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After looking like a dull draw on the third and fourth day of this five-day final, the Logan Cup final unexpectedly sprang to life on the final day, as Midwest Rhinos came close to pulling off what would have been an incredible victory.

The miracle did not quite happen, but the day belonged to the underdogs from start to finish. Firstly superb batting by Rikki Wessels and Graeme Cremer enabled them to declare their second innings closed, and then, due to good bowling and fielding and some very poor batting by the Mashonaland Eagles top order, they broke through and had the newly crowned champions struggling to save the match to the very end. In the end only the fighting spirit and skill of Forster Mutizwa and Mark Mbofana saw them through to safety at 67 for six wickets - and the Logan Cup trophy.

Overnight Mid West were 174 for five; they had not looked like making a bid for victory on the previous day and now they were in real danger of defeat, without much batting left. But Wessels was still there, and was joined by Cremer. Wessels was nearly caught off an aerial cut early on, the ball just evading the fielder, but perhaps he too was afraid of his team subsiding, as he batted more positively this morning and went to his fifty off 114 balls. Cremer was at first concerned solely with defence, and it took him a full hour and a half to reach double figures, which came with a pull for four off Douglas Hondo; he celebrated with a straight drive for another boundary next ball. The pair added 92 during the morning session, and no wicket fell.

The pair continued in good style after lunch, with Wessels reverse-sweeping Raymond Price for three off the second ball after lunch. Cremer reached his fifty off 118 balls, and this was closely followed by Wessels' century off 176; he celebrated with a straight six off Greg Lamb. Shortly afterwards, knowing a declaration was imminent, Cremer gave his wicket away, stumped off Price, for 56, and the players left the field. The total was 335 for six wickets declared, and the pair had added an invaluable 161. Wessels was unbeaten with 108 and Price finished with one wicket for 43 off 33.3 overs, 17 of them maidens.

Perhaps the problem with Mashonaland was that they didn't actually need to win this match to secure the Logan Cup, having topped the log, and so their policy was one of "We'll see how it goes before trying for victory." They needed 249 to win off a minimum of 44 overs, and they wanted to take no risk of losing the match. Perhaps this double-mindedness distracted them. Once again their opening partnership failed, both openers falling for 7 with the total at 18, and both caught at second slip, Prince Masvaure off Taurai Muzarabani and Ishmael Senzere off Cremer. Moments later Ryan Butterworth (1) mistimed a pull to midwicket, Mid West suddenly glimpsed victory, and tea was taken at 21 for three.

One would have expected the powerful, experienced Mashonaland side to take the situation calmly, play soundly and make sure of the draw on a good pitch, especially with the presence at the crease of their captain Elton Chigumbura, whose calm mature batting had always saved the situation for his side earlier in the season when the match was in the balance. Chigumbura got off the mark with a pull for six of Muzarabani, and then went for a big hit off Cremer, only to sky the ball to mid-off and depart for 10. When Regis Chakabva was lbw to the googly later in the same over, Mashonaland were 36 for five in the thirteenth over and the alarm bells were really ringing now.

Still in was Forster Mutizwa, though not looking very secure, and Greg Lamb, with a groin injury, had yet to bat. If there was to be a result, only Midwest could win now. Could Mashonaland survive their unexpected crisis? Ed Rainsford replaced Muzarabani, but he could not repeat his magic of the previous day, perhaps trying to bowl too fast and pitching too short. Still, Mutizwa nearly pulled a catch to mid-on, but then the batsmen settled in and looked increasingly solid, although still having the occasional close call. Surprisingly, Mid West accepted a draw with six overs still to be bowled; having done so much in one day, they did not pursue it right to the end. Cremer finished with three for 20 off 17 overs. Mutizwa faced 102 balls for his 18, Mbofana 84 for his 8 runs, and both were undefeated, having spent 99 precious minutes together. At the last ditch, they saved the Logan Cup for Mashonaland. Photos and full scorecard below the cut.
Rhinos 364 (118.2 overs; Taylor 131, Masvaure 3/49) & 335/6 decl (112.3 overs; Wessels 108*, Butterworth 2/26), Eagles 451 (168.1 overs; Lamb 159, Rainsford 6/66) & 67/5 (40 overs; Mutizwa 18*, Cremer 3/20). Match drawn.
[Source: ZC. All photographs in this article ©ZC.]

