Mashonaland beat both the Academy and the weather to win their Logan Cup match by 65 runs

John Ward18-Feb-2001Mashonaland beat both the Academy and the weather to win their Logan Cup match by 65 runs. The Academy made a valiant effort in pursuit of their target, but in the end their lack of experience and bowler-friendly conditions proved too much for them.Remarkably, play was able to start on time at Harare Sports Club, not generally well known for its drying capabilities. With more rain very possible before too long, Mashonaland captain Trevor Penney decided to gamble in pursuit of victory. He declared at the overnight total of 253 for three, and both captains agreed to forfeit an innings.The inexperienced CFX Academy were therefore given all day – or as much as the weather allowed – to score 254 runs for victory. They suffered a bad start when captain Terrence Duffin had his stumps spread-eagled second ball, without a run scored, by a yorker from Eddo Brandes. His replacement, Andre Neethring, enjoyed two escapes in the slips before being unluckily bowled off his foot by Darlington Matambanadzo for 6; 27 for two.Then developed a determined partnership between Barney Rogers and opener Wisdom Siziba, who has become a more fluent player since his Matabeleland performances last year, when he became noted for some sterling defensive efforts, most notably that of carrying his bat through the innings on his debut. He has developed the ability to work the ball around the field for ones and twos, and he kept the score ticking over all the time. Some of the Mashonaland fielders became unnecessarily vocal in their frustration.Andy Flower came on to bowl his rare but useful slow-medium seamers, but it was as a fielder that he broke the stand, taking a smart catch as Siziba (48) sliced Paul Strang into the gully; 99 for three. Lunch was taken at 107 for three (Rogers 44, Guy Coxford 0).Rogers moved to 55 after lunch before dragging a ball from Brandes on to his stumps via the bottom of his bat. Shortly afterwards, rain drove the players from the field with the Academy on 133 for four (Coxford 11, Ryan Butterworth 3).Tea was taken, and play resumed at 3.10; the Academy still needed 121 to win and theoretically 35 more overs were to be bowled. Coxford was quickly bowled by Brandes for 12, a full-length delivery that went through the gate. Three overs were lost to rain, which freshened up the pitch and made batting more difficult. Butterworth (7), after surviving several rearing balls from Brandes, fell lbw to a full-length one, and at l42 for six the Academy’s chances were fading.The end came quickly. Three more wickets fell in six deliveries before, at 148 for nine, MacMillan (21) and Leon Soma (19 not out) decided they might as well go down with all guns blazing. They shared a dashing partnership of 40 before the former pulled the tiring Brandes, who took six for 45, to Evans at deep square leg for the match to end with nine overs to spare.