It took Mashonaland until just after tea to wrap up the Logan Cupfinal, winning by 257 runs, after some spirited resistance attimes from Manicaland, who played the game in fine spiritthroughout, as indeed they have done all season

John Ward09-Apr-2000It took Mashonaland until just after tea to wrap up the Logan Cupfinal, winning by 257 runs, after some spirited resistance attimes from Manicaland, who played the game in fine spiritthroughout, as indeed they have done all season. Neil Ferreiraand Stuart Matsikenyeri scored determined fifties, while GavinRennie, who has been bowling regularly again this season aftervirtually giving up his left-arm spin due to back trouble, tookseven wickets.Mashonaland declared overnight, setting Manicaland a mere 498 towin. Manicaland were determined not to give in weakly, but theodds were stacked against them, despite Mashonaland’s ratherapathetic attitude in the field at times. Steve Lawson this timeopened with Neil Ferreira, but had scored only 7 before poppingup a ball from Gus Mackay backward of square on the leg side, forEverton Matambanadzo to dive and catch.Then came a determined stand between Ferreira and Patrick Gada,both looking secure and playing each ball on its merits until,with the total on 51, Gada thrust his pad at a straight ball fromGavin Rennie, misreading the arm ball completely, to be given outlbw for 18. In the same over Hamilton Masakadza, in contrast tohis fine first-innings effort, appeared to give it away; he hitan uppish four that just cleared short mid-on, and then pushed alow return catch that Rennie dived to take.Mark Burmester looked aggressive and hit some firm boundaries,only to be given out caught off bat and pad by Mackay off Renniefor 20. Ferreira once again held out gallantly, and just beforethe interval Strang bowled to him with all nine of his fielderson the off side. Ferreira waited for the right ball and thentapped it away wide of mid-on and ran three.At lunch Manicaland were 94 for four (Ferreira 33, Matsikenyeri7). This proved to be another useful partnership as they carriedon for almost an hour after lunch, with Matsikenyeri lookingincreasingly confident and playing some fine drives, especiallyoff the back foot. Finally Ferreira, driving at Hoffman, wascaught at mid-on for 55, another gritty innings.Dion Yatras announced his presence with a straight six and mixedsome powerful attacking strokes with some rather ungainly defenceat times. Slow spin did for him in the end, though, caught atsilly point by Darlington Matambanadzo off a flighted ball fromRennie. This made the score 207 for six, and it was thebeginning of the end for Manicaland, apart from some spiritedbatting from Matsikenyeri. Terry Denyer (0) was another lbwvictim, Gripper being the bowler, while Leon Soma (7) was out toa well-judged catch by Craig Evans on the long-on boundary offRennie. The teams went in to tea with the score on 238 for eight(Matsikenyeri 73, Brian James 3).The match ended only minutes after tea. James hit back a returncatch, then Jason Sparrow, amid great appreciation from theManicaland contingent, recorded his first runs in first-classcricket with a nudge past the slips for two, but chopped the nextball on to his stumps to end the innings for 240. Mashonalandhave not always played cricket in the best spirit this year, butthey were warmly congratulated by the good-humoured Manicaplayers, who may not have won the Logan Cup – they never expectedto – but did win friends all over the country with theirrefreshing attitude and fine efforts in the best traditions ofthe game.