da bet vitoria： Having been behind for the first two days of this match and looking likelyto lose by an innings, Mashonaland fought back yesterday to finish threeruns ahead at stumps
da luck： Nigel Fleming04-Mar-2002Having been behind for the first two days of this match and looking likelyto lose by an innings, Mashonaland fought back yesterday to finish threeruns ahead at stumps. Although losing six second-innings wickets in theprocess, they have two seasoned campaigners unbeaten at the crease capableof frustrating Manicaland’s push for victory.Resuming their overnight score of 164 for five, Mashonaland managed only afurther 62 before Leon Soma snuffed them out 45 minutes before lunch.Getting the old ball to reverse sharply, he chose a replacement used ball(over the available new one) to finish off the tail when the original ballsplit.Three balls into the second over of the new innings Lance Malloch-Brownwafted at a wide one, suggesting Mashonaland might sink without trace. WhenRyan Butterworth played around a straight one from debutant leg-spinnerKeegan Taylor the over before lunch (32 for two), the writing seemed to beon the wall.A 51-run partnership between Barney Rogers and Darlington Matambanadzo forthe third wicket calmed Mashonaland nerves. Left-handed Rogers was the nextto go, playing unaccountably back to a Whittall leg-cutter that went on toclatter the stumps. Kudzai Taibu – brother of Zimbabwean wicketkeeperTatenda – lasted only 10 balls before clipping Justin Lewis to KingsleyWent.All the while Matambanadzo kept working away, refusing to give up. Hefinally found a partner prepared to stay the distance with the arrival ofCraig Evans. Between them they hit 87 (77 minutes) for the fifth wicketwith Matambanadzo surprisingly outscoring his big-hitting partner.Manicaland suffered two casualties during the afternoon, with wicket-keeperFerreira requiring four stitches to a split lip and Taylor X-rays andpainkillers for a direct blow to the knee at short leg. A nice touch wasthe intervention of former rugby player Evans who hoisted the crippledTaylor over his shoulder and carried him to the clubhouse.It was left to man-of-the-match Whittall to break the partnership, forcingMatambanadzo to play on after a period of sustained pressure. Mahwire wasbowled soon after, leaving Whittall (three for 42) top wicket-taker for asecond day. Hero of the day was Craig Evans, hitting a flamboyant unbeaten109 (20 fours), leaving Mashonaland an outside chance of victory. He tookadvantage of some tired bowling and worse fielding as Manicaland wiltedunder a third day of unseasonably high temperatures.Starting the last day effectively three for six, Mashonaland will need tokeep Manicaland fielding well into the second session to give themselves achance. The pitch remains true and the drought-affected outfield fast -suggesting a lifeline if Mashonaland have the stomach for hard work.
