adminTuskers’ chief executive officer Stanley Staddon said his charges had been training hard for the season and were ready for the challenge.
He said most Tuskers players are participating in the domestic Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket League which started last weekend as a way of gaining match fitness.
Tuskers start their season against Mountaineers on the first weekend of October at Queens Sports Club.
For the coming season, Tuskers will be under the guidance of national team assistant coach Heath Streak who is being assisted by renowned juniors’ coach Pollock Mubhobho.
“We are through with our signings and everyone is raring to go. The guys have been working hard under Mubhobho in the absence of Streak who is in Sri Lanka with the national team.
“In the last two seasons when we won the Logan Cup we did not concentrate much on One-Day games but now we are taking all competitions seriously and we will be going for them,” said Staddon.
He said Tuskers would not be having foreign players for the Logan Cup but they would sign guest players when they go for next year’s Stanbic Twenty20 tournament to be held in Harare.
For the coming season, Tuskers retained the bulk of their players who were instrumental in them winning back-to-back Logan Cup titles.
Captain Gavin Ewing, who has led Tuskers for two seasons, will continue the skipper’s role with seamer Njabulo Ncube, hard-hitting Charles Coventry, fringe national team player Keegan Meth, former captain Tawanda Mupariwa, spin bowler John Nyumbu, Glenn Querl, Bradley Staddon, Brian Chari, Godwill Mhamhiyo and Terrence Duffin being other contracted players.
National team pace bowler Christopher Mpofu is the only Tuskers player who has a national contract and will play for the franchise whenever he is not on national duty.
Players on pay as you play contracts are Thabo Mboyi, Sean Williams who had walked out of the franchise last season in protest over remuneration, Steven Trenchard, Sean Ervine and Mluleki Nkala.
Online Reporter