Mountaineers ascend after Masakadza tons

Hamilton Masakadza scored a hundred in each innings to help Mountaineers ascend to the top of the Logan Cup table with a 293-run win against Southern Rocks.

Masakadza's brisk 156 off 178 helped Mountaineers pile up 402 in their first innings and he had good support from Tino Mawoyo and Timycen Maruma, who chipped in with fifties. Shingi Masakadza, Donald Tiripano and Tatenda Mupunga then took nine wickets between them to dismiss the Rocks for 247.

With a lead of 155, Hamilton and Mawoyo then wrested the advantage from Rocks with a 145-run partnership that was followed by another mammoth 126-run partnership between Hamilton and Mutizwa.

Faced with an imposing 457, Rocks were hit early on when both openers were out with the score on 17 in the ninth over. Charles Kunje and Richmond Mutumbami tried to fight for a draw with a 50-run, third-wicket stand but Tiripano got the breakthrough, dismissing Mutumbami for 22. Another wobble left them at 111 for 8 and despite Kunje's battling 235-ball 90, Rocks were eventually dismissed for 163. Tiripano finished with 5 for 41, his second five-for in first-class cricket, while Natsai M'shangwe took 3 for 48.

Vusi Sibanda's fluid 217, his highest first-class score, set the base for Mid West Rhinos thrashing Matabeleland Tuskers by an innings and 299 runs. Bradley Wadlan's left-arm spin scythed through Tuskers in the second innings, picking up 7 for 30 to seal the game in two days.

Rhinos lost the toss but their bowlers ensured no ground was yielded by dismissing the Tuskers openers quickly and then sparking a middle-order collapse. Six wickets fell for 46 runs and Tuskers were polished off for 128. Sean Williams top-scored with 48, while six of his team-mates were dismissed for single-figures.

Sibanda and his captain Brendan Taylor took Rhinos into the lead during a partnership of 204 runs for the second wicket. Sibanda belted 27 fours and five sixes during his 256-ball innings. Taylor's count was 11 fours and three sixes when he fell for 106. The respite gained when in the 47th over when their stand was broken proved temporary as Steven Trenchard struck 120 off 145 balls to push the total beyond 500.

Tuskers provided another sorry display in the second innings. Wadlan ensured a steady bleed of wickets and his double-strike in the 10th over began the downward spiral that lead to Tuskers being all out for 79.