Tuskers want Pro-50 One Day glory

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER winning the most coveted domestic cricket silverware, the Logan Cup, Matabeleland Tuskers have set their sights on the Pro-50 One Day competition.

The Bulawayo-based cricket franchise won the Logan Cup on Friday with a game to spare after beating Manicaland Mountaineers by six wickets to take their points tally to an unassailable 38 points. Matabeleland Tuskers are 10 points clear of the second-placed Midwest Rhinos.

In the Pro-50 One Day competition, Matabeleland Tuskers are at the top of the table with 26 points, five points above second placed Mashonaland Eagles.

A win against Mashonaland Eagles on March 17 will guarantee Matabeleland Tuskers a home final against a team that will finish second. Mashonaland Eagles and Manicaland Mountaineers, who have 19 points, are vying for second place.

“Since the start of franchise cricket league in 2009, Matabeleland Tuskers have never won a limited overs trophy. Right now we’ve a team that’s eager to make history and is driven by a hunger to succeed which makes winning the Pro-50 One day Cup very much possible. Our focus now is on making sure that we get a home final by avoiding defeat in our last league game. Nothing beats winning silverware in front of your supporters and after lifting the Logan Cup, we feel motivated to go for the Pro-50 One Day glory,” said Godwill Mamhiyo, the Matabeleland Tuskers captain.

The last time Matabeleland Tuskers played host to Mashonaland Eagles at Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of cricket – Queens Sports Club, the City of Kings’ team won by three wickets with 57 balls remaining. In their visit to Harare, Matabeleland Tuskers lost by eight wickets with 50 balls remaining.

The 22-year-old Matabeleland Tuskers skipper is wary of their opponents.

“They’re a good side but we also have equally good players who’ve shown great mental strength because even when we were down in the Logan Cup, we managed to bounce back to winning ways. Actually it will be a tragedy if we don’t win the Pro-50 One Day Cup because we’ve played well this season and winning has been our culture,” Mamhiyo said.

Matabeleland Tuskers rarely felt the absence of their key players Craig Ervine, Sean Williams and Tawanda Mupariwa who are on national duty at the ICC World Cup in their last two Pro-50 One Day victories over MidWest Rhinos and Manicaland Mountaineers.

Brian Chari, Richmund Mutumbami, veteran Keith Dabengwa, John Nyumbu and Mamhiyo came in handy to steer Matabeleland Tuskers to victory.

Pro-50 One Day

Fixtures

March 17: Matabeleland Tuskers v Mashonaland Eagles (Bulawayo), MidWest Rhinos v Manicaland Mountaineers (Kwekwe)

Table

P W L T N/R Pts Net RR

Mat’land Tuskers 8 6 2 0 0 26 +0.273

Mash’land Eagles 8 5 3 0 0 21 +0.086

Mountaineers 8 4 4 0 0 19 +0.505

MidWest Rhinos 8 1 7 0 0 4 -0.805

Logan Cup

Fixtures