Mashonaland v Matabeleland Sep19-22 2003 - day 3 report by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Mashonaland v Matabeleland

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Overnight: Mashonaland 270 and 134/1 off 52 overs (Ebrahim 66*, Carlisle 29*); Matabeleland 289.
Lunch: Mashonaland (2) 237/4 off 87 overs (Carlisle 93*, Chigumbura 0*).
Tea: Mashonaland 373/6 off 116 overs (Carlisle 141*, Butterworth 6*).
Close: Mashonaland 442/6 dec.; Matabeleland (2) 82/3 off 16 overs (Nkala 28*, Dabengwa 0*).
Matabeleland need 424 to win.

Mashonaland as expected used the third day to tighten the screws on Matabeleland and prepare themselves for what will probably be a very comfortable victory on the final day. A monumental 181 not out by Stuart Carlisle enabled Mashonaland to pass 400 and set the visitors 424 to win. By the close they were struggling at 82 for three.

With nothing in the pitch for the bowlers and Mashonaland firmly entrenched overnight, Matabeleland’s policy seemed to be, “We’ll bowl outside off stump and you fetch it if you can.” Whether they should have played this way from the start was soon shown to be questionable, as in the second over Heath Streak found the edge of Dion Ebrahim’s bat and a theoretical chance flew wide of the one slip in position.

Pommie Mbangwa, pinpoint in accuracy but not so hot in taking wickets, as he showed in his flattering figures of nine overs for nine runs the previous afternoon, was at the centre of this policy, using sparingly his surprise ball that made the batsman play. However, the waiting game eventually paid off, as Ebrahim finally lunged full-length at a wide ball outside off stump and edged a catch to the keeper for 70.

Matabeleland missed another chance when new batsman Tatenda Taibu was dropped in the gully off Mbangwa, encouraged by his success to bowl temporarily straighter. Mbangwa bowled six overs for just one run in his spell, but the batsmen did not have to play many. They also showed little awareness of the practice of working the ball around for singles and play stagnated again. The one solitary spectator on the stands refrained from shouting verbal abuse; it is unclear how he discovered that a Logan Cup match was actually taking place since it was unpublicised.

The introduction of off-spinner Gavin Ewing, who bowled at the stumps, helped to get the score ticking over again. Stuart Carlisle had clearly set his sights on a major innings, while Taibu kept the score ticking over before he attempted a single on a misfield and was run out at the bowler’s end by a direct throw from Greg Strydom at backward point.

Streak brought himself back for danger man Craig Evans and gave him a torrid time, softening him up with several bouncers before persuading him to edge a ball into the slips, departing for 4. Streak is by no means express pace, so one wonders how Evans will handle it in Australia if he has to face the likes of Brett Lee. Elton Chigumbura might have fallen first ball to Streak, but a low chance in the slips went down.

Carlisle, 93 at lunch, laboured afterwards to reach three figures, but then celebrated by ruining Mbangwa’s figures, hitting him for two huge sixes, over long-off and wide long-on, in an over. His century took him 184 balls and over four hours; in his 11-year first-class career, he has scored four of his seven centuries in 2003.

Chigumbura must have kicked himself for hitting the first ball of Dabengwa’s new spell, a full toss, straight to short extra cover and departing for 32. Andy Blignaut was unusually restrained for a while before hitting Dabengwa for two sixes in an over, the second one clearing the clubhouse and requiring a replacement ball. Then he swung across the line at Ewing to be trapped lbw for 45 off 41 balls. At 364 for six, Mashonaland were still in the driving seat.

Ryan Butterworth came in to partner Carlisle, who might have gone for 141 in the first over after tea, but a sharp chance at short extra cover went begging. After that he seemed to be hitting at everything in preparation for the declaration, while Matabeleland responded by putting nine fielders on the boundary. This verged on the farcical, and Butterworth had an escape on the long-on boundary. Finally the closure came at 442 for six, leaving Matabeleland 424 runs to win or a day and 21 overs to survive.

Carlisle was unbeaten with 181 at the closure; in his previous first-class match on this ground in April he scored 219. He batted six and a half hours and faced 289 balls, hitting 15 fours and 7 sixes in his monumental innings, a mixture of determined accumulation and powerful hits, especially late in his innings. Butterworth was unbeaten on 29, while Streak returned the best figures of two for 39. Mluleki Nkala was not used as a bowler in this innings as he came into the match carrying a groin injury from the clash with Midlands.

Matabeleland made a steady start, with a few aristocratic strokes from Mark Vermeulen and dour defence from Wisdom Siziba. They put on 41 before Chigumbura broke through with two wickets in an over, first trapping Vermeulen lbw and then bowling Siziba off the inside edge.

Nkala immediately got off the mark with a classic four through the covers and looked in full command of the situation, showing the prodigious talent which has been recognized for years but too rarely exhibited for long on the field of play. Andre Hoffman looked less impressive and handed Jordane Nicolle a wicket with another long hop, skying a hook to midwicket to depart for 10.

Nkala survived a hard chance to slip, but continued to look a class batsman. He survived with Keith Dabengwa until another late close, finishing with 28, but Matabeleland face a virtually hopeless task.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 John Ward)