Harare — ZIMBABWE batsman Charles Coventry hit exactly 100 to help Matabeleland Tuskers pile 418 in the first innings on the second day of their Logan Cup tie against Midwest Rhinos at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

Coventry reached his century, off 188 balls, which included 10 fours and two sixes and featured in a number of key partnerships for the hosts in their backyard.

The key partnership came for the seventh wicket when Coventry joined forces with Keegan Meth (67) to put on 109 runs for the hosts.

He had also featured in a 75-run partnership with Gregory Strydom who completed his half-century from just 62 balls before he perished when he was caught and bowled by Taurai Muzarabani.

The Midwest Rhinos' reply got off to a disastrous start as Bothwell Chapungu and Willem Wessels were both dismissed, victims of an inspired opening spell from paceman Chris Mpofu, without scoring.

Chapungu was caught by Dion Ebrahim off Mpofu for a duck and Wessels then lofted one to Coventry, off the same lanky paceman, without troubling the scorers.

Mpofu retained impressive figures of 2-8 from his six overs that shook the visitors' foundation.

However, captain Vusi Sibanda and Friday Kasteni had helped repair some of the damage, at the close of play, pushing the visitors to 40/2.

Sibanda was unbeaten on 20 off 47 balls that was laced by three fours while Kasteni was also unbeaten on 15 from 48 balls.

The Midwest Rhinos were trailing the hosts by 378 runs, with eight wickets still in hand and the shadow of an inspired Mpofu looming large, going into the third day this morning.

Earlier Coventry had led the way as he scored 100, which included 10 fours and two sixes, to push the hosts beyond the 400-run mark.

He eventually perished when he was caught behind by Brendan Taylor after edging one from Malcolm Waller.

But by then the hosts had built an impressive total and even the tail was on hand to offer its contribution with Tawanda Mupariwa scoring 24.

Graeme Cremer toiled for the visitors and took seven of the wickets to fall in a gallant display for his team, ending with figures of 7-124 in 42.2 overs.

In Mutare, the Mountaineers were dismissed for 291with Stuart Matsikenyeri showing his national class with his 110 before he fell to his national teammate Kyle Jarvis.

Trevor Garwe was impressive, in the Mashonaland Eagles attack, taking 4-59 in his 14 overs while Jethro Maudzi gave Matsikenyeri support with his half century.

In reply the Eagles had reached 242/5 from 66 overs at the close yesterday with Greg Lamb unbeaten on 77 and Regis Chakabva on 18.

Matsikenyeri, leading on all fronts, took 2-31 while Shingi Masakadza took 2-41 in 12 overs.

The Eagles now trail the hosts by just 49 runs, with five wickets in hand, going into the third day.

SCORECARDS

Matabeleland Tuskers 1st innings

B Mujuru c Wessels b Sibanda 19

GM Ewing lbw b Cremer 62

DD Ebrahim c Sibanda b Cremer 44

MA Vermeulen c Kasteni b Cremer 0

KM Dabengwa c Waller b Cremer 16

CK Coventry c Taylor b Waller 100

GM Strydom c & b Muzarabani 55

KO Meth lbw b Cremer 67

T Mupariwa c Wessels b Cremer 3

CB Mpofu not out 24

J Nyumbu c & b Cremer 6

Extras - (b 6, lb 1, w 5, nb 10) 22

Total - 418 (all out)

Fall of wickets - 1-73 (Mujuru, 22.4 ov), 2-122 (Ewing, 39.3 ov), 3-122 (Vermeulen, 39.4 ov), 4-150 (Dabengwa, 47.6 ov), 5-157 (Ebrahim, 51.4 ov), 6-232 (Strydom, 70.1 ov), 7-341 (Meth, 95.4 ov), 8-367 (Mupariwa, 103.4 ov), 9-393 (Coventry, 114.1 ov), 10-418 (Nyumbu, 119.2 ov)

Bowling

T Muzarabani 26 3 85 1

MT Chinouya 17 0 63 0

JM Lewis 20 5 65 0

V Sibanda 10 0 55 1

MN Waller 4 1 19 1

Mid West Rhinos 1st innings

BM Chapungu c Ebrahim b Mpofu 0

MH Wesselsâ- c Coventry b Mpofu 0

V Sibanda not out 20

F Kasteni not out 15

Extras (lb 5) 5

Total (2 wickets; 16.3 overs) 40

To bat - R Nyathi, MT Chinouya, T Muzarabani, BRM Taylor, AG Cremer, MN Waller, JM Lewis

Fall of wickets - 1-0 (Chapungu, 0.3 ov), 2-0 (Wessels, 0.4 ov)

Bowling

CB Mpofu 6 1 8 2

T Mupariwa 7 1 23 0

KO Meth 3.3 3 4 0

Match details

Toss Matabeleland Tuskers, who chose to bat

Umpires - L Ngwenya and TJ Tapfumaneyi

Match referee - DW Townshend

Reserve umpire - C Phiri

Mountaineers 1st innings

TMK Mawoyo lbw b Manyumwa 42

J Marumisa c Mufambisi b Garwe 10

H Masakadza c â-Chakabva b Garwe 8

J Maudzi b Mbofana 57

S Matsikenyeri c Mwakayeni b Jarvis 110

T Maruma c Mutizwa b Garwe 19

D Tiripano run out (Mutizwa) 0

K Sauramba lbw b Manyumwa 10

SW Masakadza lbw b Garwe 12

S Mujaji lbw b Jarvis 0

N Ncube not out 0

Extras - 23

Total (all out; 83.4 overs) 291

Fall of wickets - 1-17 (Marumisa, 4.2 ov), 2-29 (H Masakadza, 8.4 ov), 3-87 (Mawoyo, 22.2 ov), 4-175 (Maudzi, 50.5 ov), 5-213 (Maruma, 60.2 ov), 6-213 (Tiripano, 61.4 ov), 7-243 (Sauramba, 70.6 ov), 8-285 (SW Masakadza, 81.2 ov), 9-291 (Mujaji, 82.6 ov), 10-291 (Matsikenyeri, 83.4 ov)

Bowling

TN Garwe 14 1 59 4

KM Jarvis 12.4 1 47 2

MRH Mbofana 15 4 37 1

AM Manyumwa 19 5 56 2

GA Lamb 13 2 44 0

C Zhuwawo 10 2 35 0

Mashonaland Eagles 1st innings

S Mwakayeni c Sauramba b SW Masakadza 2

F Mutizwa b SW Masakadza 41

TN Garwe b Matsikenyeri 34

TV Mufambisi b Maruma 6

RE Butterworth c Mawoyo b Matsikenyeri 40

GA Lamb not out 77

RW Chakabva not out 18

Extras - 24

Total 242-5 (66 overs)

To bat - MRH Mbofana, AM Manyumwa, C Zhuwawo, KM Jarvis

Fall of wickets - 1-2 (Mwakayeni, 0.5 ov), 2-81 (Garwe, 23.1 ov), 3-91 (Mufambisi, 26.2 ov), 4-104 (Mutizwa, 27.6 ov), 5-188 (Butterworth, 49.1 ov)

Bowling

SW Masakadza 12 4 41 2

N Ncube 12 0 36 0

S Mujaji 8 0 34 0

D Tiripano 9 1 30 0

T Maruma 13 0 50 1

S Matsikenyeri 11 1 34 2

J Maudzi 1 0 6 0

Match details

Toss Mashonaland Eagles, who chose to field

First-class debut - K Sauramba (Mountaineers)

Umpires - O Chirombe and L Rusere

Match referee - E Matsikenyeri

Reserve umpire - K Tasa