da doce： Mashonaland beat Midlands by six wickets
John Ward05-Dec-2003For an hour, Midlands had the better of Mashonaland. A fineopening partnership gave hope of their first victory for manya year over the champions, only for a middle-order collapseto dash their hopes. They were never again in the game asMashonaland once again ran out easy winners by six wickets.The weather was hot and sunny, and the pitch at Country Club,the headquarters of the CFX Academy, was as usual flat andrather low. Tatenda Taibu put Midlands in to bat, expectinga little early moisture and backing his bowlers to make anearly breakthrough. Events actually went in reverse to whathe had hoped for.Douglas Hondo opened the Mashonaland bowling at a gentlemedium-pace as he eased his way back to full fitness.Despite frequently overstepping the crease, he was accurate,which was more than could be said for the bowlers at theopposite end, where Jordane Nicolle was fortunate to get awaywith two accidental beamers. Midlands openers, Vusi Sibandaand Douglas Marillier, were untroubled by the assortment ofgood and misdirected balls that came their way and playedsome good attacking strokes as they brought up the 50 in the13th over.Twice Mashonaland fluffed possible run-out chances. Theopening pair put on 88 before Marillier (27) was given out lbw while moving down the pitch to drive Taibu, who was playing as an all-rounder while the 17-year-old Brendan Taylor kept wicket.Midlands then proceeded to throw away their advantage.Sibanda went on to 51, but as so often, failed to followthrough to a big innings, driving Grant Flower down thethroat of long-off (99 for 2). Mashonaland continued theirbreakthrough when Craig Wishart (3), hero of Wednesday’smatch against Matabeleland, dragged his foot and was stumpedby Taylor off Flower (102 for 3). Then Travis Friend, afterscoring just 3 off 16 balls, clipped Taibu straight tomidwicket, and Alester Maregwede (0) missed a sweep off aFlower full toss. Midlands had crumbled to 107 for 5.The two left-handers, Sean Ervine and Terry Duffin, stopped therot temporarily, but this stand too was broken by a softdismissal. Duffin had 13 when he drove Waddington Mwayenga straight to long-on (147 for 6). At 157, Raymond Price (3) clipped a catch to midwicket and then Ervine (31) skyed an attempted pull to mid-on. That was virtually the end of the resistance as Midlands subsided to 168 all out. Taibu was the chief recipient of the Midlands batsmen’s generosity, taking four wickets by bowling line and length and a steady medium-slow and letting the batsmen dothe rest. Flower and Mwayenga took three wickets each.In Mashonaland’s innings, Friend was erratic but sometimes hostile. A blow on Brendan Taylor’s arm guard and may have softened him upfor Ervine, who bowled him for a single with a faster ballthat moved back into him (13 for 1).Nothing has gone right for Stuart Carlisle since his Testcentury against Australia, and he now finds himself fightingfor his place in the Carlton and United series. He made 12before edging Sean Ervine to the keeper in attempting a cut(40 for 2). Then Dion Ebrahim, also eager to regain hisplace, skyed a hook to long leg off Ed Rainsford for 25. At53 for 3, Mashonaland were looking none too bright either.Flower, in his first match since breaking his thumb inSeptember, made a steady 31 before he cut Maungwa and was outto a brilliant catch by Friend, diving far to his left in thegully (87 for 4). Taibu played a steady innings, butMashonaland could only maintain a scoring rate of just overthree-an-over. Price did a fine containing job, concedingjust 24 runs off his ten overs.Elton Chigumbura proved a reliable partner, and gradually thepair took their team towards victory. A series of pulls byTaibu off Friend’s short-pitched deliveries speeded up theend, and finally Chigumbura drove Craig Ervine over thecovers for the winning boundary. He finished on 49, withTaibu on 38. Midlands were left to reflect on what mighthave been if they had only maintained their good start.