Matches played Sunday 7 February

ALEXANDRA v OLD HARARIANS, at Alexandra Sports Club

OLD HARARIANS 189/5 (40.1 overs) (R Godden 26, R W Price 23, G B Brent 61, D P Viljoen 24, T L Penney 29*; G du Plessis 2/27, G C Martin 2/29) v ALEX. Match drawn -- rain.

For those in Harare who thought the weather couldn't get any worse -- it has. It was remarkable that play was possible at the Alexandra Sports Club at all after so much rain during the week, and then only because extra covers were available after being used for the England A match. One source says that in all four cricket leagues this was the only match played in Harare on Sunday that was not cancelled in advance due to waterlogged grounds.

Old Hararians, losing the toss, were put in to bat by Alex captain Darrell Goodwin. The outfield was naturally heavy, but OH were given a rousing start with some lusty blows from Richard Godden. Played mainly as a bowler, OH have started using Godden as a pinch-hitter to open the innings and hit over the top, and he did this to good effect, departing before his solid opening partner, Patrick Gada of the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy, who scored 10.

Then followed a series of useful partnerships, none of which really developed into anything devastating but which together gave OH a decided advantage. The only batsman to pass 30 was Gary Brent, who has played several one-day internationals for Zimbabwe; he hit a fine 61 in 100 minutes off 79 balls, including a six and 5 fours.

Trevor Penney and Paul Strang were settling into a partnership which looked capable of taking OH past 250 when the rain began. There was a ten-minute downpour which it developed into an on-off light drizzle. Lunch was taken and the field inspected; several small areas of the outfield were waterlogged, notably at the edge of the square where water had run off the coevrs. The one umpire on duty was very dubious; Penney wanted to play, despite the prospect of having to bowl and field in such conditions, but Goodwin decided to play it safe and sit on one-and-a-half points, so the match was abandoned.

Two other Garys, Martin and du Plessis, took the only wickets to fall to the bowlers, so it was certainly a match for the Garys -and the ducks.

MANICALAND v OLD GEORGIANS, at Mutare Sports Club

MANICALAND 149 (47.4 overs) (M G Burmester 26, B I Robinson 46; A J Mackay 2/22, G W Flower 3/26). OLD GEORGIANS 132/5 (39 overs) (M A Wagh 45, A J Mackay 32). Old Georgians won by 26 runs (adjusted target).

The match began in pleasant weather which no doubt persuaded Manicaland captain Mark Burmester to bat on winning the toss. Manicaland's effort was spoilt, though, by a mixture of weak batting and good bowling. After 30 overs they had passed 100 with five wickets down, but the innings gradually subsided after that.

Old Georgians in reply struggled at first but gradually picked up momentum. Warwickshire's Mark Wagh held the early batting together, while Gus Mackay hit a typically aggressive 32. Old Georgians were well on course for victory when the rain put in its obligatory appearance in mid-afternoon. The Duckworth-Lewis system agreed with this verdict, stating that Old Georgians were 26 runs ahead at this particular point, and therefore they were deemd to have won by this margin.

This was only Old Georgians' second result in five matches, whereas Manicaland are the only club to have all their matches brought to a conclusion.

QUEENS SPORTS CLUB v HARARE SPORTS CLUB, at Bulawayo Athletic Club

Abandoned without a ball being bowled. This match had been moved from the Queens ground, which has all the covers, to Bulawayo Athletic Club due to the unofficial Test between Zimbabwe A and England A at that venue beginning on Tuesday; however a very heavy downpour on the Friday left BAC awash and they had no alternative but to cancel the match.

UNIVERSALS v BULAWAYO ATHLETIC CLUB, at Country Club

Universals, who have now had four complete washouts in five matches, spent the week desperately trying to find a venue for their match. Country Club was eventually agreed upon, only for heavy rain on Friday night to make this too unplayable.

With five rounds of matches now played, Alex and Old Hararians still head the field, with two wins and three draws apiece.

Points to date (3 for a win, 1.5 for a draw): Old Hararians and Alexandra 10.5, Universals 9, Queens and Old Georgians 7.5, Manicaland and Harare Sports Club 6, Bulawayo Athletic Club 3.

NEXT WEEKEND'S FIXTURES (subject to interference without prior notification from the weather):

Harare Sports Club v Alexandra, probably at Harare South Country Club

Manicaland v Old Hararians, at Mutare Sports Club

Old Georgians v Universals, probably at Country Club

Queens Sports Club v Bulawayo Athletic Club, at Queens Sports Club