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After a poor season last year, Southern Rocks seem to be shaping up to be one of the stronger sides heading into this year's domestic competitions. In addition to signing Tatenda Taibu and Stuart Masikenyeri, both former Mountaineers players, the franchise has appointed former England batsman Monty Lynch as head coach. Lynch has previous experience of the Zimbabwe scene, having spent some time as coach of Takashinga (then Old Winstonians) back in the mid-1990s. Taibu will share captaincy of the side with Steve Tikolo. who returns to the franchise for a second season.
Zimbabwe Independent - Former England player Lynch to coach Rocks

Reigning Stanbic T20 champions Mountaineers cruised easily into the finals of the Faithwear-Metbank one-day competition after sealing a seven wicket semi final victory against Southern Rocks at Mutare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Mountaineers captain Hamilton Masakadza won the toss and sent the Masvingo based Rocks to bat. Rocks had a bad day in the crease as wickets started falling as early as the fifth over. Razzar Butt and Chamunorwa Chibhabha opened the batting and managed to score seven and four runs respectively. Eric Chauluka was the next man but did change the situation as he picked up eight runs before falling victim to Shingirai Masakadza.

Veteran Steve Tikolo was the only Rocks batsman to score above thirty managing a total of 37 runs before providing Tatenda Taibu with a simple catch behind the stumps off the bowling of national team skipper Prosper Utseya. The rest of the team added a total of 57 runs on the board bringing the troubled Rocks to a grand total of 134 all out.

The younger of the Masakadza brothers, Shingi, was the pick of the bowlers for Mountaineers as he posted figures of three wickets for 20 runs in six overs. He was also named man of the match, with an economy rate of 3.33 conceding two no-balls in his spell. Prosper Utseya who also had a fantastic game picked up two wickets after conceding eight runs in two overs. Tymcen Maruma claimed two wickets for 26 runs while teenage sensation Tendai Chatara walked away with one wicket equaling his captains wicket-taking in this match.

Tinotenda Mawoyo and Stuart Matsikenyeri opened the proceedings for the hosts with a 53 run partnership off 65 balls. Matsikenyeri was the first to heard back to the pavilion for a well orchestrated 36 runs after facing 48 balls proving five fours and one six. H. Masakadza joined Mawoyo and together they made a 54 run partnership before Mawoyo attempted to go for the maximum and was caught and bowled by Hillary Matanga for 40 runs. Masakadza who cleared the boundary for six five times and for four two times made 44 runs off 28 balls before being caught by Alistair Maregwede at cow corner. Nyamuzinga wrapped up the game with a square cut that went all the way for four off Butt's bowling.

Off spinner Hillary Matanga was the pick of the bowlers for the Rocks as he picked up two wickets for 333 runs in five overs. Butt claimed one wicket for five runs in five balls, ending Rocks campaign for the finals.

Full scorecard below the cut. Mountaineers will host Midwest Rhinos in what will be a stampeding final at Mutare Sports Club this Saturday.
Rocks 131 (39.5 overs; Tikolo 37, S Masakadza 3/20), Mountaineers 134/3 (19.5 overs; H Masakadza 44, Matanga 2/33). Mountaineers win by 7 wickets.
[Source: 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.

These matches took place a while back, so I'm not going to dig into the details, but the scorecards are only becoming available now. Posting what I have for the record - full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 221 (73.2 overs; Ervine 109*, Madziya 5/14) & 204/5 (52.4 overs; Kondo 86, Madziya 2/25), Rhinos 197 (68.1 overs; Mahlunge 74, Kaia 2/23). Match Drawn.

These matches took place a while back, so I'm not going to dig into the details, but the scorecards are only becoming available now. Posting what I have for the record - full scorecard below the cut.
Eagles 285/8 decl (75 overs; Tichana 121, Macharaga 2/41), Rocks 155 (54 overs; Moyo 53, Shereni 4/14). Match Drawn.

These matches took place a while back, so I'm not going to dig into the details, but the scorecards are only becoming available now. Posting what I have for the record - full scorecard below the cut.
Mountaineers 304/8 decl (75 overs; Ncube 99, Mushayi 3/41), Rocks 146/0 (40 overs; Maunze 68*, Kondo 67*). Match Drawn.

The second match of the day pitted Southern Rocks against Midwest Rhinos. Rocks have been unlucky in this tourney, with two close losses leaving them stranded at the bottom of the table, while Rhinos have just paid the price for inconsistency. It was Rhinos who finally got the run of the good fortune today, though. Rhinos won the toss and opted to field, and suffered a run of early wickets that saw them reduced to 64/4 during the 9th over as the top order failed to find form. The pairing of Alester Maregwede (48) and Craig Ervine (62) changed the tone of the Rocks' innings, though - the pair remained at the crease for the remainder of the innings, putting on 113 from 69 balls to leave Rocks on 177/4 at the close, a score that they seemed to have a good chance of defending. Throughout the tourney, though, Rocks' main weakness has been an unthreatening bowling attack, and that was what eventually cost them today. After scoring the early scalp of Vusi Sibanda (4), there was little else to cheer about for Rocks as, led by Rikki Wessels who carried his bat for the innings with an unbeaten 86, Rhinos chased down the target with a healthy 10 balls to spare. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 177/4 (20 overs; C Ervine 62*, Stevens 1/25), Rhinos 179/3 (18.2 overs; Wessels 86*, Ireland 1/28). Rhinos win by 7 wickets.

