play was far from funereal, though. Some wayward bowling from Manicaland – with the exception of Leon Soma - saw Wishart complete his fifty, off 52 balls, very quickly, and then Friend reached his third career century, off 105 balls. Both continued steadily on their way, with a few spectacular strokes to loose deliveries, and none of the Manicaland bowlers were able to contain, let alone trouble, either of them. Friend, eager to reclaim his Test place after a long period in the wilderness, passed his previous highest of 121 and then 150; and then Wishart brought up his century, off 131 balls, with a six.

 

Now, they decided, was the time for some fun, and the sixes started flying, mostly powerful straight drives terrorizing the small crowd outside the clubhouse. Friend hit five of them, as well as 27 fours, but seemed to lose his nerve on the verge of a double-century. Having got away with one skyer that just evaded the fielders, he sent up another that was taken off Rogers just inside the midwicket boundary. He made 183, and the total was 417 for three after a partnership of 286 – just nine runs short of the national record for the third wicket.

 

His departure did not deter Wishart from clearing the long-on boundary time and again, but he fell on the stroke of lunch for 154, caught overhead at mid-on off Mahwire. He made 154 off 172 balls, with 17 fours and 5 sixes; it was his 11th career century.

 

After lunch Sean Ervine decided to continue his team’s innings, although he could, the way the teams were playing, still have won by an innings and in two days. He no doubt had his eyes on an easy big score for himself, but when on 31 he drove a catch straight to extra cover off Barney Rogers. He was quickly followed by Nyasha Chari, carelessly lofting a ball to deep midwicket off Rogers, and Ed Rainsford, lbw to Andre Soma, both without scoring. Three wickets had fallen on 509 – a veritable collapse!

 

Tinashe Chaeruka (7) then partnered Craig Ervine until the latter passed his maiden fifty, but then skyed Rogers to mid-on, while Ervine himself was stumped off Prosper Utseya for 59. Debutant Craig Majawa, harshly put at number 11 though not bowling a ball, enjoyed himself for 10 not out before his partner Amos Maungwa was well caught by the keeper down the leg side off Utseya.

 

The innings closed at tea for 555, a lead of 399. Rogers, with four for 108, was the most successful bowler, with two wickets for Utseya, but only Andre Soma conceded fewer than four runs an over.

 

Manicaland went in again with only pride to play for, and the hope of avoiding a two-day defeat. The luckless Neil Ferreira, battling for form, found himself on the receiving end of a superb yorker from Rainsford that ripped out his leg and middle stumps; 1 for one. Two overs later Rainsford did it again, this time removing Rogers’ middle and off stumps as he mistook the ball for a half-volley and drove over the top of it; he made 5. Later the same over Darlington Matambanadzo was his next victim, losing his off stump spectacularly for 7. Manicaland were 13 for three and well down the slippery slope of defeat.

 

Norbert Manyande and Andre Soma fought back, playing some good strokes, until Manyande was trapped lbw by Craig Ervine for 17. Mahwire had a brief fling with 16 off 16 balls before a yorker from Chari also dismissed him lbw, and in the next over Andre Soma (41) played over a full-length ball from Sean Ervine, bowling off-spin to rest his knee, to be bowled. The full-length ball was certainly doing the damage to Manicaland, who were now 98 for six.

 

Midlands claimed the extra half-hour in an effort to finish the match on the second day, but Manicaland at last found two fighters in Utseya and Stanley Chioza. They batted out the day without further loss, though still willing to play their strokes. But defeat on the third day, barring unexpected major rain, was as inevitable as anything in cricket could be.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)