ASHLEY DUBE
HARARE – Mega Market Mountaineers secured their fifth Logan Cup title following an emphatic win over Eagles. Mountaineers beat the Eagles by an inning and 123 runs at Old Harare Sports Club, Harare. With this win, the Stuart Matsikenyeri-coached side leapfrogged Southern Rocks who were sitting on top going into the last round of fixtures.
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| Image: Zimbabwe Cricket |
This huge margin rested on the 631-7 declared score in Mountaineers first innings. Two double centuries from Tony Munyonga (237) and Brian Bennett 264 not out as the pair toyed with the Eagles bowling line up.
The pair broke a couple of records in the process; they recorded the highest partnership for any wicket ever recorded for any Zimbabwean team – 355 runs for the fourth wicket. This beats the 352 for the third wicket by the English professional Mark Pettini and Tino Mutombodzi for Eagles against Mountaineers at Mutare in 2014/15.
Munyonga also equalled another record – that for the most runs scored by a batter off one over for any Zimbabwean team in a first-class match.
He hit Alex Russell for two fours, followed by three sixes off the first five balls of an over, and had he been able to score anything off the final delivery he would have broken the record, created when the all-rounder Eddie Parker scored 26 runs in an over off the Transvaal bowler Frank Drummer in a Currie Cup match in Harare in 1968/69.
Brian Bennett also became the youngest player to score a double hundred in Logan Cup history.
Eagles’ response, buoyed by centurion Matthew Welch (116) and Marumani (91) showed promise, but failed to mount a sustained push to make a contest out of the game. Eagles were bowled out for 302.
Mountaineers enforced a follow-on, and the second attempt was more feeble as Eagles were bowled out of 206 ensuring an easy win for Mountaineers in just 3 days of action.
Tendai Chatara was the best bowler of the match with 7 wickets.
Brian Bennett was named player of the match
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