PACEMAN Glen Querl claimed the first five-wicket haul of this season’s Logan Cup cricket competition to ensure hosts Matabeleland Tuskers began their title defence on a positive note against Mountaineers at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
By the Sports Reporter
The former Zimbabwe Under-19 star was Mountaineers’ main nemesis after their skipper Tino Mawoyo’s decision to bat first after winning the toss.
He took five wickets for 50 runs as the hosts bowled out Mountaineers for a modest first innings score of 264 in 89,1 overs. Spinners Sean Williams and debutant Moeen Ali also shared two wickets each.
All-rounder Tymicen Maruma top scored for Mountaineers with 59 runs while Englishman Mark Pettini made the second highest contribution of 58 runs.
Tuskers will resume the second day trailing by 259 runs after the opening partnership of Terry Duffin and Brian Chari had scored four runs from the five deliveries they faced.
Meanwhile, in the other match, half centuries by wicketkeeper batsman Richmond Mutumbami and Englishman Ben Slater ensured Southern Rocks ended the opening day of their Logan Cup match against hosts Mashonaland Eagles firmly in control.
Rocks won the toss and elected to bat first and it proved to be the right decision as their batsman held their own to reach 259 for the loss of four wickets in 90 overs.
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Slater, one of coach Dave Houghton’s new recruits from Derbyshire, set the tone for Rocks at the top of the order with a patient knock of 89 from 211 deliveries, which included nine boundaries.
Former Rocks skipper Alester Maregwede (30) and Kudzai Maunze (24) kept the Rocks scoreboard ticking before Mutumbami followed up with an unbeaten stabilising knock of 87 runs.
Mutumbami smashed 11 fours and two sixes and will resume play this morning with another Derbyshire recruit Peter Burgoyne, who was still unbeaten on eight runs in his first-class debut.
Rocks will be the more satisfied of the two teams as they went into the opening day, as underdogs given their woeful record in the four-day competition since the start of the franchise system.
