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This match was a dead rubber as far as Zimbabwe Provinces were concerned - unlike the 3-day series, they've never really performed in the 1-day competition - and the Powerade Dragons took full advantage of a lacklustre Provinces performance to secure a 9-wicket win that keeps their own chances of reaching the final alive. After losing the toss and being put in to bat, Provinces never really seemed to get going, as the top order failed to get any significant partnerships going. It was only when the batting reached the lower order that the side finally seemed to click, with Tino Mawoyo (31), Prosper Tsvanhu (35*) and Bornaparte Mujuru (42) saving the team from an embarassingly-low score. Even then, 182/9 from their 45 overs was always going to be a tough target to defend.

And Dragons were in no mood to let a win they needed escape them. They lost only one wicket on their way to the target (Christiaan Jonker, caught on 57), and Johan Mostert (89*) and Andrea Agathagelou (21*) saw their side home with 18 overs to spare.

While Provinces had nothing to play for in this match, it's still a disappointment to see them capitulate as easily as they did. Again it was the top order that failed to do its job, although the bowlers didn't exactly put in a performance to be proud of, either. Full scorecard below the cut.
Zimbabwe Provinces 182/9 (45 overs; Mujuru 42, Jonker 3/13), Dragons 183/1 (27.5 overs; Mostert 89*, Chibhabha 1/22). Dragons win by 9 wickets.

After having been within a whisker of a spot in the SAA Provincial Challenge final, Zimbabwe Provinces signed off on this year's competition with a draw in a hard-fought match against the Powerade Dragons. After a difficult first day saw the Dragons take a convincing lead in the match & finally finish their first innings on 357/6 decl, Timycen Maruma (74*) and Tino Mawoyo (50) helped Zim to 289/8 decl from their first knock. The second innings saw Dragons off to a poor start, losing a number of early wickets & at one stage being on just 3/10, but first-class debutant Andrea Agathagelou (57) and Thando Bula (67) helped steer the home side to 160/6, when another Dragons declaration left Provinces chasing 229 to win - although with only 25 overs left in the day's play, it was an unlikely target.

That didn't stop Provinces from giving it a go, though. Stuart Matsikenyeri's 55 came at over 2/ball, while Friday Kasteni (38) and Steven Nyamuzinga (59*) also made valuable contributions as Provinces, scoring at over 7/over, cut loose - on this occasion they couldn't be faulted for effort, but time eventually ran out leaving them on 184/6, 45 short of the target and ensuring the match ended in a draw.

Full scorecard below the cut. There are another 2 rounds of matches yet to be played in Pool B so Provinces' final position in the table isn't certain yet, but they've done reasonably well in the competition. The turning point was the loss against Griqualand West, a match Provinces should have won and that would have almost ensured a spot in the final - instead they'll finish probably in 3rd or 4th, but that's still above what some will have expected the side to be capable of. Hopefully they'll get the chance to improve on their standing in next year's competition.
Dragons 357/6 decl (Bula 88*, Maruma 3/105) & 160/6 decl (Bula 67, Chibhabha 2/10), Zimbabwe Provinces 289/8 decl (Maruma 74*, Gerber 3/40) & 184/6 (Nyamuzinga 59*, Mostert 4/16). Match drawn.

Zimbabwe Provinces' final match in the 3-day SAA Provincial Challenge got underway in Potchefstroom yesterday, and before rain interrupted the Powerade Dragons had made an impressive start - after losing the wicket of opener Christiaan Jonker with just one run on the board, Johan Mostert (40*) and Andrea Agathagelou (61*) had powered the Dragons to 102/1. The time lost, and the Dragons wickets still to come, means Provinces are already facing the draw.

Scorecard for the day is below the cut. More at the close of Day Two.
Powerade Dragons 102/1 (Agathagelou 61*, Rainsford 1/35), Zimbabwe Provinces yet to bat.

ZC have named the Zimbabwe Provinces squad for the final round of SAA Provincial Challenge matches, against the Powerade Dragons - the three-day match will take place between 14-16 February, with the one-day match following on the 17th.

There's no place in the side for Terry Duffin, dropped after his run of poor form, while Graeme Cremer makes the step up to the national side and is playing in the MTN Domestic Championship. In to replace them are Stuart Matsikenyeri (who also takes over the captaincy from Blessing Mawhire), and Forster Mutizwa, who will take the place of Tino Mawoyo as first-choice wicketkeeper.

