Manicaland bounced back from their poor showing in the Logan Cup game a fortnight ago to beat Takashinga convincingly by seven wickets in the league cup semi-final last Sunday. Played on a knife-edge, Manicaland hung tough through a day of provocation and discourtesy to earn a home final against Old Georgians in two weeks' time.

Arriving in the team bus from Harare in the morning, Takashinga signalled their mood by parking the vehicle away from the main clubhouse and using it as a change room cum pavilion for the rest of the day. Refusing any contact with their hosts they declined lunch, a tray of cool drinks at drinks interval (opting to return to the bus for water) and ordered youngster Elton Chigumbura back to the bus when he sought treatment for a split finger at the clubhouse.

Realizing he would receive no medical help there, Manicaland sent a first-aid box to the bus where his finger was eventually bandaged. Paranoia on this scale had to affect their fielding and the tally of no-balls, wides and crazy overthrows mounted as they tried unsuccessfully to defend a mid-range total.

Winning the toss and batting first, Takashinga reached 217 for eight in 50 overs with Zimbabwe Under-19 batsman Chigumbura hitting a confident 63 and Rangarirai Takashinga 47. Initially pegged back by some tight bowling from Leon Soma (10-2-24-1) and Mark Burmester (10-1-36-4), the black Harare team dominated the middle overs. Former Manica Patrick Gada was looking so good during his 28 that a run-out appeared the only way to remove him. He obliged by misjudging the left arm of Ian Coulson at mid-off - finding himself well short to a match-turning direct hit.

Burmester's spell included a searing return catch flung skywards with Gibbsesque ostentation, plus the normal repertoire of fire-eating, unluckiest-bowler-in-the-world bluster. That he copped a barrage of personal/family insults later when opening Manicaland's innings shocked him and contributed to a near incident later when the departing Deon Yatras turned and advanced threateningly on bowler Amos Maungwa after being sworn off the pitch. Only the intervention of visiting Harare umpire Quentin Goosen calmed the situation.

After early jitters Manicaland settled in to a professional measured run chase with Andre Soma (65) and Neil Ferreira (86 not out) thrilling the 250 home spectators by turning a difficult assignment into a strolling victory. The winning runs were hit with six overs to spare and it was good to see Takashinga players (Maungwa excepted) shaking hands with umpires and opponents alike.

Still smarting from the two-match ban and Z$5000 (US$15) suspended fine on Gift Makoni for the mayhem caused three weeks earlier, Takashinga sent their own report to the ZCU alleging umpiring bias and racism in the allocation of a `wooden shed' change-room. That every visiting team - India included - has uncomplainingly used this `shed' partly explains the siege mentality of this team. Observers found the judgment of Justices Bartlett and Chinhengo, Advocate RY Philips and Attorney RI Costa - to calculably the worst incident in grade cricket worldwide in 20 years - difficult enough to understand, but to plead racist provocation indicates the depth of this problem.

This Friday sees the start of a four-day Logan Cup first-class game against Mashonaland. Back to bolster Manicaland from `A' team duty in South Africa will be Richie Sims, Guy Whittall and Gary Brent.

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