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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
HAVING failed to defend the Logan Cup cricket title, Tuskers shift focus to the shortest format of the game which starts tomorrow in Harare.
The Bulawayo based side will be looking at winning the domestic Twenty20 competition. Six teams are set to take part in the week-long event. The Walter Chawaguta coached side held a training session yesterday at Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) as they prepare to head to the capital. Chawaguta said they have not had much time to prepare as the weather has not been friendly but managed to come up with a plan.
“We haven’t had much time between our last Logan Cup match and the start of the T20s. The weather has also played havoc with the limited time, nonetheless we managed to get practices and time to draw our game plans as well,” said Chawaguta.
Tuskers’ last match was a Logan Cup encounter against Eagles at Harare Sports Club which ended as a draw last week after rains disturbed most of the proceedings. An old rivalry will be rekindled in their first match of the campaign when Tuskers face Eagles in the first match of the domestic T20 at Harare Sports Club tomorrow. Eagles are the defending champions.
In their second match, Tuskers face Rhinos at Old Hararians on Tuesday. Tuskers’ third match will be against Southern Rocks at OH on 22 February before they go on to face Lions on two days later. The last round robin match will be against Mega Market Mountaineers the following day at Harare Sports Club before the third place play-off match and the final which is set for 26 February at Harare Sports Club. Lions, a national academy side come into the domestic T20 competition as the reigning National Premier League (NPL) Blast champions.
Meanwhile, Eagles have won the 2022/23 Logan Cup, although there is still one round of the four-day first-class cricket competition to be played.
Eagles have already completed their eight-match programme and finished with 122 points, a tally that cannot now be overtaken by any other provincial team.
Even if the second-placed Mega Market Mountaineers are to win their last match with all the possible bonus points, they can only accrue a total of 121 points. Eagles began the season well, with three victories in their first four matches as they defeated Southern Rocks, Rhinos and Tuskers.
They then suffered their only defeat in the return match against Rhinos, and mainly due to wet weather their remaining four matches have all been drawn. Before their latest success, Eagles had last lifted the Logan Cup in the 2015/16 season. The campaign will officially end with Southern Rocks facing Rhinos and Tuskers taking on Mountaineers in matches scheduled for 29 March-1 April.
— Follow on Twitter @brandon_malvin
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