**Official** Zimbabwe Domestic Season

[Chubb]

It's nearly time for the one thing we've all been waiting for to start. This year's Logan Cup promises to be a thrilling rollercoaster ride of epic cricketing proportions, full of hard-hitting Tafadzwa Mufambisi centuries, Graeme Cremer weaving his magical legspin web, the genius of Vusi Sibanda in full flow, Andy Blignaut sixes, fiery spells of pace bowling from Gerry Penford, Bothamesque allround displays from CJ Chibhabha and Elton Chigumbura, Brendon Taylor double tons and all manner of other excitement from the world-class competition that is the Logan Cup. Oh yeah.

Let's preview the sides;

Mashonaland
Mash have won the Logan Cup six years running, and when you look at their full-strength XI it's no wonder.
BRM Taylor
KD Samunderu
CJ Chibhabha
SV Carlisle
T. Taibu +*
BG Rogers
AM Blignaut
E Chigumbura
AG Cremer
W Mwayenga
JS Nicolle

And in reserve they have:
Bernard Mlambo (opening batsman)
Alex Mlambo (left arm seamer)
Trevor Garwe (Right arm seamer)
Tafadzwa Mufambisi (Reserve wicketkeeper who often plays as a specialist batsman)
Victor Chaitezvi (Batsman)

Mashonaland almost always have access to the best young talent in the country because the strongest leagues are in Harare.

Manicaland
The Manicas were surprise runners up last year and their team has allround strength.
TR Gripper
SM Matsikenyeri
DD Ebrahim
NR Ferreira *+
H Masakadza
TMK Mawoyo
C Macmillan (RM)
NB Mahwire (RFM)
T Panyangara (RFM)
G Penford (RF)
A Mwayenga (LFM)

and their reserves are;
Kingsley Went (Batsman)
Leon Soma (RFM)
Stephen Wright (LS)
Ryan Bennett (RM)
Ben Hundermark (allrounder)
Johnson Marumisa (batsman)
Andre Soma (seamer)
Gordon Brown (batsman)

Manicaland have a strong side there so they'll be hoping to push Mash all the way

Matabeleland
It used to be whenever Mash didn't win the Matabeles did, but they have gone off the boil, because Heath Streak isn't always there, and because of a number of socio-economic Mugabe-related factors affecting Bulawayo
MA Vermeulen
T Duffin
G Strydom
CK Coventry +
SC Williams
MG McKillop * (debate over his place)
GM Ewing
KM Dabengwa
ML Nkala
T Mupariwa
CB Mpofu

their reserves being;
Tinashe Hove (opener)
Wisdom Siziba (wicketkeeper)
Simbarashe Kusano (right arm seamer)
Thabo Mboyi (RM)

Matabeleland are on paper the second best side but they'll need to improve this year. If I were them I would drop McKillop, who isn't very good, and bring in Siziba or Hove who are capable batsmen, making Vermy captain. Of course if Heath is there then he should be in the side, again in place of McKillop.

Midlands
Ever wondered what it's like to be the worst team in the worst league in the world? Midlands know all too well. They do however have the genius of Vusi Sibanda in their ranks.
V Sibanda
A Maregwede +*
DA Marillier
CR Ervine
F Kasteni
C Brewer (a tosser)
P Utseya (at seven! at seven!
DT Hondo
AJ Ireland
I Nicolson
EC Rainsford

their reserves;
Archibald Chirinda (f-all rounder)
Innocent Chinyoka (a convicted thief)
Innocent Chikunya (RHB RM don't confuse him with Chinyoka)
Erick Chaulauka (opener)
Hilary Matanga (offspinner)
Amos Maungwa (f-all rounder familiar to ICC players)

They'll almost certainly finish last.

The Faithwear One-Day competition will be more evenly matched, last year Mash didn't win a game, and I would make Matabeleland favourites if Heath Streak is there.

An interesting thing about the Zimbabwe domestic scene is that you don't necessarily play for the province you were born in. If you are good enough to go to the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy, you will be posted to a side during and after your year there. The idea is to spread the talent arond but it doesn't work, because there isn't enough talent to make one good FC side let alone four. TBH I don't know why I started this thread because no one cares what happens in the Logan Cup.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Innocent Chinyoka (a convicted thief)
Innocent Chikunya (RHB RM don't confuse him with Chinyoka)

I think the Bangladeshi domestic season has more point than this, somehow... Is there a schedule announced yet?

 

[Chubb]

I based starting it on the fact that the Logan Cup began on 20-something october last year. The competition is split because of the rainy season, from late november until march.

