Dion Ebrahim recorded his maiden first-class century in the Logan Cup match against Manicaland, almost a year after scoring a century in a one-day international against Bangladesh. He talks to ZCO about this match.

Mutare Sports Club is still very much a batsman-friendly pitch; once you get yourself in there are runs to be made, and it's a matter of keeping your head and being patient. The opposition was not as strong as could have been, but still, in those conditions you have to apply yourself.

The outfield I think has deteriorated, because of the weather, coming out of winter and with very little rain; it was bumpy and dusty, but the pitch was very well kept. The weather was sunny during the match, but there was quite a chilly breeze at times, with the mountain air. It was very good weather for cricket, not too hot and not too cold.

We went down there on the Thursday, so we did not have time for net practice, but we had a fielding session when we arrived at the ground that evening.

We won the toss and obviously elected to bat first on a batsman-friendly pitch. The thinking behind it was, with our batting line-up, to bat only once in the game and put them on the back foot straight away. We didn't get off to the most ideal start, losing Trevor Gripper and Stuart Carlisle for 13 and 17.

Grant Flower and myself managed to rebuild and consolidate the innings with a partnership of 95. We lost Grant through perhaps not the best of decisions. Andy Flower was ill, so Craig Evans came in at five in his place, and from there we built up a very good partnership of 284.

I had drawn up certain goals for myself to help me achieve during this Logan Cup, and my maiden first-class century was part of it. I'm glad it came in the first game. Obviously I have other goals, and they haven't all been achieved yet, but I'll see at the end of the Logan Cup season. At the moment I'm bang on track to achieve what I've set out to achieve this first-class season. With Pakistan and the World Cup ahead it will hopefully build up into that.

Manicaland had four seamers in Henry Olonga, Gary Brent, Leon Soma and Justin Lewis, and it wasn't the best of bowling tracks. Henry and Gary with their experience came through and bowled very well, not giving anything loose. We managed to capitalize mainly on the less experienced bowlers. Otherwise it was just a matter of being patient and waiting for the bad ball, which was soon to come.

I gave a chance when I was on 40; Henry gave me a short ball which I fended, and it came off my glove and landed between two fielders, luckily. That was the only real chance I gave. I did bat through a full day's play once before, in India, but unfortunately as in India I got out early next morning. A double-century was in the back of my mind, and I was hoping to start again and get there. But I think fatigue got to me, and a lack of concentration.

Craig Evans played a great knock, his fifth ton on the trot in Logan Cup. I think he'll agree that he started off very shakily - I don't know if he's played much competitive cricket lately - and once he started to relax and play his normal game, it was a joy to be at the other end. Obviously his big hitting was something to see, and he's obviously fighting to get his way back into the national side. He gave two chances in the slips, one early on and another just before he got to his ton.

Tatenda Taibu played a very good knock, a very busy innings, and in no time at all he was getting his hundred. He came in and took to the attack straight away, looking very positive; he just hit the ball and ran. I think Manicaland were still geared up to take some wickets and try to put some pressure on us by stopping the runs. From day one the seamers bowled a line quite wide of the stumps, I think attempting to frustrate the batsmen, so 'Taibs' did very well to get his hundred in such quick time. Manicaland are a very committed side, very young and mostly from the Academy, all with a point to prove.

We identified certain Manicaland batsmen as key in their innings; Neil Ferreira was one, and obviously Alistair Campbell, and also Guy Croxford and Stuart Matsikenyeri. We managed to get Neil out for 42, getting the openers and Richie Sims quite quickly. Then Alistair and Stuart batted very well, and it was a bonus to get them out. After they got started they both scored fifties.

I think Alistair has changed his attitude a bit after a rather poor Logan Cup record; I think the attitude of all the cricketers has changed for the better, and they're now really focusing with the World Cup ahead and know they have to put in the performances. No one can afford to sit back and just expect things to happen. I think everyone's work ethic has increased. Alistair has been training hard in the off-season and I think he alongside everyone else is out to prove something.

We bowled very well: Andy Blignaut coming back, and the young Alfred Mbwembwe had a brilliant start to his Mashonaland career. He was very unfortunate not to take any wickets, but we were all impressed with the way he kept his line and length, stuck to his disciplines so well and very rarely strayed. He often beat the bat, on a pitch where that was very difficult. He definitely stood out, as well as Gus Mackay and Brian Murphy. Brian and Andy Blignaut were going to be the key in winning the game, Andy up front and Brian with the older ball, and it proved to be. Our bowlers were all very aggressive, which was up trumps for us.

Manicaland were made to follow on, and Alistair, Stuart Matsikenyeri and Guy Croxford again proved to be difficult people to get out. I felt we should have wrapped it up a lot earlier and a lot more clinically. We allowed them get ahead of our score and set us a target, which we shouldn't have allowed. We just relaxed towards the end and got off the pace a bit, just expecting things to happen.

We just needed 12 to win, and I think there's always a bit of pressure on the openers when there's just a small target to get. You're not fully focused and just a bit tired, and I think that showed in Trevor Gripper's shot that got him out. It was an off-spinner and he padded up to a ball that was going to end up on the stumps, and we were one down for no runs. We had the potential to lose a couple of wickets in chasing the total, but luckily we managed to hold on and score the runs.

The things that stand out most from this match were obviously Craig Evans's knock and young Alfred Mbwembwe's bowling. He didn't bowl much in the second innings, and neither did Gus Mackay, as we went mainly with our spinners.