Another match, another down-to-the-wire thriller - this competition surely isn't lacking in entertainment and close finishes. The teams this time around were Southern Rocks and Mashonaland Eagles, in the second match of the day, and once again Rocks will be rueing their bad fortune after another agonisingly narrow loss. Eagles won the toss and opted to field, allowing Rocks to do their best to carry on where they left off yesterday as the opening pairing of Chamu Chibhabha (61) and Sikandar Raza (38) saw the side to 111 off 81 balls before the first wicket fell. At that point, though, the wheels fell off as three wickets fell in three balls during a Doug Marillier over (sadly not a hat-trick, as the third wicket was a run-out). Alester Maregwede (20*) and Steve Tikolo (36) were fortunately able to rebuild from there to see Rocks to a competitive total of 168/4. In reply, Eagles suffered wobbles of their own, with the early wickets of Doug Marillier and Prince Masvaure slowing their charge to the total, but an impressive unbeaten 81 off 52 balls by Cephas Zhuwawo formed the backbone of the innings, with Elton Chigumbura's 41 form 27 also proving useful. At the death, though, it was a rapid-fire 13 not-out from 5 balls by Forster Mutizwa that powered Eagles past the target with just one ball to spare. That gives Eagles a clear lead at the top of the table, although with just two games played Vipers could yet mount a charge of their own. Let's hear it for close competitions. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 168/4 (20 overs; Chibhabha 61, Marillier 2/11), Eagles 171/4 (19.5 overs; Zhuwawo 81, Sikandar Raza 1/20). Eagles win by 6 wickets.

Southern Rocks versus Mountaineers was the second match of the day, and in the end was far closer and far more tense than might have been expected at the half-way point. Batting first after winning the toss, Mountaineers powered their way to 190/2 from their 20 overs, easily the highest team total of the tournament so far, with Hamilton Masakadza staying at the crease for the entire innings and amassing 102 runs (from 56 balls faced) along the way, before finally holing out to Tafadzwa Kamungozi on the final ball. Add in a determined 71 from Tatenda Taibu, and it looked as though Mountaineers had the match all sewn up. Rocks weren't going to give up without a fight, though, and Chamu Chibhabha got their innings started at a cracking rate of 13/over. That wasn't sustainable, but Chibhabha (70) and #3 Steve Tikolo added 107 for the 3rd wicket in 70 balls, keeping the side within a shout of their target, before Chibhabha finally fell to the bowling of Prosper Utseya. Tikolo (65) kept Rocks on track from there, but the wickets began to fall around him, and the loss of his own wicket with 4 balls remaining in the match and 9 runs still required probably called time on Rocks' chances. Craig Ervine fell 1 run and 2 balls later, leaving Alester Maregwede and Ian Harvey to finish the job - and they fell an agonising 2 runs short of victory, closing their innings on 189/6. Still, it was a determined effort from the side that is generally considered the weakest in the tournament, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them spring a few surprises yet. Full scorecard below the cut.
Mountaineers 190/2 (20 overs; H Masakadza 102, Mahwire 1/18), Rocks 189/6 (20 overs; Chibhabha 70, Chitara 1/20). Mountaineers win by 1 run.

Southern Rocks trounced Matabeleland Tuskers in the second match of the day to leave the day to leave the tournament table perfectly poised, as Andy Blignaut's magic failed to strike twice. Rocks won the toss and opted to bat, after rain delayed the start of play (although thankfully not by enough to shorten the match). The side got off to a blistering start, thanks to a 104-run opening partnership between Chamu Chibhabha (82*) and Sikandar Raza (53). Once Raza departed, clean-bowled by Sean Williams (2/16), the wickets began to fall regularly, but by then the heavy lifting had already been done, and Rocks finished on an impressive 166/4. Tuskers' reply got off to a bad start with the loss of Gavin Ewing on the 2nd ball of the innings, while fellow opener Mark Vermeulen soon followed. Sean Williams was the only player to manage a decent innings, scoring 39, and by the time Andy Blignaut departed for just 4, batting at 6th, the writing was on the wall. Tuskers did manage to see out their 20 overs, but finished well behind the target on 123/9. That gave Rocks a 43-run victory, and left all six sides in the competition tied on 2 points each and separated only by net run rate - although with Tuskers having played more matches than any other side and already being anchored to the bottom of the table, their prospects are already looking bleak. Full scorecard below the cut.
Rocks 166/4 (20 overs; Chibhabha 82*, Williams 2/16), Tuskers 123/9 (20 overs; Williams 39, Ireland 3/25). Rocks win by 43 runs.