Matabeleland get off to a disastrous start on day one

Former cricket academy student Wisdom Siziba scored a century as Matabeleland got off to a disastrous start on the first day of their Logan cup match against Midlands at Bulawayo Athletic Club yesterday. Matabeleland were all out for 192 in 63 overs with Siziba scoring 103 runs, more than half the team's score, while Midlands were 107 in reply at the close of play.

New Midlands captain Dirk Viljoen won the toss and seemed to have made an unlikely decision when he sent the home side in to bat first. But his ploy worked out as Matabeleland batsmen failed to utilize the flat pitch that is good to bat on first.

Matabeleland never recovered from an early loss of wickets, with most of their batsman failing to record double figures. Three of them went out without any runs on the board. Vice-captain and opening batsman Ryan King was the first to leave the filed of play when he was dismissed by Campbell McMillan, edging a ball into the slips where he was caught by an alert Sean Ervine, to depart for two runs.

The visitor's bowling attack tightened the noose and the home batsman could not withstand the pressure. Keith Dabengwa, one of the new faces in the squad, departed without scoring when he was trapped leg before wicket by James Kornford. Kornford claimed his second and last wicket when he dismissed Mecury Kenny, who was caught at first slip by Viljoen for 22 runs. Siziba and Gregory Strydom put on 21 runs for the fourth wicket before Strydom departed for eight, caught behind by wicketkeeper Colin Delport off the bowling of McMillan.

Midlands introduced John Vaughan-Davies and the medium-pacer grabbed two quick wickets in the same over to leave Matabeleland reeling at 96 for six. He dismissed Mike McKillop and Gavin Ewing in the same style in the 29th over, leg before wicket. McKillop managed only eight runs while Ewing went out without scoring.

Siziba and Warren Gilmour put some life into the home side's innings, putting up 61 runs for the seventh wicket until Gilmour was caught at mid-wicket by Ervine off the bowling of Viljoen for 29 runs. Captain Colin Williams failed to live up to expectations as he went out for a duck, offering Viljoen a simple catch off his own bowling.

Siziba was the last man to go when he was dismissed by Davies, caught behind by Delport, to end his fine performance, which saw him smash 12 fours. Vaughan-Davies was the pick of the Midlands bowlers, taking four for 38 in just seven overs. McMillan, Viljoen and Kornford grabbed two wickets each.

In reply, Midlands lost Luther Mutyambizi who was trapped leg before wicket for nine and Craig Grant who was clean bowled by Ewing.

Matabeleland manager Derrick Townshend admitted that his side did not get it right from the start but was optimistic that they would come back and win the match. He said the batting was a big let-down but Siziba's feat was a remarkable one, though he ran out of partners.