Chronicle EditorInnocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
TUSKERS administrator Nick Singo says the franchise’s victory in the Logan Cup shows that Bulawayo Province is regaining its status as the country’s powerhouse in first class cricket.
Bulawayo-based Tuskers won the 2021/22 Logan Cup after Mountaineers, who were also in contention to win the country’s premier first class cricket competition, lost by seven wickets to Southern Rocks at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
Tuskers finished the season on top of the five-team log with 53 points from four wins, two draws and one defeat in the eight matches they played.
Mountaineers had to secure a draw in order to take the Logan Cup, but Southern Rocks denied them on the final day when they cruised to a comfortable victory.
The loss saw Mountaineers finishing second with 50 points.
In their last match of the season, Tuskers defeated Rocks by six wickets at Old Hararians and anxiously followed proceedings when Mountaineers faced off against Rocks.
Prior to their latest success, Tuskers had last won the Logan Cup during the 2014/15 season.
“We are very much excited. This success shows that Bulawayo is again becoming a powerhouse in first class cricket. Right now I am failing to even express myself. This is what we wanted. We wanted to win this one more than any other cup.
“It’s always special to win competitions, but there is one competition which you work harder to win and for us this was the one. The commitment from everyone involved is the reason we have achieved this. From the groundsmen, local umpires, to the technical team, everyone worked hard to achieve. We got lots of support from the local community and that is the reason we are celebrating today,” said Singo.
It is named after James Douglas Logan.
The Logan Cup became a first-class tournament along with Zimbabwe’s elevation to Test status in 1992. The first Logan Cup was won by Mashonaland Under-24s in the 1993-93 season. Mashonaland, essentially a representative Harare side has historically been the strongest team in the country since the late 1960s, and between 1993 and 2005 they won the tournament nine times out of twelve.
The competition was not played in the 2005-06 season.
Upon the competition’s return in 2006-07, it was relaunched with teams representing new areas rather than the traditional provinces.
Kenya were also invited to compete in the competition during the 2006-07 season, but finished last despite showing promise. — @innocentskizoe
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