...which was probably predictable enough. With nothing left to play for but pride, Rocks and Tuskers settled on sharing what pride was on offer in their final Logan Cup match of the season. Rocks arguably got the better of the matchup, with a first-innings 431 that included centuries from Craig Ervine (108) and Richmond Mutumbami (100), and a cautious 82 from Erick Chauluka, an innings that gave them a 171-run over their Bulawayo rivals, who had been bowled out for 260 thanks to good work by Tendai Chitongo (4/53) and Blessing Mahwire (3/41). Tuskers did make something of a comeback in their second innings, though, with their 397 enough to make sure that Rocks were fighting more against the clock in their second knock than against Tuskers' bowlers. Greg Strydom made an impressive contribution, knocking 89 off just 55 balls (clearly trying to stake a late claim to a place in the WorldT20 squad). Rocks nearly threw it away, though - facing a target of 227 to win from 41 overs on the last day, they collapsed alarmingly, losing 8 wickets before the end of play (with in-form Keith Dabengwa taking 4/33) and just holding out to secure the draw. Full scorecard below the cut.
Tuskers 260 (72.4 overs; Dabengwa 63, Chitongo 4/53) & 397 (96.5 overs; Strydom 89, Odoyo 3/39),
Rocks 431 (141 overs; C Ervine 108, Dabengwa 3/89) & 136/8 (41 overs; Tikolo 42, Dabengwa 4/33). Match drawn.

The Logan Cup season finished in bitter disappointment for Mountaineers, who had anticipated a place in the final, only to be pipped at the post by Midwest Rhinos, who beat them by eight wickets in three days at Mutare Sports Club. Struggling after two days, Mountaineers had no great heroics in their second innings and, despite early jitters, Rhinos got home mainly on the back of a devastating innings of 62 not out from Brendan Taylor.

Mountaineers resumed their second innings on 62 for three wickets, still 64 runs behind the Rhinos innings total. Things entered badly from the start, as Stuart Matsikenyeri (17) was dismissed lbw to Ed Rainsford without any addition to the score. Hamilton Masakadza took his responsibilities so seriously that he took 49 balls and 65 minutes to get off the mark, before he finally forced a ball through the covers for four. Soon after that he lost Timycen Maruma, who played on to Rainsford, playing back, for 4; Mountaineers were now 75 for five and looked to be tumbling headlong towards an early defeat.

They should have been worse off still, as Prosper Utseya was dropped off a sharp chance to second slip before he had scored, the ball travelling for four. Rhinos paid quite heavily for this error, as the pair almost doubled the total while in partnership, putting on 62 runs together. The deficit was erased just before lunch, so Mountaineers went in for the break just six runs ahead and with a little more hope of making a fight of it.

The afternoon session all but extinguished their hopes. Neither batsman lasted long after lunch. Utseya was the first to go, caught in the gully off Rainsford for 32, but the celebrations really took off with the fall of Masakadza. He had batted with the utmost restraint for 37 off 135 balls in just over three hours, but he fell another victim to Rainsford, pushing at a ball moving away outside off stump to give the wicketkeeper a straight-forward catch. Mountaineers had slumped to 144/7 and defeat seemed imminent.

But now was the time for real defiance. Shingi Masakadza and Natsai Mushangwe laid into the bowling with a vengeance, sharing the highest partnership of the innings as they hammered 73 together. Again, catches went down, until Masakadza finally sliced a low catch to third man to depart for 27. Mushangwe, the leading partner, raced to 53 off 49 balls, but was then adjudged lbw next ball; Taurai Muzarabani dismissed them both. The last wicket fell for 230, leaving Rhinos with 105 runs to win. Rainsford was the best bowler, taking four vital wickets for 46 and showing great determination and skill.

