Sinokubonga Nkala
Brandon Moyo Sunday News Reporter
MEGA Market Mountaineers batter Nick Welch continued with his rich vein of form as he scored his third century of the 2024/25 Logan Cup season in just his third match, during his side’s draw against Tuskers at Mutare Sports Club during the week.
Welch made a superb 159 runs on the fourth day of the match, ensuring a draw for the Manicaland provincial side.
This is now his highest score in First-Class cricket, surpassing his previous best of 151 runs, which he made against Rocks just over a week ago.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Mountaineers declared their first innings on 253/9 from 81 overs. Tuskers responded in kind, scoring 423 all out in 135.3 overs, taking a 170-run lead going into the second innings. Mountaineers went into the final day aiming for a draw and finished on 351/4 from 126 overs, thanks to Welch’s brilliant century.
In their first innings, Mountaineers did not bat particularly well, with Joylord Gumbie and Timycen Maruma scoring half-centuries. Maruma top-scored with 64 runs off 115 balls, while Gumbie, opening the batting, made 60 runs from 95 balls.
Luke Jongwe was the pick of the Tuskers bowlers, claiming three wickets for 49 runs from 15 overs, while Mgcini Dube and Nkosana Mpofu took two wickets apiece. Ainsley Ndlovu and Brain Mudzinganyama each claimed one wicket.
Tuskers had two centuries, courtesy of Ali Hamid and Will Fraine. Hamid scored an impressive 160 runs from 267 balls, while Fraine made 103 runs off 152 balls, helping his team establish a sizeable lead.
There was heartbreak for Mudzinganyama, who was dismissed for 49 runs off 131 balls. Vincent Masekesa was the standout bowler for Mountaineers, finishing with figures of 4/127 from 41 overs, while Tendai Chatara and Definite Mawadzi took two wickets each.
Victor Nyauchi claimed one scalp for the hosts. It was in the second innings that Welch came to the fore, producing a fine knock. His 159 runs came off 295 balls, with Maruma contributing 74 runs from 215 balls.
Mudzinganyama finished with figures of 2/26 from eight overs, while Jongwe and Prince Kaunda claimed the other wickets that fell.
In the other Logan Cup match, the fine batting of Innocent Kaia played a crucial role in earning Southern Rocks a draw against Rhinos in their Logan Cup match at Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare on Tuesday.
Rhinos seized the advantage from the outset, with Takudzwanashe Kaitano (64) and Ben Curran (109) putting on 154 for the first wicket. The middle order continued the solid batting, with Nyasha Mayavo scoring 72 not out, helping Rhinos to a total of 395.
In response, Innocent Kaia played a superb innings of 139 for Rocks, while no other batter managed to reach 50, although Roy Kaia, Alvin Chiradza, and Panashe Taruvinga all reached the forties.
Rocks were only 19 runs behind in the first innings, with Brandon Mavuta taking six wickets for 121 runs. Rhinos then batted consistently in their second innings, with Antum Naqvi top-scoring with 98. There were also fifties from Awad Naqvi and Mavuta, as Rhinos declared on 374/8.
In hindsight, the declaration may have been slightly cautious, but Mike Chinouya soon dashed Rocks’ hopes of victory with a fine opening spell. He took the first three wickets to fall in his first four overs, conceding just 31 runs. Roy Kaia (38) and Taruvinga (36) then played for a draw, but six wickets fell for just 132 runs.
William Mashinge and Richmond Mutumbami, however, batted resolutely, scoring 18 not out apiece, and Rocks secured a draw, finishing on 160/6 when time ran out.
Chinouya finished with three wickets for 43 runs. Following the completion of the two matches on Tuesday, Rhinos sit at the top of the standings with 74 points from four games, followed by Mountaineers on 57 points from three games. Southern Rocks are in third place with 48 points from three games.
Eagles and Tuskers are in fourth and fifth places with 43 and 48 points, respectively. – @brandon_malvin
