Coach Trevor Penney and captain Gus Mackay report on the Board XI's latest matches, played at Mutare Sports Club from 9 to 11 and on 12 December 1999.

Three-day match. GAUTENG 326/8 dec (J M Otto 30, D Jennings 78, D R Laing 32, S S Ndima 72, R P Snell 34; D T Mutendera 2/62, R W Price 2/74) and 275/4 dec (T A McLaren 82, J M Otto 42, D Jennings 20, D R Laing 86, J Coetzee 30*). ZIMBABWE BOARD XI 300/7 dec (T R Gripper 68, D A Marillier 22, C B Wishart 69, S V Carlisle 65, A J Mackay 42; R A Almeida 3/51) and 215/9 (D A Marillier 77, D D Ebrahim 46*, A J Mackay 26; R A Almeida 4/59, N A Fusedale 4/73). Match drawn.

One-day match. ZIMBABWE BOARD XI 238/8 (D A Marillier 35, S V Carlisle 72, C N Evans 27, D P Viljoen 76*; R A Almeida 2/63, G P Butler 2/37). GAUTENG 145 (D R Laing 50; A J Mackay 3/20, C N Evans 4/33). Zimbabwe Board XI won by 93 runs.

The Mutare Sports Club ground is rather run down, as it was some years ago; there were anthills in the outfield but it was green enough and not too bad to play on. There had been a lot of rain so the bowlers' run-ups were wet, as was the edge of the square, but the pitch itself was very flat, a very good batting pitch which gave nothing at all to the bowlers and had very little bounce.

The teams arrived at mid-afternoon on the Wednesday, the day before the match was due to start, after practising in Harare before we left. In the evening we played a bit of golf at Leopard Rock Hotel.

We lost the toss and Gauteng batted. They declared after 85 overs, and we were about 50 without loss overnight after about 20 overs. Their top scorer was the left-hander Jennings, son of former wicket-keeper Ray Jennings. It rained overnight so we didn't get started until about twelve o'clock the following day. We thought we would never get started as it was so wet.

We declared at 300 after our 85 overs, getting an extra batting point. We were about 220 for two at one stage, and then went for our bonus point at 300. We had 14 overs to get about 80 runs and that's why we lost five more wickets. Wishart and Carlisle could probably have got hundreds easily, but they had to push it along, which is one of the reasons why they got out.

They set us 302 to win in about 60 overs. We started the chase but ended up 215 for nine. Doug Marillier got 77, but he should have got a hundred; he played across the line to the spinner and spooned one up. It was unfortunate as he was playing really well. Craig Wishart's knee was sore throughout the game; he had the Test match and then came straight to this game, and the knee being weak from his operation couldn't cope. We rested him in the one-day game. He didn't bat in the second innings here until we needed him to go in and save the game for us, to block it out. He didn't run between the wickets, but just blocked.

That was quite a tight finish; we needed Wishart and Mutendera to block out the last four overs. It was a good game of cricket but the rain ruined it. There were bits of rain and bad light on both the second and third days, so a lot of overs were lost. All the Board XI bowlers bowled well on a very flat wicket and no one did outstandingly. It was just a containing job; you couldn't beat the bat.

In the one-day game we lost the toss and they fielded. This was strange, as it was a beautiful batting pitch and they stuck us in. Whenever there's a good wicket you usually bat and get a big score on the board and expect to win the game. We were very pleased with that as we were going to bat if we had won the toss.

We made 238 for eight in 45 overs, and Viljoen got 76 off 73 balls. He batted very well, and it was nice to see as he hasn't got runs for a while. Stuey Carlisle scored 72 off about 90 balls and batted well, so he had a good weekend.

Then we bowled them out for 145 off about 38 overs, and that great opening fast bowler, the bald one [Gus Mackay], took three for 20 in eight overs. They scored 50 off about six overs, and then Craig Evans got four for 33. He didn't bowl well to start with, but in his second spell he bowled a lot better. Raymond Price bowled a brilliant spell; Dean Laing, who plays often for their first eleven, was in and Pricey tied him up beautifully. Davy Mutendera also bowled well. They were well placed at one stage, but we managed to get the break-throughs.