Rhinos have shown some fragile batting this season, so the target was not a foregone conclusion; the pitch was taking a bit of spin, and no respectable side should have been bowled out chasing that target unless they choked. Mountaineers went on the attack from the start, using Utseya as their second bowler with close fielders, and the openers seemed rendered strokeless. Bothwell Chapungu, nonplussed by a spinner from Utseya, was clean bowled for 2, but Brendan Taylor was taking no nonsense. He swung successive balls from Utseya over the pavilion for six, and continued to assault the spinner, despite losing Friday Kasteni, lbw padding up to Shingi Masakadza for 4.

Vusi Sibanda was almost a sleeping partner as Taylor laid into the bowlers, racing to his fifty off 34 balls. His off-side drives and leg-side flicks and pulls were particularly impressive. It was an off-driven four by Sibanda, followed by four byes from a wild delivery down the leg side, that finally took Rhinos to a well-earned victory and a place in next week's Logan Cup final against Mashonaland Eagles. Taylor finished unbeaten on 62 (42 balls) and Sibanda 23.
Mountaineers 212 (56.3 overs; Maruma 59, Rainsford 3/41) & 230 (69.3 overs; Mushangwe 53, Rainsford 4/46), Rhinos 338 (104.2 overs; Waller 117, Chitara 5/42) & 106/2 (17.4 overs; Taylor 62*, Utseya 1/28). Rhinos win by 8 wickets.

Midwest Rhinos battled out a draw with Sean Ervine.. er, Southern Rocks to keep their chances of a place in the Logan Cup final alive - just. It was a match that was dominated by a few key players, most notably returning 'rebel' Sean Ervine, who scored a career-best 208 & 160 with the bat, going on to take 3 wickets in the match. Rhinos won the toss and opted to bat, and put on a disappointing 267 before being bowled out, with Malcolm Waller's 124 being the one performance to impress. Blessing Mahwire took 3/26 for Rocks. In reply, Rocks got off to a very shaky start, being 4/13 at one point, before the Ervine brothers joined forces at the crease to add 178 for the fifth wicket. Craig was eventually out for 81, while Sean went on to 208. With the best score beyond the brothers being a paltry 26 from Tendai Chisoro, it really was Ervines versus Rhinos.

Facing an unexpected first-innings deficit, it was Rhinos' turn to step up to the plate, and with a little help from Brendan Taylor, who one-upped Sean Ervine by scoring 217, they did. Innocent Chikunya chipped in with 75, with Graeme Cremer reaching 53 not-out before the side declared on 443/5. That left Rocks chasing 337 to win, a target that the side threw themselves into in much the style of a Twenty20 match. While the third-wicket partnership of Steve Marillier and Sean Ervine was at the crease, there even seemed to be a chance for an unlikely Rocks win, but Marillier's removal with the score on 152 was the beginning of a procession of wickets, and also saw the run-chase drop well below the required rate. Ervine finally went for 160, and the match drew to a close 2 overs later with Rocks still 59 runs short.

That leaves Mountaineers in the driving seat for the remaining spot on the final, with Rhinos needing to beat them next week, and out-score them on bonus points, to claim the place. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rhinos 267 (77.5 overs; Waller 124, Mahwire 3/26) & 443/5 decl (94 overs; Taylor 217, S Ervine 2/63), Rocks 374 (105 overs; S Ervine 208, Cremer 5/125) & 278/8 (82 overs; S Ervine 160, Muzhange 3/58). Match Drawn.

Matabeleland Tuskers deprived Mashonaland Eagles of their unbeated record in the latest round of Logan Cup matches, although any joy at the win should be tempered by it being over a clearly second-string Eagles side, as coach Chris Silverwood opted to rest his top players with his side already assured of top place in the tournament table and a place in the final. Put into bat after Eagles won the toss, Tuskers set a first-innings total of 425 before declaring with 2 wickets in hand, with Keith Dabengwa leading from the front with 136, and Bornaparte Mujuru (71) and Dion Ebrahim (74) also making significant contributions. Innocent Chinyoka (4/83) was the most effective of an Eagles attack that saw 9 different bowlers have a go.

