da doce： Two differing innings dominated the second day’s play, as Matabeleland tookthe lead against the CFX Academy and were 323 for six at the close
John Ward23-Mar-2002Two differing innings dominated the second day’s play, as Matabeleland tookthe lead against the CFX Academy and were 323 for six at the close. GregStrydom hit an aggressive 91 while Wisdom Siziba, handicapped by injury,held the innings together with a dogged fifty.The Matabeleland opening pair batted fairly sedately for half an hour,adding 24 to their overnight 10, before Stuart Walker (8) was trapped lbw byfellow debutant Colin Miller-type left-arm bowler Tom Benade, bowling in hisseam mode.Gavin Ewing, slightly overweight, talented but a little rustic at times, wasmore aggressive, strongest on the pull; aided by some short-pitched bowling,he reached his fifty off 55 balls with three pulls to the boundary off theobliging Innocent Chinyoka. The bowlers finally learned their lesson, andEwing had no more `freebies’; on 58 he hammered Rushambwa into the coverswhere Chinyoka dived low to pick up one more to add to his remarkable tallyof catches so far this Logan Cup season.Ryan King, out of form, has a problem of walking across his stumps too much,and was soon lbw to Piet Rinke for 7, making Matabeleland 100 for three.Strydom began aggressively, like Ewing feasting to the full off the plethoraof short deliveries, but when that supply dried up exhibited some attractivestraight drives, some lofted. At lunch he had 22, having overtaken numberthree Siziba, who was struggling to find his touch due to a minor handinjury suffered in the field on the first day.After lunch, Siziba hung in there with his usual dogged concentration, whileStrydom played more aggressively, selecting his scoring shots generally withdiscretion. His occasional indiscretions were overlooked by the Academy,who dropped two chances, one hard and one easier. Again he was severe onthe short deliveries, and again the Academy bowlers were too obliging attimes.Eventually Benade, in left-arm spin mode, broke the partnership with aquicker ball that yorked Strydom for 91, scored out of a stand of 125.Keith Dabengwa was badly dropped off a skyer into the covers, but failed toprofit, as he was beaten and bowled by a ball, from Benade again, that spunsharply out of the rough, still without scoring. At this vital pointMatabeleland were 225 for five.Siziba reached his fifty soon after tea, off 207 balls, a dour effort butcourageous and determined considering his hand injury. Mark McKillop kepthim company and Matabeleland went into the lead just after the second newball was taken. Chinyoka did not need its assistance to break the stand,though, as McKillop (49) got an inside edge to a full toss and edged theball on to his stumps.Andre Hoffman hand not bowled earlier due to a sore back, but then came onto dismiss Clement Mahachi (6) and Matthew Townshend (0) in one over justbefore the close, when Siziba remained unbeaten with 70 after batting forsix hours.