da bet7k： In a shortened second day’s play a Country Club, when just underthree hours were possible, the CFX Academy took a clear advantagein the match, but found their hopes of reaching next week’s finalslipping away
John Ward01-Apr-2000LOGAN CUP REPORT: CFX ACADEMY v MATABELELAND, Day 2By John WardIn a shortened second day’s play a Country Club, when just underthree hours were possible, the CFX Academy took a clear advantagein the match, but found their hopes of reaching next week’s finalslipping away. At the close they were 59 runs ahead with threefirst-innings wickets still intact.Heavy overnight rain left the Country Club field soaked, anddespite a sunny day the start had to be delayed until 3pm, withtea taken early. The field was still slippery in places, but theplayers were keen to get moving. With the news that Mashonalandhad massacred Midlands on a sub-standard pitch at Harare SportsClub, the position became clear for the Academy: they needed toscore 300 runs and also win the match outright in order to reachthe final against Manicaland. If 300 became impossible, Strangsaid he would declare and ‘make a game of it’ with Matabeleland.Alister Maregwede was soon under way with a beautifully timedon-drive for four off Senyo Nyakutse, and both batsmen battedenterprisingly right from the start. Maregwede’s off-driving wasparticularly impressive, and without the injured MatthewTownshend the Matabeleland bowling was lacking in bite. Lambcontinued to score briskly with ones and twos, and ran to afluent fifty. Maregwede was unfortunately to miss his, drivingat Nyakutse and being caught by wicket-keeper Colin Delport for45, after a partnership of 101.Travis Friend settled in quietly, while Lamb continued to playhis strokes with confidence and fluency until he drove outsidethe off stump at left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa and was caughtat the wicket for 78, his highest first-class score. The Academywere 163 for four, and still on course for 300. Colin Delportquickly hit a catch straight to midwicket, which was put down,but he did not thrive on his escape, hitting Dabengwa high anddeep, but not quite hard enough, to be caught by Siziba at widelong-on for 7.Paul Strang soon settled into an enterprising partnership withFriend, as the pair placed the ball well and ran swiftly betweenthe wickets. Friend had an escape when he skyed a ball overextra cover, but the fielders were unable to get there in time.The partnership came to a disappointing end when Friend turned aball to square leg, both batsmen started off but changed theirminds too late as Commerford swooped in and returned the ball tothe keeper, Friend being run out for 48.Jason Young, still suffering from his foot injury, came in withRichard Sims as a runner, and concentrated on holding his end up.Strang hit Dabengwa for a straight six and used his feet wellagainst his fellow spinner. The light deteriorated, butMatabeleland used their spinners. Strang (37) fell as he triedto sweep Dabengwa, only to be given out with front foot well downthe pitch, to make the score 235 for seven. At this the umpiresdecided the light was bad enough to call off play five minutesearly, but it was perhaps too late for the Academy, whose chancesof reaching 300 were dealt a serious blow with the loss ofStrang. Young was left not out with 2.