Andrew
Online Reporter
CLINCHING the Pro50 Championship might have come at a cost for Mountaineers, but it is one they will be more than happy to have paid.
The duels between the Manicaland-based franchise and Southern Rocks have been quite the rollercoaster ride during the 2021/2022 season, especially the last two encounters between the two sides.
Southern Rocks were the first to draw blood, as their seven-wicket victory over Mountaineers, a few weeks ago, denied their opponents their much-cherished Logan Cup title.
Mountaineers came into the tie needing just a draw to clinch the title.
The two sides then met again, albeit in the Pro50 Championship final, and it was Mountaineers that came tops courtesy of a 71-run victory.
This victory for Mountaineers was one to savour!
“Defeating Southern Rocks in the final of the Pro50 Championship was a good thing for us, it made us feel better considering that this was the same team that had denied us the Logan Cup title a few weeks back,” said Mountaineers’ skipper Kevin Kasuza.
“After the defeat in the final match of the Logan Cup, we knew what we wanted to do going into the final.
“Defeating them (Southern Rocks) is something that I can describe as sweet revenge for us.
“We really needed that,” he said.
Kasuza went on to describe missing out on the Logan Cup by just five points as being a defining moment for the team.
“We took the defeat as a learning curve,” said the skipper.
“We moved forward as a team and improved in all aspects of the game.
“And I’m so proud of the guys, especially the senior players.
“They really played a big role as they took responsibility going into the final,” said the Mountaineers captain.
Dave Houghton, the Mountaineers coach, sees things differently though.
The former Zimbabwe Chevrons international and coach has since played down both the Logan Cup defeat and the Pro50 Championship win.
“Unlike football managers, I don’t stress myself with winning and losing,” said Houghton.
“I see my main function as a first-class coach being to provide players to the national team and making sure they (players) are better prepared mentally and technically to perform for their country.
“Obviously, getting a winning habit is also important.
“Playing in finals is the biggest pressure you can put the players under, and it’s a measure of their improvement that they perform at that level.
“In terms of being second in the Logan cup, we weren’t good enough to win that competition.
“We were thoroughly outplayed in our first game against Rhinos, and in our last game against Rocks. There is room for improvement there,” he said.
Houghton is hoping that the Pro50 win will give his charges a little confidence, especially now as they shift focus to the T20 competition.
“Obviously it’s good to win any white-ball tournament, and it will certainly give us confidence going into the T20 tournament,” said the gaffer.
“Nothing is guaranteed though. Each day, each game, each team, has problems we have to overcome,” said Houghton.
Online Reporter