The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICALAND cricket franchise – The Mountaineers’ journey to Pro50 Championship title retention continues this weekend, with a clash against Southern Rocks at Mutare Sports Club tomorrow (Saturday) and Monday.
On paper, coach, Njabulo Ncube and his men are expected to make light work of Southern Rocks who are currently rooted on the bottom of the 2022-23 Pro50 Championship table, with only one win to show for their six outings.
The rest ended in defeats for Rocks.
Last week, a big batting partnership between Chamu Chibhabha and Kudzai Maunze powered Alliance Health Eagles to their second Pro50 Championship victory over Southern Rocks at Masvingo Sports Club.
They put on 171 for the third wicket without being separated, taking Eagles through to an eight-wicket victory with 15,1 overs remaining.
On the other hand, Ncube has led the Mountain Goats to triumph two times, ended one of their matches tied with their opponents once and lost once in the four rounds of matches they have played so far in this riveting Pro50 competition.
Mountaineers, who were on a bye in the first round of Pro50 matches, are in second position on the points table behind leaders, Tuskers, albeit the latter having played two more matches than the former.
During last weekend’s round of Pro50 matches, Timycen Maruma and Shingi Masakadza were the heroes of the Manicaland franchise, in an exciting Pro50 championship match of twists and turns for both sides, as they put on 72 runs in an unbroken partnership for the ninth wicket to take Mountaineers home for their second victory over table-leaders Tuskers, this, by two wickets.
In fact, Tuskers, no doubt eager to avenge their defeat last week on Thursday, nevertheless made a poor start to their innings on being put in to bat.
As the Pro50 action glides on, sweet memories of Mountaineers’ triumph in last season’s Pro50 contest should be a source of inspiration in the current campaign, thus Ncube told Post Sport that their aim is to retain the title, while taking each match as it comes.
“We will have the same approach that we had in the matches we have played so far with the aim to win. The ultimate goal is to retain the Pro50 title.
“The boys are confident and the mood in our camp is fantastic. We might be missing John Masara who could be out because of injury, but we have two leg spinners who could have an opportunity to prove themselves,” said Ncube.
The Pro50 Championship round-robin fixtures will run up to the end of this month, with the finals taking place at Harare Sports Club on November 5.
This will be immediately followed by the Regional Series, with the Northerns and Southerns select sides clashing in three 50-over matches set for November 9, 12 and 14 in Bulawayo.
After the completion of the one-day games, the Logan Cup will get underway, with the first fixtures in the first-class competition scheduled for November 22-25 and pitting Eagles against Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club and Mountaineers versus Rhinos at Harare Sports Club.
The next four-day matches are pencilled for November 29 to December 2, when title-holders Tuskers will face Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club, while Rhinos and Eagles will be tussling it out at Kwekwe Sports Club.
Bulawayo and Mutare will get their turn to host Logan Cup matches when Tuskers welcome Rhinos at Queens Sports Club, while Mountaineers will take on Eagles at Mutare Sports Club from December 8 to 11.
The following fixtures, scheduled for December 15 to 18, will see Rocks at home to Mountaineers at Masvingo Sports Club, with Eagles away to Tuskers at Bulawayo Athletic Club.
After a short break for the festive holidays, action will resume in January and run up until the final first-class games set for February 18.
Between March 28 and April 14, Southerns and Northerns will meet in three four-day matches that are part of the Regional Series.
