da prosport bet： Manicaland made Matabeleland toil for two sessions at Mutare Sports Clubyesterday afternoon after winning the toss and batting in favourableconditions
Nigel Fleming13-Apr-2002Manicaland made Matabeleland toil for two sessions at Mutare Sports Clubyesterday afternoon after winning the toss and batting in favourableconditions. Having hit 269 for three it’s impossible to envisage a way theycan lose the game, but coming in on four successive first-class defeats itwould still take courage to put meaningful money on them. Matabeleland hasyet to win a game themselves this season so this result will decide the footof the table.The first session was lost because overnight rain caused a wet patch on oneof the bowlers’ delivery creases. Despite the recent acquisition ofTest-size covers, ground staff tipped water onto the playing area whilstremoving them before start of play. To speed things up a burning barbecuehalf-drum was positioned above the patch and left to smolder for two hours.Manicaland owe their strong position to a splendid unbeaten 137 from captainNeil Ferreira. It was his highest first-class score to date, his third ofthe season and the sixth of his career. Offering only one chance on 88, hiscontrol was total — being particularly severe off the back foot through thecovers. Even before the innings he was talking of a possible move nextseason to Harare to further his prospects. His record and commitmentcontinue to be ignored by the selectors– even at A team level. As withcricket all over the world, to get noticed you need to play in the capitalcity. It’s ironic that senior players like Alistair Campbell, Andy Flowerand Paul Strang have moved away from Harare this season to rediscoverteam-values and spirit in Manicaland.After an opening stand of 126 with 16-year-old schoolboy Tino Mawoyo (37),Ferreira was joined by Leon Soma who blitzed a smoking 52-ball 75. His styleof controlled mayhem is a psychological crusher from number three. `Pommie’Mbangwa – recently back from Zimbabwe’s tour of India — was launched forconsecutive overs of 18 and 15.Missing Heath Streak — required on the family farm during the biggestcrisis to face the Zimbabwe farming community — the Matabeleland attacklacked the firepower to overcome a benign pitch. Opening bowler MattTownshend – son of team-manager and ex national off-spinner `Dobbo’ – wasthe best – mixing up in-swingers and slow balls — but even he could notovercome the conditions. With half-an-hour being added to the second dayManicaland will look to score quickly and declare by tea to give themselvesa chance of bowling the opposition out twice.