The full sqaud i:
Stuart Matsikenyeri (captain), Trevor Garwe, Friday Kasteni, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Blessing Mahwire, Admire Manyumwa, Timycen Maruma, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Bonaparte Mujuru, Forster Mutizwa (wicketkeeper), Stephen Nyamuzinga, Edward Rainsford and Prosper Tsvanhu

Another match, another loss for a Zimbabwean side as Provinces were put to the sword by Griqualand West in their SAA Provincial Cup one-day match in Kimberley. Provinces started well enough, with Taurai Muzarabani keeping the Griqua top-order in check and taking some key early wickets, but Adrian McLaren was allowed to cut loose mid-innings, contributing to a 66-run 6th wicket stand that helped the home side to their eventual total of 212/9.

In reply, Provinces simply went to pieces, with Regis Chakabva (24) and Terry Duffin (17*) the only players to make any sort of worthwhile contribution to an innings that was shortened by rain. Faced with an eventual target of 142 runs from 23 overs, Provinces fell far short, ending the match on 77/6 and notching up yet another disappointment in a poor weekend.
Griqualand West 212/9 (45/45 overs; McLaren 81, Muzarabani 3/25), Zimbabwe Provinces 77/6 (23/23 overs; Chakabva 24, Swanepoel 2/13). Griqualand West win by 64 runs (D/L method).

Full scorecard below the cut.

Needing 190 to win and cement their place at the top of the Pool B table, Zimbabwe Provinces choked on the final day against Griqualand West. Provinces resumed on 41/1, with Tino Mawoyo and Bornaparte Mujuru at the crease, and the pair seemed to have taken the idea of caution to heart - for much of the opening session, Provinces ticked along at a meagre 1.40/over, barely enough to allow them to reach their target in the day's allotted overs. It wasn't until Regis Chakabva arrived at the crease that the pace picked up - but that change in pace also coincided with a typically Zimbabwean batting collapse. After the dismissal of Friday Kasteni in the 60th over, Provinces simply went to pieces, as batsman after batsman failed to make any impact against the Griqua bowling, and what had seemed a certain win slipped further and further away. Blessing Mawhire gave the side hope with some useful resistance at the bottom of the innings, but when he fell - the last wicket of the day - Provinces were still 11 short of the required total, and Griqualand West had the win that took them back to the top of the group, with a game still in hand over Provinces.

A huge disappointment, this result. The one-day match tomorrow will give Provinces some scope for revenge, but with them already out of contention for the semi-final places in that competition, a win will hardly be satisfying.
Griqualand West 293 (Bossenger 88, Garwe 4/49) & 90 (Kruger 32, Pietersen 32, Cremer 3/10), Zimbabwe Provinces 194 (Kasteni 61, Karolus 4/26) & 178 (Chakabva 35, Pietersen 6/66). Griqualand West win by 11 runs.

Full scorecard below the cut. Previous days' reports: Day One | Day Two

Day Two of the SAA Provincial Challenge match between Griqualand West and Zimbabwe Provinces, and after picking up from 72/3, Provinces were soon in trouble - Friday Kasteni's 61 was the highlight for the visitors, but he was first man out on the day and the wickets fell regularly from there. Regis Chakabva's 46 helped the side reach a half-way respectable score of 194, but all told it was another frustrating day with the day, and Griqualand West took a 99-run lead into the second innings.

Provinces made up for their problems with the bat, though, when Admire Manyumwa and Graeme Cremer demolished the Griquas. The first-wicket stand of 40 was the best partnership of the day - 6 of the home side's batsmen failed to score, as Manyumwa (3/18) and Cremer (3/10) ripped through the batting order, with Trevor Garwe (2/29) also making a contribution. Griqualand West were bowled out for just 90, leaving Provinces with a target of 190 to win.

Chasing their target, Terry Duffin's run of poor form continued as he was out for a duck (his 4th in this competition), but by close of play Tino Mawoyo (21*) and Bornaparte Majuru (15*) had very cautiously seen the side to 41/1. Provinces now have a full day to finish the run-chase - plenty of time, as long as they keep their heads about them. It'll be an interesting day's play tomorrow.
Griqualand West 293 (Bossenger 88, Garwe 4/49) & 90 (Kruger 32, Pietersen 32, Cremer 3/10), Zimbabwe Provinces 194 (Kasteni 61, Karolus 4/26) & 41/1 (Mawoyo 21*, Pietersen 1/18)

Scorecard for the day is below the cut.

Important match for Zimbabwe Provinces, this one - they're currently top of Pool B (although they've played one more match than most sides in the group), and Griqualand West are their nearest challengers. If they're to have any hope of reaching the SAA Provincial Challenge final, then they must win this match.

Provices won the toss and elected to field, and captain Blessing Mawhire and Ed Rainsford were soon in the wickets, removing the Griqua openers to leave them in trouble on 3/46. From there, though, Petrus Koortzen and Wendell Bossenger dug in to put on 148 for the 4th wicket, giving particular problems to Graeme Cremer. But it was Cremer who eventually made the breakthrough, removing Koortzen, and from there regular wickets - and an impressive spell by Trevor Garwe (4/49) - saw Griqualand bowled out for 293, a disappointment for them when a score of 400+ looked possible at one point.