Innocent Chinyoka is a thief by the way, apparently he stole a teamates car and personal belongings during a match last year.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Innocent Chinyoka is a thief by the way, apparently he stole a teamates car and personal belongings during a match last year.

Heh, I selected him for the World Club Cricket World Cup (a game run by Blewy and broncoman) - had some pretty decent List-A stats. Why on earth is he still playing?

 

[steds]

Gordon Brown (batsman)

Hehehe

 

[Chubb]

He got away with it because he's a black man. he is a useful player at Zim FC level. Do you think I did a good job of selling the competition?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

He got away with it because he's a black man. he is a useful player at Zim FC level. Do you think I did a good job of selling the competition?

Enough for me to check out some scorecards when the season starts.

 

[steds]

This year's Logan Cup promises to be a thrilling rollercoaster ride of epic cricketing proportions, full of hard-hitting Tafadzwa Mufambisi centuries, Graeme Cremer weaving his magical legspin web, the genius of Vusi Sibanda in full flow, Andy Blignaut sixes, fiery spells of pace bowling from Gerry Penford, Bothamesque allround displays from CJ Chibhabha and Elton Chigumbura, Brendon Taylor double tons and all manner of other excitement from the world-class competition that is the Logan Cup. Oh yeah.

Funny how with all this amazing talent they can't win a test.

 

[Chubb]

Enough for me to check out some scorecards when the season starts.

That's good to know. I figured only one person other than me bothers to look up the Logan cup, Prince EWS, whose knowledge surpasses my own, but I thought "What the hell" and started it anyway. Time was you could get first hand close-of-play reports from the excellent Zimbabwe Cricket Online magazine that used to effectively be Cricinfo Zimbabwe, but that ended following the Wisden merger. It was the best, most informative, cricket site I have ever seen. You could even email the guys who wrote it! That was one of the things that made me a Zimbabwe fan. Not sure if i should thank them or hate them nowadays.

 

[marc71178]

Innocent Chinyoka is a thief by the way, apparently he stole a teamates car and personal belongings during a match last year.

Another reason to not adopt the super sub rule:

Taibu: "We'll sub on Chinyoka"
Umpire: "OK, but where is he?"
Blignaut: "Can't see him, and I can't see my car either..."

 

[Prince EWS]

Well I really didnt expect anyone to start this thread, but Im definately pleased it occurred. Im picking Matabeleland to win the Logan Cup. Their side looks spectacular on paper, and they have good batting depth as well with Siziba and Hove not in the first choice XI!

As for Utseya batting seven, hes actually batted seven in a test match (and he scored a well-played 46 as well..) and has even opened the batting on occassion in the Logan Cup, so his batting cant really be scoffed at, even though he has rarely shown it on the international stage.

The weirdest thing I find with the Logan Cup is the fact that Hamilton Masakadza sometimes opens the bowling with his leggies... why the hell does this happen??

I hope Vermeulen, Carlisle, Rogers, Feirerra and Gripper absolutely kill it. That'd show the selectors. Its a shame Wishart isnt playing though. I think his retirement does more harm to the domestic comp than the international team. He would have been great to bring the young players through and rise the overall standard of the comp.

 

[chooka_nick]

Another reason to not adopt the super sub rule:

Taibu: "We'll sub on Chinyoka"
Umpire: "OK, but where is he?"
Blignaut: "Can't see him, and I can't see my car either..."

HA!
Truth be told, I actually follow Zimbabwean cricket
Well, I should clear that up a bit: I recon Heath Steak is a great player, one of my favorites, and I used to follow him when he played for Matabeleland.
Should be a fun season!

 

[Burpey]

I reckon that Manicaland looks better than Mashonaland. However, I don't really follow Zimbabwean cricket. I might follow it this season just for the sake of it

 

[Prince EWS]

I reckon that Manicaland looks better than Mashonaland. However, I don't really follow Zimbabwean cricket. I might follow it this season just for the sake of it

Possibly in the top order, but once it gets to the middle-lower order and the bowling, Mashonaland have it all over them.

 

[chooka_nick]

Yeah, I tend to agree, although Burkey is right, Manicaland looks pretty damn strong.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Heath Steak

I hear his seam bowling is pretty tasty.......

 

[Chubb]

Zimbabwe President's XI to play in Duleep Trophy

Cricinfo staff

October 9, 2005

In an effort to arrest the continuing decline of the national side, Zimbabwean authorities have been forced to swallow their pride and send a team back to the South African Bowls competition. They had pulled out after the 2002 season protesting against being made to play weaker sides. They have also announced the team to play in the Duleep Trophy in India.

