adminThe Bulawayo cricket team has been a force to reckon with in the domestic cricket winning the most coveted silverware in the 2010-11 season and successfully defending the title last year under coach Dave Houghton.
Matabeleland Tuskers are on the verge of claiming their third straight title with a game to spare and this time around they are being coached by former national team captain Heath Streak.
Streak, also the national team’s bowling coach, will be around for Tuskers’ encounter against title-chasing Manicaland Mountaineers who are second on the log trailing the Bulawayo club by seven points.
The match is set for Mutare and ends on Friday.
Zimbabwe Cricket left Streak behind for the national team’s tour of West Indies which starts next week.
Matabeleland Tuskers Cricket Franchise chief executive officer Stanley Staddon is confident that they will beat Southern Rocks and lay their hands on the Logan Cup.
“Everyone is looking forward to the game. After last week’s victory over MidWest Rhinos, the guys are itching to go. I think another motivating factor for the boys is that we failed to win the Pro-50 One-Day Cup which we should have easily won. Nothing will stop us from winning this trophy and we just pray that the rains don’t disrupt play,” said Staddon.
Matabeleland Tuskers are at the top of the league with 35 points from six outings, having won six and played only one draw.
Matabeleland Tuskers got four of their victories in the first half of the season where they beat MidWest Rhinos by three wickets, comfortably cruised to a 312 run victory over Eagles and beat Manicaland Mountaineers by five wickets.
In the first leg against Southern Rocks that was played at Queens Sports Club, Matabeleland Tuskers beat the visitors by 10 wickets.
Matabeleland Tuskers will be without pace bowler Christopher Mpofu, Keegan Meth and Craig Ervine for the Mutare trip as the trio is on national duty preparing for the West Indies tour.
The defending Logan Cup champions will pin their hopes on skipper Gavin Ewing, Terrence Duffin, Sean Williams, Briton signing Bilal Shafayat and Keith Dabengwa.
Matabeleland Tuskers’ strength has been in bowling and they will pin their hopes on seamers Glen Querl and Njabulo Ncube, John Nyumbu, Ewing and Dabengwa.
Online Reporter