Steve Mangongo returns to first-class cricket as head coach of Mega Market Mountaineers

VETERAN development stalwart Steve Mangongo has returned to first-class cricket as the head coach of Manicaland provincial franchise side, Mega Market Mountaineers, as the domestic season got underway yesterday. Two 2024/25 Pro50 Championship matches were played yesterday to mark the official start of the country’s domestic set-up. The four-day Logan Cup gets underway tomorrow. However, Mountaineers are on a bye and will begin their campaign on November 5.

Mangongo, who in recent months has been heading Zimbabwe Cricket’s (ZC) High Performance Programme, has expressed his delight in returning to franchise cricket. He will be assisted by Thabo Mboyi. Mountaineers didn’t have the best of campaigns in the Pro50 Championship last season, finishing in fourth place with six points, eight behind champions Eagles. However, they managed to win the Logan Cup, their first since the 2018/19 season.
Mangongo said he is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead for his side.

“I have to say, I am excited to be back at Mountaineers. As one of the pioneers, it’s always good to be back. This is professional cricket; it’s serious business. It’s tough at franchise level; players won’t have it easy. Mountaineers are a force to reckon with, and we want to make sure that we go back to the top, to the level that we know we should be at and lift those trophies. We are aiming for that,” said Mangongo.

Despite being on a bye in the opening round of games in both the Pro50 Championship and Logan Cup, Mangongo and his team have wasted no time in preparing for the season. He said they have a good squad with a mixture of young, exciting talents and experienced campaigners who have been around for some time.

Some of the exciting talents in Mountaineers’ ranks include National Premier League (NPL) T20 Blast leading run-scorer and batter of the tournament, Jayden Schadendorf. He believes in the potential that the former Zimbabwe Under-19 international has. Some of the players in his team include Wellington Masakadza, Dion Myers, Brian Bennett, Alistair Frost, and Kevin Kasuza, among others.

“We have a good mixture of experience and upcoming talents. We have some of the top performers from the NPL coming through. We’ve got very talented players, both upcoming and experienced. Muchawaya (Tinashe) is on top of his game at the moment and will learn a lot from the experience of Tendai Chatara and Victor Nyauchi. We also have some very bright Under-19 talents in our ranks. This team is a deadly mixture.

One of our goals is to lift a trophy. We have started training; we got underway with a rigorous fitness session. I am excited that the battlefield is starting, and it is great to be back in the Mountains,” said Mangongo.

Also looking to put behind them a poor campaign in the previous season are Tuskers, who got their campaign in the Pro50 Championship up and running yesterday. The team is currently under the tutelage of Chris Mpofu, as head coach Walter Chawaguta is on national duty with the Lady Chevrons in Harare. Mpofu said the previous campaign, which saw them anchor the Pro50 Championship standings while securing a third-place finish in the Logan Cup, is behind them, and they are now looking at having a good season this time around.

Mpofu said he hopes that they will be able to end the season with at least one trophy from the three in contention (Pro50, Logan Cup, and T20).

“We didn’t have a good season last year, but I am glad we did well in the last three games (Logan Cup), winning two and drawing one. We just want to have a good start; we haven’t had good starts in the past. A good start sets the pace. We have a four-day game starting on Sunday. Our preparations haven’t been the best, but we managed to cover as much as we can. If we can manage to get at least one trophy, it would be good. That is what is realistic,” said Mpofu.

The veteran said he is also pleased with his team structure as it includes experienced seasoned players and young talent.

“We have a pretty good team. We’ve got the experience in Sean Williams, Brian Chari, Ernest Masuku, among other guys who have been around for some time now. There are also good youngsters like Mgcini Dube and Adrien Mupembe who have really managed to do well. So we have a good team capable of giving anyone a run for their money,” said Mpofu.

The first round of Logan Cup matches is scheduled for tomorrow, with Southern Rocks hosting Eagles at Takashinga Cricket Club, while Tuskers will be up against Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club. The second round of Pro50 Championship matches are set for November 5, with Tuskers at home to Eagles at Queens Sports Club and Rhinos entertaining Mountaineers at Kwekwe Sports Club. The same teams will meet again at the same venues for Logan Cup action beginning on November 7.

SQUADS FOR 2024/25 DOMESTIC SEASON:

EAGLES:
Craig Ervine, Wessly Madhevere, Tanaka Chivanga, Richard Ngarava, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Tapiwa Mufudza, Faraz Akram, Kudzai Maunze, Larvet Masunda, Emmanuel Bawa, Tinotenda Maposa, Rodney Mupfudza, Munashe Chipara, Wallace Mubaiwa, Tawanda Maposa, Kundai Matigimu, Alex Falao, Ryan Kamwemba, Marshall Takodza, Talent Dzikiti, Wishnanzy Chapfombo
MOUNTAINEERS:
Tendai Chatara, Wellington Masakadza, Victor Nyauchi, Joylord Gumbie, Mathew Welch, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers, Nicholas Welch, Owen Muzondo, Timycen Maruma, Tinashe Muchawaya, Vincent Masekesa, Alistair Frost, Kevin Kasuza, Jayden Schadendorf, Spencer Magodo, Clive Imbayago, Nkosilathi Nungu, Arineshto Vezha, Michael Frost, Ashley Mufandauya
RHINOS:
Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Prince Masvaure, Tashinga Musekiwa, Antum Naqvi, Awad Naqvi, Kudakwashe Macheka, Nyasha Mayavo, Ben Curran, Michael Chinouya, Victor Chirwa, Neville Madziva, Trevor Gwandu, Ali Hasan, Solomon Mire, Jabulisa Tshuma, Tafara Chingwara, Davis Murwendo, Bright Matsiwe, Ronald Masocha, Walter Matawu, Mason Chikowero, Brandon Mavuta, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans
SOUTHERN ROCKS:
Richmond Mutumbami, Jonathan Campbell, Roy Kaia, Tafadzwa Tsiga, William Mashinge, Cephas Zhuwao, Cuthbert Musoko, Priviledge Chesa, Takudzwa Chataira, Alvin Chiradza, Keith Jaure, Dylan Hondo, Sydney Murombo, Newman Nyamhuri, Gabriel Jaya, Tawananyasha Kasondo, Takunda Madembo, Blessing Muzarabani, Innocent Kaia, Sikandar Raza
TUSKERS:
Ernest Masuku, Ainsley Ndlovu, Brian Chari, Nkosana Mpofu, Tanunurwa Makoni, Tafara Mupariwa, Ali Hamid, Mgcini Dube, Dalubuhle Mboyi, Charlton Tshuma, Tanatswa Bechani, Raymond Kasimo, Nkosibongwe Gogodo, Adrian Mupembe, Prince Kaunda, Brandon James, Mandisi Moyo, Sean Williams, Luke Jongwe, Milton Shumba, Clive Madande.
—@brandon_malvin