Hamilton Masakadza, the Zimbabwean top order batsman, has been named the captain and Kevin Curran, the coach of the Zimbabwe President's XI side scheduled to play at least two four-day matches in the Duleep Trophy against first class sides in India at the end of this month. They will join the five Indian first class sides with the six teams split into two groups of three. The winners of the each group will play in the final.

National team captain Tatenda Taibu and his deputy Heath Streak have not been considered for selection due to family commitments.

Meanwhile, Douglas Marillier, the offspinner, has been named captain of the Zimbabwe Board XI side to play in the South Africa Bowls Competition where they will play three-day and one-day matches from October 20. Marillier will have Alester Maregwede, the wicketkeeper, who recently came back from early retirement as his deputy. In South Africa, the Board XI side will play five three-day matches and an equal number of limited overs matches against KwaZulu Natal, Border, Western Province, Boland and Eastern Province. The team will return to South Africa again early next year to play five three-day matches and the same number of one-day matches.

Injury has again ruled out pace bowlers Douglas Hondo, Tinashe Panyangara, Tawanda Mupariwa and Elton Chigumbura, the allrounder, from being picked for any of these sides. Sean Williams, the young top order batsman, Kudakwashe Samunderu, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Tafadzwa Mufambisi, the wicketkeeper and Ian Nicolson, the pace bowler, were not considered for selection as they will be representing the national Under-19 side at the inaugural Afro-Asia U-19 tournament to be held in India next month and the ICC U-19 World Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in February next year.

Squads:

President's XI to play in India: Hamilton Masakadza (captain), Andy Blignaut (vice-captain), Neil Ferreira, Terrence Duffin, Keith Dabengwa, Charles Coventry, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor (wicketkeeper), Dion Ebrahim, Waddington Mwayenga, Blessing Mahwire, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Antony Ireland.

Board XI to play in South Africa: Douglas Marillier (captain), Alester Maregwede (vice-captain-wicketkeeper), Gavin Ewing, Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Colin De Grandhomme, Edward Rainsford, Christopher Mpofu, Allan Mwayenga, Barnard Mlambo, Tinashe Hove, Trevor Garwe, Innocent Chinyoka, Tino Mawoyo, Gregory Strydom.

Interesting selection in the Board XI. Obviously Marillier is still in the selector's thoughts, but I don't see what Bernard Mlambo has done to get in the side... look him up on cricinfo. That kind of average in the Logan Cup is risible. Colin de Grandhomme was supposed to be emigrating, indeed his father, who is stinking rich (not to put to fine a point on it) "pursuaded" the selectors not to pick him immediately after the rebellion, so that it would take him four years to qualify for England.

Anything-but-Innocent Chinyoka is there as well. Lock up your cars, you saffies!

 

[Chubb]

Some good news...

South Africa to assist Zimbabwe's top players

Cricinfo staff

October 12, 2005

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union's (ZCU) drive to improve playing standards for its top players has received support from the South African board.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) has invited Zimbabwe Under-23 to play in both the one-day and three-day formats of the South African Airways Challenge - the two top amateur inter-provincial competitions - in the forthcoming season.

Further help was offered with Zimbabwe's captain Tatenda Taibu and the allrounder Andy Blignaut joining up with franchise sides Cape Cobras and Highveld Lions respectively.

Gerald Majola, chief executive of the UCBSA, said: "We will introduce these two measures as part of the UCBSA's commitment to assisting the ZCU to raise playing standards in this time of reformation for Zimbabwe cricket. We both believe that playing in our top amateur and professional competitions will assist the ZCU in this regard."

And some bad...

Odoyo leads rout of Zimbabwe

Cricinfo staff

October 12, 2005

Kenya 236 beat Zimbabwe A 152 and 73 by an innings and 11 runs

Kenya's tour of Zimbabwe got off to an excellent start when they beat Zimbabwe A by an innings and 11 runs with more than a day to spare in the opening match of their brief visit.

The first day ended with honours just about even. Zimbabwe won the toss and batted, but were almost immediately in trouble, slipping to 66 for 6 at lunch before recovering to 152. Kenya found the going equally hard, sliding to 111 for 6 by the close.

But on the second day, Kenya established an 84-run lead, and then skittled Zimbabwe A out for only 73, Thomas Odoyo leading the rout with five wickets.

More details to follow.

 

[chris.hinton]

what happened to Masvigo

 

[Chubb]

I think that Masvingo have been given first-class status by the ZC board, but they aren't in the Logan Cup. I suspect they will play against the other provinces in first-class friendlies, a bit like a UCCE except crap. It's a good job they aren't in the Logan Cup, it'd just make it evn worse than it already is.