Left-arm spinner Raymond Price bagged six wickets for Midlands as Matabeleland took a commendable lead on the third day of the Logan Cup match between the two provinces at Queens Sports Club on Sunday.

Matabeleland took a lead of 390 runs after closing at 276-8 off 72 overs in their second innings. This was after they had bundled Midlands out for 348 in 93.2 overs in reply to their first innings of 462.

The Matabeleland pace bowlers, Pommie Mbangwa and Mluleki Nkala, utilized the second new ball well and put the pressure on Midlands. The visitors lost their first wicket of the day when Travis Friend departed for 25, Charles Coventry catching his powerful drive off Jordane Nicolle at mid-off. Midlands lost another wicket when Alester Maregwede was dismissed by Mpumelelo Mbangwa, caught behind by wicketkeeper Wisdom Siziba for 23 runs.

Left-hander Donald Campbell failed to find his best form with the bat and departed for 14 runs after he was caught in the slips by Mark Vermeulen off the bowling of Mluleki Nkala. Mbangwa claimed his third wicket when he trapped Innocent Chinyoka leg-before wicket for eight runs. Nkala claimed the last Midlands wicket when he removed last man Campbell McMillan for two runs.

Nkala and Mbangwa claimed seven wickets between them, with Nkala the more successful with four wickets for 83 from 19.2 overs while Mbangwa took three and gave away 74 runs from 25 overs. Nicolle was close behind with two wickets, while spinner Gavin Ewing claimed one victim. Midlands fell 114 runs short of the Matabeleland total in their chase.

In their second innings Matabeleland got off to an excellent start with their opening pair of Gavin Rennie and Mark Vermeulen producing 131 in the face of loose bowling from the Midlands pacemen. The two proceeded steadily before Vermeulen, soon after reaching his half-century, fell to left-arm spinner Price when he was successfully caught at long-on by Vusumuzi Sibanda after a remarkable juggling act. He departed for 55, which came off 124 deliveries.

The left-handed Rennie appeared on course for another century and together with Charles Coventry put on 36 for the second wicket. But Rennie was run out after Coventry called for a quick single before changing his mind and stayed at his crease with Rennie caught out of his ground. This brought an end to another brilliant innings by the Zimbabwe Test player which saw him score 79 runs, facing 135 deliveries and smashing 12 fours.

The young Coventry continued his heroics and went on to get his half-century from 51 deliveries. Matabeleland lost their third wicket when another error of judgement by Coventry saw Barney Rogers run out for 30. The fourth wicket failed to add any runs when Andre Hoffman went out for a duck, nicking a Price delivery to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Maregwede.

Coventry had his moment of reckoning when he smashed two sixes and a four off Price before falling to the same bowler, running out of luck when his powerful drive was caught by Friend at extra cover. This brought an end to the 19-year-old's innings in which he smashed 81, facing 78 deliveries.

Price took his fourth wicket when he had Mluleki Nkala caught at silly mid-on by Terrence Duffin before he opened his account. Gavin Ewing followed, caught in the slips by Sean Ervine for four runs. Mbangwa became the last Matabeleland wicket of the day to fall when he was given out leg before wicket to Price with the last ball of day, without offering a shot.

Wisdom Siziba was unbeaten with five runs to his name, with Keith Dabengwa and Jordane Nicolle still to bat. Price finished with the best figures of six for 75 in 31 overs and bowled 11 maidens, using the wearing pitch well. The other bowlers did not take any wickets as the other two wickets fell to run-outs. Ervine proved expensive, conceding 45 runs from seven overs.

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