adminSenior Sports Reporter
AFTER a month of inactivity in the Titan Law bankrolled Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association First League, the four clubs in the league take to the pitch this morning.
Log leaders Roosters come up against Queens Sports Club in a fixture scheduled for Queens where the former might find the going tough due to the absence of most of their star players.
Missing in the Roosters line-up this morning will be Matabeleland Tuskers skipper Godwill Mamhiyo, Keith Dabengwa, Shoun Handirisi and Nkosana Mpofu who are all away on franchise duty. Roosters have also lost talented bowling all rounder Kevin Kandala who decided to move back to Bulawayo Athletic Club last month. Devesh Hassani, Gift Mavhaire and Senyo Nyakutse are the players who will look to steer Roosters to victory and maintain their position on top of the log.
Queens go into battle without the services of the Tuskers top order batsman Bonaparte Mujuru.
Experienced pace bowler Christopher Mpofu, Christopher Mwanza, Delta Sivalo, Stanslous Rukato, Mduduzi Fuzwayo, Jeffrey Mhuriyengwe and Sheunopa Musekwa are the key players for Queens who suffered the embarrassment of being bowled out for just 40 runs in their last match against Emakhandeni.
Across the city at BAC, the home side who ended 2014 on top of the log before their loss to Roosters saw them slide down to second place, have a date with Emakhandeni Cricket Club.
BAC have for a while been without their star players Sean Williams as well as Tawanda Mupariwa who are away with the national cricket team for the 2015 International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Their other player Brian Vitori has not been able to turn out for the club due to Tuskers commitments.
Kandala, in his return match for BAC will have to combine well with the Mupariwa brothers Tafara and Tony, Fleming Nkomo, Keith Kwangwari, Mandisi Moyo, Clarkson Gombami, Kudzai Banda, Ray Kasimo and Tawanda Bidi to guide the club to a win.
Emakhandeni are also not spared by the Tuskers trip to Harare as that will see them go into the fixture without Brian Chari, Luke Jongwe, Steve Chimhamhiwa and John Nyumbu. The absence of the four vital players leaves Emakhandeni to depend on Thabo Mboyi, Dalubuhle Mboyi, Bruce Sibanda, Ernest Masuku, Cunningham Ncube and Zimbabwe women national cricket team player Tasmeen Granger who is forced to play in a male setup since there is no club cricket for women.
Meanwhile, the sixth edition of the Petra High School Twenty20 cricket tournament which was scheduled for the school last Friday and yesterday has been postponed to the end of the month because of bad weather. Themba Phiri, the Petra High School sports director said the event has been rescheduled to later this month as heavy rains which fell last week made it impossible for the ground staff to prepare wickets.
BMCA Titan Law First League fixtures
Today: Queens Sports Club v Roosters (Queens), Bulawayo Athletic Club v Emakhandeni Cricket Club (BAC).
Both matches start at 09:30.
Sidumisile Mabena