Mashonaland bid to make it six in six
The Logan Cup, Zimbabwe's premier first-class inter-provincial four-day competition, gets underway on Tuesday with the four provinces in action in Bulawayo and Mutare
Wisden Cricinfo Staff
19-Jul-2005
The Logan Cup, Zimbabwe's premier first-class inter-provincial four-day
competition, gets underway on Tuesday with the four provinces in action
in Bulawayo and Mutare.
A fierce battle is in store at Bulawayo Athletic Club where Matabeleland
will host Mashonaland. The last time the two sides met, in April this
year, Matabeleland won by five wickets. Heath Streak, the then-Matabeleland skipper, put up a sterling allround performance in that
match to lead them to their first victory over Mashonaland in eight
years.
He scored a century and took seven wickets as Matabeleland completely
dominated. This time around Streak is available: he was willing to play
but did not notify the Matabeleland selectors that he was available,
after spending most of last week trying to retrieve his boat which sunk
in Binga a fortnight ago.
Matabeleland will be captained by pace bowler Mluleki Nkala and boast a
strong batting line-up that includes Mark Vermeulen, who is likely to
bat down the order. Gavin Ewing, along with Keith Dabengwa and Gregory
Strydom, are their proven allrounders. Nkala leads the Matabeleland
bowling attack.
Tatenda Taibu, skipper of the national side, captains Mashonaland, who
have won the Logan Cup five years in a row. They have an equally strong
batting line-up, including Brendan Taylor, Barney Rogers and Elton
Chigumbura. Their bowling attack will be led by Douglas Hondo.
Taibu, a capable bowler himself, is likely to hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Taylor, who is equally good behind the stumps. Taibu is still recovering from an injury to his left shoulder which he suffered during
Zimbabwe's match against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy.
In the other match, at Mutare Sports Club, Manicaland, captained by Dion
Ebrahim will host Midlands, who are skippered by Alester Maregwede.