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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
CHEVRONS white-ball captain, Craig Ervine will not be a part of the Tuskers team for the country’s premier first-class cricket competition, the 2022/23 Logan Cup season which gets underway today in Harare.
The 37-year-old top-order batter will join the capital-based Alliance Health Eagles in this campaign.
Having been blessed with a daughter last year, Ervine wanted to be close to his family which is based in Harare during the course of the country’s premier red ball tournament.
Ervine was part of the Tuskers team that won the previous edition of the Logan Cup and his departure will leave a void that needs to be filled. Tuskers’ general manager Nick Singo is however confident that some of the team’s senior players like Brian Chari and Chevrons Test captain Sean Williams will step up to fill the gap left by Ervine.
“He was an integral part of the team and youngsters were mentored by him, however, it’s time for senior players like Brian Chari and Sean Williams to take up his position,” said Singo.
The Bulawayo-based Tuskers will also be looking at the services of national team players, who missed the Pro50 Championship due to their involvement in the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia to beef up the squad. The players who will join the squad for the Logan Cup are Williams, Milton Shumba, wicketkeeper Clive Madande and all-rounder Luke Jongwe.
Pace bowling all-rounder Jongwe is expected to join the team, which has begun training ahead of their first match on December 1, on Saturday as he had some personal issues, he had to deal with first before joining camp. With teams gearing up for the new season, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has released Logan Cup fixtures that will run until the Christmas break.
Alliance Health Eagles will start the season against Southern Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club and at Harare Sports Club, Pro50 champions Mountaineers will be playing against Rhinos. The second round of fixtures, which starts on December 1 will see Rhinos play against Eagles while Tuskers, on a bye for the matches starting today will kick start their campaign against Southern Rocks at OH. The third round of fixtures which runs from December 10-13 will see Mountaineers face Eagles at Mutare Sports Club while Tuskers will face Rhinos at OH.
The last matches before the Christmas break will run from December 17-20 and Southern Rocks will face Mountaineers at Harare Sports Club while at OH, Eagles go up against rivals Tuskers to conclude the first fixtures of the year.
Since they are on a bye, Tuskers have begun preparations for the season with their final squad for the season expected to be announced after the intra-team two-day practice match which is slated for Sunday at Queens Sports Club.
Head coach, Walter Chawaguta said the bye will give them time to perfect their red ball skill and the availability of players who were in the national team will help strengthen the team’s middle order. – @brandon_malvin.
Online Reporter