Zimbabwe 'A' players Neil Ferreira and Richard Sims were in stunning form with the bat as they gave Manicaland a flying start on the first day of their Logan Cup match against Matabeleland at Queens Sports Club on Friday.

They put up 314 for the first wicket, a new record in Zimbabwean first-class cricket, with Sims grabbing a double-century while Ferreira settled for a century as Manicaland closed on 364 for two off 98 overs. Guy Whittall and Stuart Matsikenyeri were unbeaten on 25 and four runs respectively at the close.

Manicaland captain Alistair Campbell won the toss and elected to bat first on a good batting pitch. His decision paid dividends as Sims and Ferreira started to generate the runs. The two took advantage of some loose bowling by the Matabeleland bowlers, combined with some poor fielding.

Sims, better known as an off-spinner who recently went into the Zimbabwe cricket history books for the wrong reasons, was the more aggressive of the two, smashing the home bowlers all over the park. Ferreira on the other hand kept his head down and played the accurate shots. The visitors went for lunch on the driving seat on 124 without loss off 38 overs, with Sims on 89 runs while Ferreira was on 31.

Sims reached his century after facing 131 balls, smashing 18 fours and a six. Ferreira was to achieve the same feat off 245 balls with eight fours. The home side used seven bowlers and none of them seemed to offer any solution as the Manicaland score kept on ticking. What made the situation worse was the dropping of left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa from the team for medium pacer Piet Rinke. This left Gavin Ewing as the only full-time spinner in the bowling attack.

Sims was to get his double century off 277 balls, after staying at the crease for 339 minutes with 31 fours and a six. His stay was however brought to an end when young pace bowler Jordane Nicolle finally found the breakthrough. Sims played a powerful on-drive off Nicolle with substitute fielder Dabengwa well positioned to take a brilliant catch, removing Sims for 204 off 282 balls.

Ferreira went on to add 45 runs for the second wicket with Guy Whittall before he was the second and last wicket of the day to fall, dismissed by Rinke for 120 when wicketkeeper Wisdom Siziba caught him behind. The Matabeleland bowlers really had a torrid time trying to find ways of removing their opponents with none of them managing to contain the visitors' batsmen. Charles Coventry, bowling leg-breaks at one stage, gave away 18 runs off one over and finished with 22 off just two overs.

Manicaland will now be aiming to get a defendable total and then declare. With Whittall and Stuart Matsikenyeri still batting and Campbell yet to come, the visitors seem on track to pile up a commanding total.

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