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Ngoni Dapira
NEW Mountaineers coach, Shepherd Makunura, said the domestic franchise cricket players need to score more centuries to make the bar at international level.Makunura said this in an interview last Wednesday while commenting on the level of play by all the domestic franchise teams in the 2014/15 season so far.
“The level of play has not been too bad from all the teams so far. There have been good scores in both the Pro50 and Logan Cup, but generally most of the teams have been struggling on the bowling.
“As for the batters we need more centuries (100-runs) in the series play. If you cannot get a century at domestic franchise cricket then what more at international level?” Makunura said.
The domestic franchise enters into the third-round with the Pro50 on tomorrow (Saturday) and the four-day Logan on Monday running until Thursday.
The third-round matches will mark the end of the first round of the domestic franchise league.
The Mutare franchise will be away in Kwekwe against Mid West Rhinos, while Mashonaland Eagles will be in Bulawayo against Matabeleland Tuskers.
On Wednesday the national cricket team, the Chevrons, returned from their Bangladesh tour where they had a disappointing series whitewash.
Makunura said the players who were on tour were given a week’s rest, which means, they might not feature in the third-round domestic franchise matches.
“I am not sure whether I will have the players who just came from Bangladesh in my line-up, but what I know is they have been given a week’s break. So it will be up to the players if they want to play or rest over the weekend.
“But Tymcen Maruma might play in the Pro50 match,” he said.
The Mountain Goats, who are the defending Pro50 and Logan Cup champions, have been struggling in the first round without their seasoned players who were on tour.
Makunura said it was probably because the new signings were still building combinations, but some pundits are of the view that the absence of its key players compromised the team.
On the other hand, the Mutare franchises star bowler, Tendai Chatara, following his performance in Bangladesh, is now Zimbabwe’s highest ranked bowler.
According to the latest Reliance International Cricket Council One-Day International rankings, Chatara climbed to a career high 48th place, after taking six wickets for 189-runs in four matches.
Online Reporter