Day 2, close of play: Mashonaland A 359; CFX Academy 207; 87/5 (Croxford 28*, McMillan 5*).

An eventful second day at the Alexandra Sports Club in Harare finished with the Academy battling to stave off probable defeat against the assured Mashonaland A side.

It was a long haul for the Academy on a day that continued to defy a rather alarming weather forecast by being dry and often sunny. Everton Matambanadzo took advantage of his self-promotion as nightwatchman to boost his claims for his batting to be taken seriously, and compiled a career-best 39 before being adjudged lbw to off-spinner Barney Rogers halfway through the morning session.

He had added 96 with Trevor Gripper, who proceeded smoothly to what is remarkably his maiden first-class century, an on-driven four taking him to three figures off 151 balls and in 196 minutes. He made 112 before he was superbly caught and bowled by Keith Dabengwa, low to his right off a powerful hit. Stuart Carlisle failed to score, giving Rogers an easier return catch.

Mashonaland A were then 195 for four, but there was to be no major breakthrough as former Academy students Dion Ebrahim, who must be close to international consideration now, and Greg Lamb settled in and piled on the runs, both being unbeaten in an enterprising partnership at lunch, despite the use of nine bowlers. On a heavy outfield, they found boundaries hard to come by, but kept the score constantly on the move with well-judged ones and twos.

They continued in similar vein after lunch until a brilliant piece of fielding broke the stand at 72. Campbell McMillan from square leg threw down the stumps at the bowler's end to run out Lamb by inches for 38.

Ebrahim was not at his most fluent but battled along, reaching his fifty without the aid of a boundary. Big-hitter Andy Blignaut had no such problem, though even he took a while to get going. Then, just as he was beginning to open out, there came another brilliant piece of fielding as Rogers ran about thirty metres and dived full-length at deepish mid-wicket to catch a lofted pull from Blignaut (22) that had looked safe.

Justin Lewis' earlier spells of bowling in this match had been completely innocuous, but he returned to bring the Academy unexpected relief. Ebrahim's first boundary, which took him to 71, seemed to go to his head; without addition he drove a catch off Lewis to mid off.

In the same over Tatenda Taibu (3) departed to a superb diving catch by stand-in wicketkeeper Ryan Butterworth. In his next over he had Shiraz Adam caught at point and would have taken four wickets in two overs had he held a hard return catch from Brighton Watambwa. He had to suffer briefly during a breezy last-wicket stand, conceding 16 off his next over, before having David Mutendera caught off a skyer at mid-on and Mashonaland A were dismissed for 359.

The Academy, going in again 152 behind, were soon in trouble, losing Terry Duffin (7) who edged an outswinger to the 'keeper and Butterworth (0) bowled by a superb ball from Blignaut that came back and just flicked the off bail.

Andre Neethling and the consistent Rogers held firm against some hostile bowling by Watambwa in particular, and looked to be taking control when Rogers (24) flashed at the off spin of Lamb and was caught by Carlisle in the slips. This wicket was followed almost immediately by that of Neethling (14), victim of a calling error by Guy Croxford, and the Academy were back in danger at 53 for four.

Dabengwa fell cheaply, trying in vain to avoid touching a ball from Lamb to the 'keeper and the Academy seemed to be sliding towards a two-day defeat. Mashonaland A applied the pressure but Croxford and McMillan dug in with great determination, while still punishing the bad ball. They survived until the close, but the Academy will do well if they can avoid defeat before lunch on the final day.

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