Manicaland was back to winning ways in Harare last weekend with both teams registering emphatic wins. Guy Whittall and Alistair Campbell returned to the side with telling effect and 19-year-old Justin Lewis marked his Manicaland debut with five wickets.

Batting first, Universals were shot out for 141 in 35 overs. Only wicket-keeper Charles Coventry (44) - son of umpire Chuck - passed 30 and 25 of those came off an opening two-over spell from Leon Soma. Soma has yet to hit form this season and missed out on a green-top prepared specifically for the Universals seamers.

Brother Andre took two for 21 off five overs and Whittall two for 19 off seven but it was left-arm seamer Justin Lewis who destroyed the opposition with five for 34 off ten. Halfway through his two-year stint at the CFX Academy, Lewis bowled with impeccable control, supported by precision catching from Kingsley Went (3) and Richard Sims (2). Schooled at `Camelot', a new private school in Kwekwe, Lewis swings the ball both ways off a short barrelling run. A nephew of Nyazura farmer Vince Lewis, he intends making Mutare his home upon completion of his ZCU contract. Neil Ferreira chipped in with three catches and a stumping as Manicaland squeezed Universals out of the contest.

Fresh from his run feast for Zimbabwe A against North West the previous weekend, Campbell strode to 82 not out (12 fours, 2 sixes) with support from Ferreira (37) as Manicaland cruised home by nine wickets. Players were able to get home to Mutare in daylight after the game finished two hours early. National selector Ali Shah, playing for Universals, couldn't have asked for a better seat to assess Campbell's `loss of form'. Campbell and Richie Sims are in the Zimbabwe Board XI squad to meet Northern Titans A starting this Friday 16 November at Mutare Sports Club.

Playing on the same day at O.H. `B' field, Manicaland II easily beat Queens II thanks to an inspired spell from Nyanga seamer Don Percival. Defending 210 on a bad pitch (Tina Mawoyo 89, Deon Yatras 34), the rangy Percival blasted six for 26 as Queens disappeared without trace in a 142-run demolition.

The Mutare social league continues apace with Hillcrest College far and away too good for the rest.

An interesting new addition to the player base comes in the form of 45-year-old American Dave Pender. Recently recruited by Casuals Cricket Club, his physical attributes place him somewhere between frontier fur trapper Grizzly Adams and WWF legend Giant Haystack. Like his more famous countryman John Paul Getty II, he came to cricket late in life but pursues it with similar passion. Pronouncing himself a Casuals development player, his new apparel shames many regular players whilst his hunger for coaching remains insatiable.

His latest innings yielded a silky 5 before an impetuous lofted drive brought early ruin. Fielding earlier, he effected a direct throw run-out that resulted in exhaustive high fives and post-match analysis. Opinion is divided over his long-term commitment should matches become dry, but there is consensus in a world of shrinking player numbers that Casuals CC have unearthed a diamond.

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