adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
MATABELELAND Tuskers Cricket Franchise’s trio of Keegan Meth, Charles Coventry and Glenn Querl will miss their team’s opener against Southern Rocks in Masvingo but will be available for the next game against Mountaineers in January.
According to Matabeleland Tuskers chief executive officer Stanley Staddon, the three are playing club cricket overseas and their contracts expire at the end of the year.
Staddon said it is a blessing in disguise that the league start has been delayed as it has afforded them an opportunity to have their full strength squad for the better part of the season.
Zimbabwe Cricket released their compressed calendar which has been reduced from seven months to five. The three formats of the game will run from 7 December to 17 April.
Pro-50 One Day matches will mark the beginning of the season on 7 December with defending champions Mashonaland Eagles playing host to MidWest Rhinos at Harare Sports Club while Southern Rocks will be at home to Matabeleland Tuskers. Manicaland Mountaineers will be on a bye.
Matabeleland Tuskers who have won the last three editions of the most coveted Logan Cup begin their defence against Southern Rocks from 9-12 December with Mashonaland Eagles and MidWest Rhinos squaring off in the four-dayer during the same period.
“The season will definitely be heavy on the players because it is too tight.
“For us as Matabeleland Tuskers, we are very happy because we will only miss three of our players for the first games that is the One Day and the four-dayer.
“We had been having fears that we will have to play at least two games in December but we have been given a bye on Week Two and we will play our second match of the season at home in January against Manicaland Mountaineers,” said Staddon.
Matabeleland Tuskers have been practising for the past two months with their players involved in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket League which is in its fourth week.
They retained most of their players losing pace bowler Njabulo Ncube who relocated to South Africa to seek greener pastures.
Financial problems bedevilling Zimbabwe Cricket are the reason behind the delay in the season starting and players like Ncube quitting the sport as they have to earn a living.
There were fears that since the season has been compressed, players’ contracts will also be for five months.
“I have had a meeting with my players and we are maintaining the seven months contracts that we gave them.
“What I am encouraging the players is to work hard so that they can make it to the national team and be given a central contract that runs throughout the year.
“It’s a bit challenging to make it for the central contract but it’s worthwhile and I believe that it is every player’s dream to be in the national team so there is everything to fight for in the domestic cricket league,” said Staddon.
Matabeleland Tuskers’ new coach Wayne James will pin his hopes on former national team pace bowler Tawanda Mupariwa who spent last season at Masvingo’s Southern Rocks, spinners Keith Dabengwa and John Nyumbu, former captain Gavin Ewing, Thabo Mboyi, promising opening batsman Brian Chari, ex-Manicaland Mountaineers’ Steven Chimamhiwa, Goodwill Mamhiyo and Bradley Staddon.
New captain Sean Williams is also available and so is seamer Christopher Mpofu who is waiting for a visa to play club cricket in Australia.
Online Reporter