ZIMBABWE CRICKET: NATIONAL LEAGUE

MANICALAND v HARARE SPORTS CLUB, at Mutare Sports Club

Harare Sports Club 187 (45.3 overs) (T R Gripper 43, J M Oates 54; D Yatras 3/26). Manicaland 188/9 (43.1 overs( (G J Whittall 78, M G Burmester 30; D J Peacock 3/40). Manicaland won by one wicket.

In a thrilling finish, the Cinderella province of Manicaland caused an upset by beating the strong Harare team by one wicket. Their hero was their new signing, Guy Whittall, who was born in the province and has recently returned to cricket after a lengthy recovery from knee surgery. Manicaland won the toss and put Harare Sports Club in to bat, the expected policy in uncertain weather conditions. The visitors had lost nine wickets for about 180, in 43 overs, when rain caused a 45-minute day and an early lunch was taken. Afterwards Sports Club were dismissed for 187, with left-arm spinner Dion Yatras the pick of the bowlers.

Harare Sports Club were in fact fortunate to reach the total they did, as Manicaland dropped five catches. Their bowling, however, was very impressive.

Confusion now reigned, as the regulations were apparently too vague to tell the umpires what to do in rain-interrupted matches. It was eventually decided that Manicaland had to score at a rate of 3.76 runs per over to win the match.

Manicaland got off to a flying start, but then became bogged down. Dan Peacock's off-breaks accounted for three wickets, while Andy Blignaut generated a great deal of pace, but was erratic.

Whittall, however, was superb. Rain caused further delays, and as the light faded after 6pm in light drizzle the batsmen were given the opportunity of going off. Whittall elected to stay on, hit a couple more boundaries and was then dismissed, with his team needing two runs for victory with one wicket left. Last batsman Jason Sparrow drove the next ball through the covers for two, and a notable victory was achieved, at 28 minutes past six.

Relationships between the two teams deteriorated as the match progressed. Harare Sports Club were perhaps overconfident, and certainly surprised to meet such determined opposition. The confusion over the regulations and the fading light certainly aggravated tempers, and Sports Club were disadvantaged by having to field in a drizzle that was too light to prevent play but dampened the ball.

This was a tremendously encouraging performance by Manicaland, back in the first league after many years in the doldrums. Their small administration has put a great deal of money into improving cricket in the province, and their signing of Whittall has been a notable coup. They have also been strengthened by the return of former test player Mark Burmester to his home province.

QUEENS SPORTS CLUB v ALEXANDRA SPORTS CLUB, at Queens Sports Club

Queens 126 (36.5 overs) (J R Craig 33, J A Rennie 30*; K G Duers 3/18, G C Martin 3/25). Alex 129/7 (M W Goodwin 58*, J W Armitage 23*; H H Streak 3/13). Alex won by three wickets.

This was a rain-affected match, played on a damp pitch and reduced to 39 overs per side. Queens struggled to 126 all out, failing to use up their full allocation of overs, and Ross Craig and John Rennie had to fight hard to save their team from complete collapse in difficult batting conditions. Alex had even greater problems, with Heath Streak making the ball lift viciously off the damp pitch. They lost a wicket to the first ball of the innings, and then Murray Goodwin was struck on the nose by a ball from Streak which squeezed through the grill on his visor.

He was rushed to hospital with a suspected fracture, but in fact nothing was broken. When he returned Alex were facing imminent defeat at 63 for seven. While James Armitage hung on pluckily at one end, Goodwin courageously returned to the crease and gradually wrested control from the bowlers. Their unbroken partnership more than doubled the score and took their team through to a hard-earned victory.

UNIVERSALS v OLD HARARIANS, at Universals Sports Club

OLD GEORGIANS v BULAWAYO ATHLETIC CLUB, at Old Georgians Sports Club

Both these matches, due to be played in Harare, were abandoned without a ball being bowled due to the unintentional transformation of the grounds into paddy fields after persistent rain!

Programme for Sunday 17 January

Harare Sports Club v BAC, at Sunrise Sports Club

Old Hararians v Old Georgians, at Old Hararians Sports Club

Alex v Manicaland, at Alexandra Sports Club

Universals v Queens, at Universals Sports Club

Note: Harare Sports Club are currently unable to play on their home ground due to the redevelopment taking place there.