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Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
MOUNTAINEERS, the two-time Logan Cup champions, will be out to set a big total in today’s opening match against the Matabeleland Tuskers at Queens in Bulawayo.
Skipper Tinotenda Mawoyo wants his batsmen to impose themselves in the City of Kings.
The 28-year-old has always done well at Queens and is familiar with its hard flat track, ideal for batsmen patient enough to wear off bowlers and taking the odd massive boundary on anything wide and short of a length.
“It looks like a good wicket and we need to bat as long as we can on it so that we give ourselves the best chance to get some good totals on the board,” he said.
He will open the batting on the ground he scored an unbeaten 163 runs in a Test match against Pakistan.
“Individual performances will be best for the team if we get a lot of individual performances then that will contribute to the team’s success but what I would like to do is make sure that I have prepared myself as much as I can,” said Mawoyo.
“Sometimes milestones distract the players from the real job at hand — if you have done your training and your drills and all your other processes then surely the milestones will come.” The skipper fears that some of the players, who were not actively involved in competitive cricket prior to the beginning of the season, might take a while to get into good touch.
“It is the first game of the season and it might take the guys a little bit of time,” said Mawoyo.
“Some of the guys have been training and some of the guys have been on tour with the A side or the national squad and we are lucky that we have such players in our team.”
The Mountaineers will benefit from Roy ’Fally’ Kaia and Charles Kunje who are coming from the disbanded Southern Rocks.
Kaia a 23-year-old right arm off spinner is likely to thrive under Mawoyo and the Mountaineers as a front line bowler.
Meanwhile, the Mashonaland Eagles will be battling it out with the MidWest Rhinos at Harare Sports Club today.
Both matches start at 10am.
Online Reporter