Provinces' reply got off to a poor start, with Terrence Duffin's run of poor form continuing (out for just 9) and Tino Mawoyo also failing to fire. After 25 overs play, Provinces closed the day on 72/3, giving the batsmen at the crease (Friday Kasteni and Regis Chakabva) a job to do in the morning, and the game fairly evenly-balanced.
Griqualand West 293 (Bossenger 88, Garwe 4/49), Zimbabwe Provinces 72/3 (Kasteni 24*, Pietersen 2/9)

Scorecard for the day is below the cut.

Better late than never... A few changes to the Provinces side which won the 3-day match, with Blessing Mahwire and Taurai Muzarabani being replaced by Prosper Tsvanhu and Tafadzwa Kamungozi, and Ed Rainsford being given the captaincy for the day. Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field, and while the early dismissal of Tienie Fick (18; 33/1) saw the visitors off to a good start, a 2nd-wicket stand of 139 by Griffin Nieuwoudt (60) and Riley Rossouw (95), backed up by Hancke von Rauenstein (57*), saw Free State quickly gain control. Graeme Cremer (4/31) was able to quickly work through the middle order later in the innings, but by then the damage had been done - Free State finished their allotted 45 overs on 273/6, leaving Provinces a challenging target of 274 at 6.09/over.

In reply, Provinces struggled right from the start. The dismissal of Regis Chakabva with the score on 23 marked the beginning of a steady procession to & from the crease - while several players did get starts, only Cremer (40), Steven Nyamuzinga (33) and Bornaparte Mujuru (57*) really got going, with the result that Provinces were always off the pace. Garret Perry lead the Free State bowling with 2/23, and Provinces spluttered their way to 219/9 from their 45 overs, giving Free State the win by a considerable margin.
Free State 273/6 (45/45 overs; Rossouw 95, Cremer 4/31), Zimbabwe Provinces 219/9 (45/45 overs; Mujuru 57*, Perry 2/23). Free State win by 54 runs.

Scorecard below the cut. Next Match: Griqualand West v Zimbabwe Provinces, Kimberley, 31 Jan - 2 Feb & 3 February.

Zimbabwe Provinces scored their second successive win in the SAA Provincial Challenge 3-day competition, claiming the scalp of Free State in a 5-wicket win that, while convincing enough at the end of the day, also raised a few worries along the way.

The match was one of a few good individual performances and plenty of disappointments for both sides. Batting first, Free State managed 208 all out, led by Tienie Fick's 84 and useful contributions from van Rauenstein (39) and Erlank (41) - but the remaining batsmen all failed to reach double figures, with Ed Rainsford (4/39) and Graeme Cremer (4/71) enjoying rich pickings to give Provinces a good start in the match. Unfortunately, come their turn to bat, Provinces' innings matched Free State's - good individual performances from Steven Nyamuzinga (44), Cremer (42) and Tino Mawoyo (37), but very little from the rest of the lineup, and Provinces were bowled out for 203, giving Free State a first-innings lead of just 5.

Depending on your point of view, things then got worse for Free State, or better for Provinces. In an innings where the top score was just 30, Provinces ripped through the Free State batting. Admire Manyumwa (3/13) took care of the top order, before Ed Rainsford turned in a blazer of a spell to deal with the tail, taking 6 wickets for just 21 runs conceded, with Free State clocking up four ducks along the way. That left Provinces with a target of 107 to win.

In best Zimbabwean fashion, though, Provinces' top three batsmen managed to score nothing between them, as Mawoyo, Friday Kasteni and Terrence Duffin all departed without scoring, leaving the side looking decidedly wobbly. Regis Chakabva and Graeme Cremer steadied the innings, though, and proved a capable pair as they finally guided Provinces to the win.

A win is a win, of course, but once again a Zimbabwean side has suffered from wobbly batting. Sometimes I wonder how long it's going to be before this particular bugbear is finally laid to rest. On the plus side, Ed Rainsford and Graeme Cremer must surely both be back in contention for the national side (quota issues allowing), after excellent performances.
Free State 208 (Fick 84, Rainsford 4/39) & 101 (Fick 30, Rainsford 6/21)
Zimbabwe Provinces 203 (Nyamuzinga 44, Cremer 42, Terblanche 3/40) & 107/3 (Cremer 31*, Nyamuzinga 21*, Kops 2/34)
Zimbabwe Provinces win by 5 wickets

Full scorecard below the cut. Next match: Griqualand West v Zimbabwe Provinces, 31 Jan - 2 Feb and 3 Feb 2008.