Cricket season gets underway

Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE’S domestic cricket season gets underway today with the first matches in Harare and Masvingo where franchise teams will open the fixtures in the Pro50 format.
Mashonaland Eagles are the defending champions of the format winning the championship in the last two years and will HOST Midwest Rhinos at Harare Sports Club.

Southern Rocks host Bulawayo giants Matabeleland Tuskers at Masvingo Sports club.
It will be an acid test for the Eagles who have lost seven core players due to retirement and player movements, including Regis Chakabva and Forster Mutizwa. A lot is expected from the Eagles as they have the biggest number of players per franchise and all eyes will be on newly-appointed captain 21-year-old Tinotenda Mutombodzi.

Former national team captain Prosper Utseya is confident in Mutombodzi’s ability to lead the team. “With eye set on the future of the team it is a good decision because he as captained the Under-19 team, it will be a bit of challenge for him because this is franchise cricket but he has the backing of the senior players and the coaching department,” said Utseya, one of the sober voices in the game. Rhinos have had a positive inflow of new signings such as Kudakwashe Munyede and Mark Mbofana but they lost Graeme Cremer.

Brendan Taylor will not be part of the match against the Eagles as he has requested leave to settle private matters in South Africa.
Northamptonshire batsman Rikki Wessels rejoins the Rhinos to take up for his place.

The Matabeleland Tuskers are the only team to have maintained the core of their squad and reinforced it by bringing Tawanda ‘Budz’ Mupariwa who left the Rocks for his home franchise.

He joins the likes of Chris Mpofu and Glen Querl in the bowling department. Tuskers team analyst Freedom Takarusenga believes that his team is a solid unit that has key players in each department. “I am expecting Tuskers to win because the team has prepared well and we have a balanced side in terms of our bowling and our batting department and that will be the main strength in this game and throughout the season,” said Takarusenga.

Southern Rocks were landed a massive blow after losing left arm fast bowler Brian Vitori to the Eagles. They brought in Bernard Mlambo and foreign singing of Ryan Bezuidenhourt who plays for Henley in England.