Durham got pre-season preparations underway with a dominant win over Zimbabwe A with victory by 347 runs at Harare Sports Club.
The outcome was all but certain as they resumed the final day on 115 for six, chasing a daunting target of 481.
Dion Myers, unbeaten overnight on 20, managed to add just two more runs before Matthew Potts breached his defence and bowled.
His 59-ball stay was the longest innings by any Zimbabwe ‘A’ batter.
The tail offered little resistance, though the last-wicket pair of Tanaka Chivanga and Alex Falao put on 12 runs before George Drissell dismissed Chivanga to wrap up the match in about half an hour.
Zimbabwe ‘A’ were bowled out for 133, with Potts finishing as the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 37 runs.
Zimbabwe ‘A’ – 69 and 115-6 in 35 overs (Nyasha Mayavo 33, Brian Bennett 20, Dion Myers 20*; Will Rhodes 2/11, Mitchell Killeen 2/12, Matthew Potts 1/28)
James Minto claimed his maiden first-class five wicket haul, as the Durham Academy youngster put in an outstanding bowling performance – as Durham edged closer to a big Zimbabwe win.
Despite two fighting innings from Nyasha Mayavo, Zimbabwe ‘A’ endured a tough second day in their first three-day match against Durham at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
By the close of play, the hosts were staring at defeat, with only four wickets remaining and a daunting 366-run deficit.
Beginning the day having lost the wicket of Takudzwanaishe Kaitano the previous evening without a run on the board, Zimbabwe ‘A’ suffered a dramatic top-order collapse within the first six overs.
Ben Curran (4), Brian Bennett (0) and Nick Welch (3) all fell to James Minto, who ran riot in just his third first-class match.
Johnathan Campbell and Dion Myers both offered brief resistance, scoring nine runs apiece, while Mayavo was the only man to reach double figures, scoring 15 off 21 balls.
The innings closed for 69 all out, a deficit of 299, with Minto having taken his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket for only 21 runs.
Opting against enforcing the follow-on, Durham’s openers took full advantage of the opportunity to bat again.
Emilio Gay and captain Alex Lees dominated the Zimbabwean attack, racing to 137 in just 24 overs before Gay was stumped off Bennett for 64 (79 balls).
Lees accelerated further, smashing an unbeaten 100 off just 90 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes, with Will Rhodes at the other end not out with 11.
At this point Lees declared, setting Zimbabwe ‘A’ in theory 481 runs to win.
Alex Falao was the most economical of the Zimbabwean bowlers, conceding only 25 runs from his seven overs, but the rest of the attack struggled, leaking over five runs per over.
In their second innings, they showed some improvement, with Minto limited to a brief three-over opening spell.
Kaitano (16) and Curran (10) added 27 for the first wicket before both fell in quick succession.
Welch (2) also departed cheaply, but Bennett contributed 20 before being dismissed as the fifth wicket at 62.
A brief resurgence followed as Myers dug in with resilience, while Mayavo once again led the fight, striking 33 off 27 balls.
However, his innings was cut short when he was trapped lbw by Callum Parkinson at 103 for six.
At stumps, Zimbabwe ‘A’ were 115 for six, with Myers unbeaten on 20 off 54 balls, alongside Vincent Masekesa with five not out.
With a massive deficit of 366 runs still to overcome, the home side are facing an uphill battle heading into the third and final day.
Day 1 Durham – 368-8 declared in 76.2 overs (George Drissell 81, Ollie Robinson 81, Will Rhodes 48; Victor Nyauchi 3/44, Alex Falao 2/73, Vincent Masekesa 2/95) Zimbabwe ‘A’ – 0-1 in 0.3 overs (Ben Curran 0*, Nick Welch 0*)