The Eagles batting was even less effective than the bowling, too. In their first innings, they were bowled out for 264, falling short of the follow-on target and being forced to bat again as a result. Prince Masvaure led the first-innings scoring with 94, while Ryan Butterworth's 102 in the second added at least some respectability to the score as Eagles were bowled out again, this time for an even 300. Chris Mpofu claimed a 5-wicket haul in the second innings to top the bowling figures for Tuskers.

Eagles' capitulation left Tuskers with a fairly easy 140 to chase to win, which they managed for the loss of three wickets. Mujuru again played a key role with the bat, scoring 61 not-out as Tuskers eased home. That ends the 'regular season' for Eagles, who have a bye for the final round of matches but can rest assured that they can't be caught by the sides behind them, while Tuskers go on to play Rocks in a dead rubber that shouldn't affect their final standings. Full scorecard below the cut.
Tuskers 425/8 decl (105.2 overs; Dabengwa 136, Chinyoka 4/83) & 142/3 (32.4 overs; Mujuru 61*, Munyede 1/14), Eagles 264 (96.4 overs; Masvaure 94, Nyumbu 3/77) & 300 (following on; 102.3 overs; Butterworth 102, Mpofu 5/75). Tuskers win by 7 wickets.

A draw against Matabeleland Tuskers in Bulawayo saw Mountaineers lose some ground on Eagles in the tournament table. Batting first, Gregory Strydom (54) and Thabo Mboyi (50*) helped Tuskers to 236 in their first innings, after which Tatenda Taibu's 95 led Mountaineers' reply, as the side posted 265 to claim a small first-innings lead. Tawanda Mupariwa took a career-best 6/52. Dion Ebrahim (114) led Tusker's reply, with enough coming from the other players for the side to reach 303/8 before declaring - although the declaration came with the knowledge that Mountaineers had little chance of reaching their target (275) in the time remaining. Sure enough, the clock ran out with the visitors on 104/4, led by Hamilton Masakadza's unbeaten 57. Full scorecard below the cut.
Tuskers 236 (77.5 overs; Strydom 54, Maruma 3/31) & 303/8 decl (88.4 overs; Ebrahim 114, Utseya 4/70), Mountaineers 265 (92.3 overs; Taibu 95, Mpofu 3/67) & 104/4 (31 overs; H Masakadza 57*, Meth 3/26). Match drawn.

Another poor outing by Southern Rocks saw Mashonaland Eagles claim an innings victory, ensuring that their lead at the top of the Logan Cup table is now essentially unassailable - the side enjoys a 25-point lead over second-placed Mountaineers with both sides having only one match remaining. Rocks batted first after Eagles won the toss and opted to field, but managed only 188 - Hilary Matanga led with 38, while Elton Chigumbura took 4/49. Eagles then got their chance, and posted a modest 275/9 in reply before declaring, with Chigumbura scoring 78. Tanyaradzwa Munyaradzi took 4/58 for Rocks. Eagles total wasn't anything spectacular, even by the standards of the Logan Cup - but an abject collapse by Rocks in their second innings made sure that there was no need for Eagles to bat again. Rocks added just 68 - Chamu Chibhabha (21) was the best of the bunch and one of only three players to reach double figures. Ray Price led the carnage for Eagles, taking 4/21, as Rocks continued bumping along at the bottom of the table. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 188 (72.1 overs; Matanga 38, Chigumbura 4/49) & 68 (56 overs; Chibhabha 21, Price 4/21), Eagles 275/9 decl (73.4 overs; Chigumbura 78, Munyaradzi 4/58). Eagles win by an innings and 19 runs.

