Rangers – 160-3 in 50 overs (Brian Mudzinganyama 67*, Johnathan Campbell 36, Daniel Zvidzai 28; Ernest Masuku 2/14, Shayne Nxumalo 1/47)
Tuskers
Day 1 – Stumps
Brian Mudzinganyama is back in form and playing a fine innings in a greatly improved Rangers performance in their Logan Cup match against Tuskers at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Barely half-a-day’s play was possible owing to wet weather on the first day of this match, but the highlight was Mudzinganyama’s fluent innings of 67 not out, to be continued overnight.
On an overcast morning at Harare Sports Club, Rangers won the toss and decided to bat.
Daniel Zvidzai and Tanunurwa Makoni opened the batting to the bowling of Stephen Chimhamhiwa and Sheunopa Musekwa.
They scored 27 runs together without undue difficulty before a light drizzle sent the players off the field for 20 minutes.
Batting positively, they took the score to 47, when Zvidzai was bowled by a good yorker from Ernest Masuku for 28.
Mudzinganyama, who was away with the national team in Bangladesh for a Test match, was helped off the mark by a full toss from Masuku, which he drove past mid-off for four, and he just managed to jab down on a yorker next ball.
The seamers were finding a little movement from the pitch, so they bowled almost all morning, but the batsmen handled them well.
At lunch the score was 58 for one wicket, with Makoni on 15 and Mudzinganyama 10.
Makoni, however, did not add to his score after lunch, being bowled by a fine ball from Masuku that came back a long way and knocked out his middle stump; 62 for two.
Johnathan Campbell, another left-hander, joined Mudzinganyama, and they took the score to 84 before the drizzle returned.
Just over half-an-hour’s play was lost this time.
The pair took the score to 127 before Campbell, particularly impressive with the pull to short balls, was given out caught at the wicket for 36, swinging at a bad ball down the leg side from the debutant Shayne Nxumalo.
Clive Imbayago had just come in when the drizzle returned, and tea was taken.
Afterwards Mudzinganyama soon reached a good fifty off 85 balls.
The batsmen seemed quite happy, but the umpires were worried about the light, and in the end took the players off the field soon after three o’clock, with the score 160 for three wickets, Mudzinganyama on 67 and Imbayago on six.
Then came the rain, and ended play for the day.
At Old Hararians, Joylord Gumbie’s second first-class century powered Mountaineers to 267 for two at the close of day one of their Logan Cup match against Eagles.
Kevin Kasuza, who was away with the national team for a Test match in Bangladesh, marked his return to the local scene with a half-century – his knock of 65, including nine fours and three sixes, came off 88 deliveries.
Due to rain and bad light, Mountaineers, who won the toss and elected to bat, played only 66 overs.
At stumps, Gumbie was still unbeaten on 127, with 13 boundaries, having faced 201 balls.