Mashonaland look for six in a row

Tatenda Taibu: aiming to lead Mashonaland to a sixth Logan Cup triumph © Getty Images

Mashonaland continue with their bid to clinch a sixth Logan Cup title in a row when they take on Manicaland, at Mutare Sports Club tomorrow (Tuesday). Tatenda Taibu leads the side who will be aiming to maintain a winning streak, which dates back to the 1999-2000 season.

Mashonaland can boast a strong batting line-up, including Taibu, Stuart Carlisle, Brendan Taylor, and Barney Rogers. Their bowling attack will be led by Bryan Strang, the veteran left-arm seamer, the pace bowler Waddington Mwayenga and the legspinner Graeme Cremer, who will have learnt some harsh (if valuable) lessons at the hands of the South Africa batsmen in the recent Test series. Test allrounders Andy Blignaut and Elton Chigumbura will add some extra beef to the middle order and will also be able to contribute with their medium pace.

But Manicaland will not be lagging too far behind in the batting stakes. Their top order includes four Test bastmen - Stuart Matsikenyeri, Trevor Gripper, Dion Ebrahim, and Hamilton Masakadza. However, their bowling attack looks thin, with Tinashe Panyangara and Blessing Mahwire still out injured, so the pressure will be on Ryan Bennett, Campbell Macmillan and Steven Wright, another young legspinner, to shoulder the bowing burden.

Mashonaland won their first two matches in the competition convincingly. They got the better of Matabeleland by 258 runs, at Bulawayo Athletic Club, and went on to beat Midlands by 188 runs, at Kwekwe Sports Club. Manicaland also comfortably saw off Midlands, by 106 runs, but suffered a nine-wicket drubbing by Matabeleland at BAC.

The other match of the round sees winless Midlands host Matabeleland, at Kwekwe Sports Club. The home side welcomes back top-order batsman Craig Wishart and the offspinner Douglas Marillier, who recently came out of retirement. The duo are expected to combine with Vusimuzi Sibanda, Craig Ervine, and Ian Nicholson as Midlands search for their first victory.

Matabeleland go into the match without the services of Heath Streak who has left to join Warwickshire in preparation for the start of the county season, and their captain Mluleki Nkala, who has gone to South Africa for treatment on his nagging ankle injury. In the absence of Nkala, Michael McKillop, a former national hockey captain will lead Matabeleland. McKillop, who last played for Matabeleland two seasons ago, is likely to keep wicket as regular wicketkeeper Wisdom Siziba was not named in the starting line-up.

Matabeleland are set to open with left-hander Terrence Duffin while Charles Coventry, Gregory Strydom, Sean Williams and McKillop complete the batting line-up. Young pace bowlers Tawanda Mupariwa, Christopher Mpofu and Thabo Mboyi lead the bowling attack with the left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa and offspinner Gavin Ewing providing some variation.

5-8 April Manicaland v Mashonaland (Mutare Sports Club), Midlands v Matabeleland (Kwekwe Sports Club)

12-15 April, Mashonaland v Matabeleland (Harare Sports Club), Midlands v Manicaland (Kwekwe Sports Club)

19-22 April, Manicaland v Matabeleland (Mutare Sports Club), Mashonaland v Midlands (Harare Sports Club)

26-29 April, Matabeleland v Midlands (Queens Sports Club), Mashonaland v Manicaland (Harare Sports Club)