I have to stop with the punning. But not today. Mountaineers proved their class by beating the hapless Rocks by an innings and 114 runs, with the match almost being the Masakadza family show, as Hamilton and Shingi both made key contributions to the win - Hamilton with a first-innings 183, and Shingi with a ton of his own and seven wickets in the match. Rocks, put into bat, put on 263 in their first innings, led by Craig Ervine's 55, while Timycen Maruma's 5/107 also impressed, but in reply Mountaineers racked up 562 before declaring with 9 wickets lost. That left Rocks needing 299 just to make Mountaineers bat again, and they barely got halfway there - barring a fighting 79 from Alester Maregwede, Rocks' batting imploded under sustained fire from the younger Masakadza and Prosper Utseya, and the side were bowled out for 185. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 263 (95.1 overs; Ervine 55, Maruma 5/107) & 185 (62.4 overs; Maregwede 79, Utseya 5/28), Mountaineers 562/9 decl (131.5 overs; H Masakadza 183, Kamungozi 4/124). Mountaineers win by an innings and 114 runs.

Eagles' draw with Rhinos was enough for them to secure their position at the top of the Logan Cup table, and saw Rhinos fall further off the pace in the race for a place in the final with only two matches to play. With Eagles batting first after Rhinos chose to field, Greg Lamb led the way with 171, with support from Elton Chigumbura (53) and Regis Chakabva (70) as the side posted 376, with Ed Rainsford and Graeme Cremer claiming 4 wickets apiece. With Rhinos' best score in reply being Rikki Wessels' 66, though, the home side were left with a 90-run deficit after declaring on 286/9.

Come their second innings, though, Eagles looked far more vulnerable as Cremer ripped through the side, taking a career-best 8/92. It was only the tail-end efforts of Trevor Garwe (53*) that saved Eagles' blushes - and left Rhinos short of time to mount their comeback. Needing 295 from their second innings to win, they were able to reach only 168/5 before the close on the final day, with Mluleki Nkala (57) and Friday Kasteni (44) posting a 109-run opening partnership while Ray Price took 2/35 for Eagles. Full scorecard below the cut.
Eagles 376 (101.4 overs; Lamb 171, Rainsford 4/57) & 204 (78.4 overs; Garwe 53*, Cremer 8/92), Rhinos 286/9 decl (84.4 overs; Wessels 66, Chigumbura 4/66) & 168/5 (66 overs; Nkala 57, Rice 2/35). Match drawn.

Tuskers got off to a flier in their match against Rhinos, thanks to an impressive 158 by Keith Dabengwa, but failed to make the most of their early advantage, eventually falling to a convincing 8-wicket loss against Rhinos. Batting first after winning the toss, Tuskers suffered an early blow when #2 batsman Gavin Ewing was forced to retire hurt early in the match (he was able to return later), but with Dabengwa on form the side were looking good on 293/5 when he finally struck out, bowled by Ed Rainsford (2/43). Keegan Meth's 66 towards the end of the innings also helped propel the side to 337, when Tuskers declared, clearly feeling they had enough on the board to mount a good challenge. Rhinos were quick to dispel any such notion, though - while the home side suffered a lower-order collapse, the last six wickets falling for 73 runs, the good work had already been done by the top, with Vusi Sibanda (131) continuing his amazing series with another ton, and Brendan Taylor (104) also passing the century mark - the pair added 160 for the 4th wicket, and that was enough to give Rhinos the upper hand.

They didn't waste the opportunity, either, going on to bowl out Tuskers for 240 in their second innings and leaving themselves a target of 170 to win when their turn to bat came around again. Once again it was Sibanda that led the charge, adding an unbeaten 77, with Mluleki Nkala contributing 54 as Rhinos reached their target for the loss of just 2 wickets. Full scorecard below the cut.
Tuskers 337/8 decl (101.4 overs; Dabengwa 158, Cremer 4/133) & 240 (88.5 overs; Ebrahim 77, Muzarabani 3/29), Rhinos 408 (129.2 overs; Sibanda 131, Taylor 104, Meth 5/26) & 172/2 (32 overs; Nkala 54, Nyumbu 1/23). Rhinos win by 8 wickets.