da stake casino： If it had not been for a superb innings of 152 by discardedZimbabwe opener Gavin Rennie, Mashonaland would have been in aposition of considerable embarrassment at the end of the secondday’s play at the Academy headquarters at Country Club, Harare
John Ward04-Mar-2000CFX ACADEMY v MASHONALAND: DAY 2By John WardIf it had not been for a superb innings of 152 by discardedZimbabwe opener Gavin Rennie, Mashonaland would have been in aposition of considerable embarrassment at the end of the secondday’s play at the Academy headquarters at Country Club, Harare.As it was, they emerged with a first-innings lead of only 27 andthe match is well poised going into the final day.The Academy resumed their first innings at 194 for six, and theovernight pair of Paul Strang and Jason Young took theirpartnership to 103 before Young, trying to hit off-spinner DanPeacock over the top, hit a catch straight to Anton Hoffman atmidwicket to be out for a highly commendable 47 on his debut.The Academy were now 214 for seven.Paul Strang, now past his fifty, continued to accumulate withskill and determination, but lost Clement Mahachi for 3, lbw toMatambanadzo. Then, in bending his knees to cut a ball to theboundary, he felt something give at the side of his leftknee-cap. He was forced to call for a runner, but before longwas out to a ball from Everton Matambanadzo that moved back,taking him by surprise and bowling him through the gate for 72.Again Matambanadzo bowled with much variety, but his slower ballsoften became full tosses, which the inexperienced batsmen wereunable to take advantage of.The last pair of Gregg Haakonsen (7) and Douglas Hondo (2 notout) needed to add seven to reach 250 and a second batting bonuspoint, but the former was trapped lbw by Brighton Watambwa withthe score on 245. One criticism of the Mashonaland players wasthat there was far too much unnecessary appealing while they werein the field.The Academy bowlers, less experienced than their Mashonalandcounterparts, lacked the line and length to keep it tight whenMashonaland batted, and openers Gavin Rennie and Brad Robinsonwere soon off to a brisk start. Rennie, omitted from the WestIndian tour due to poor league form, had something to show theselectors and he did in style, driving fluently on both sides ofthe wicket and playing some sweetly timed cuts. To make mattersworse for the Academy, Strang was unable to bowl, although he wason the field until mid-afternoon fielding at slip and directingoperations. At lunch Mashonaland were 69 without loss (Rennie43, Robinson 19).The stand was broken on 72 when Robinson (20) off-drove a balland charged down the pitch expecting a run, only for AlesterMaregwede to make a superb stop and throw the ball to the keeperwith the batsman quite unable to get back. Trevor Madondo camein and played a few exquisite strokes, especially a couple offront-foot drives to the off despite the slow pitch, showing whata fine batsman he could be when he gets his head right. Socomfortable did the pair appear that a major partnership lookedto be in the offing, when Madondo was deceived into offering nostroke to a ball from Friend that moved back and hit his offstump. Mashonaland were now 136 for two.Rennie was now approaching three figures, but in the eighties hesnicked a low hard chance off Friend to the left of Strang atslip, and the fielder in attempting to reach it caused furtherdamage to his knee and had to leave the field. Rennie duly movedto his century, scored off 153 balls, but then the Academy foughtback. First Dirk Viljoen (13) snicked a straight-forward catchto the keeper off a rather erratic Haakonsen. Craig Evans neverlooked comfortable, had difficulty in piercing the field, and hadonly 2 to his credit when he tried to pull a ball from DouglasHondo and the resultant skyer was well held at backward squareleg by substitute fielder Andrew Stone.This really brought the Academy to life, just before the teainterval, and they were to get a further wicket when captainTrevor Penney (1) unaccountably shouldered arms to a ball frommedium-pacer John Vaughan-Davies that moved back and hit his offstump, reducing Mashonaland to 181 for five (Rennie 102) as theytook tea.The Academy missed the chance of a further wicket soon after tea,as Don Campbell had only 3 when he was dropped at slip offDouglas Hondo. He stood firm with Rennie until after the drinksinterval as they added 79 together, Rennie easily passing his 127for a ZCU President’s XI against the Sri Lankan tourists torecord his highest first-class score. There is to be nostewards’ inquiry into what went into the drinks, but certainlyMashonaland seemed in a hurry to get off the field after thebreak. Or perhaps somebody reminded them that it was Greg Lamb’s19th birthday and they decided to give him the most generous ofpresents.First of all Campbell (19) got a leading edge to be caught byYoung at cover off Lamb, bowling off-spin as something of adesperation move. This the sixth wicket fell at 260. ThenRennie, trying to pull the same bowler, skyed a catch that washeld by wicket-keeper Delport running round towards square legafter a superb 152. He had played a very sound innings, althoughperhaps he was lucky in the 130s when he suddenly swung fiercelyat a yorker from Young that just missed the stumps and beat thekeeper for four byes.Dan Peacock fell first ball, lbw to Vaughan-Davies, but 11 runscame off the rest of the over. Then Lamb wrapped it up by havingEverton Matambanadzo (7) pulling a catch straight to Young atmidwicket and trapping last man Brighton Watambwa lbw withoutscoring. Anton Hoffman (4) was left unbeaten and the total was272. The last five wickets had fallen within three overs for 12runs, and Lamb led the Academy off the field to the tunes of’Happy Birthday’. He finished with four for 12 in 3.4 overs.The Academy had a rather uncomfortable 55 minutes’ batting at theend of the day, losing the wicket of Maregwede, lbw to anoff-cutter from Matambanadzo for 4. They finished on 28 for one(King 6, Vaughan-Davies 10), but if there is to be a resultMashonaland have the advantage. An Academy batting collapsewould probably see them through, while the Academy, in order towin, will have to build a reasonable score and also bowlMashonaland out in their second innings. Apart from Rennie, tenMashonaland batsmen scored a mere 93 runs between them but theyshould not bat so badly a second time. Still, one can nevertell.