Mashonaland win by nine wickets in Mutare

Manicaland held out against champions Mashonaland until well into the afternoon at Mutare Sports Club, but a collapse by their lower middle order doomed them to defeat, which eventually came by nine wickets.

For much of the morning session the overnight batsmen, Alistair Campbell and Stuart Matsikenyeri, raised hopes of forcing a draw as they played the bowling with little trouble on a placid pitch. The Mashonaland pace attack of Andy Blignaut and Gus Mackay rarely looked threatening under this conditions; Mackay returned the most economical figures and was the only bowler to find any significant swing during the match, but he has lost a bit of pace.

When Campbell was bowled by Gripper for 92 - his third ninety in three weeks - the finger came out of the dyke. Matsikenyeri, with his second fifty of the match, lost his wicket through ball-watching; his new partner Guy Croxford played a ball to deepish mid-on but a fine throw from Craig Evans beat Matsikenyeri home. Three batsmen fell without scoring, and with Gary Brent making 14 Manicaland had lost six wickets for only 43 runs.

Last man Justin Lewis showed more determination, however, and stayed in a last-wicket stand of 53 - a new Manicaland first-class record - with Croxford that ensured Mashonaland would have to bat again. They lost the wicket of Trevor Gripper in doing so, off-spinner Richie Sims winning an lbw verdict as some consolation for his tribulations of the first innings.