The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MOUNTAINEERS put up a dismal performance in the country’s premier first-class cricket contest — the Logan Cup competition — when they ended the 2020/2021 edition in last position.
Retrospectively, the Mountain Goats have been a force to reckon with in the Logan Cup competition.
On their debut in this tournament, Mountaineers finished third, with three wins from 12 games, but went on to win the tournament during the 2013/2014 edition.
For three consecutive seasons, the Mutare franchise went on to dominate the competition from the 2016/2017 season up until the 2018/2019 season.
Mountaineers captain, Kevin Kasuza, attributed Mountaineers’ poor showing in this year’s Logan Cup competition to the absence of key players.
“We were missing a number of key players during the competition. It is sad for us and our supporters, but we look forward with hope that we will make amends in future competitions,” he said.
Mountaineers is one of four Cricket Zimbabwean cricket franchises that took part in this annual competition which was, however, disturbed last year by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Mountain Goats, as they are fondly referred to by their fans, draw most of their players from Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces.
They play their home matches at Mutare Sports Club in Mutare.
Southern Rocks, who had never won the Logan Cup before and have been out of the competition for seven years, had every reason to celebrate after winning all four of their matches in the shortened competition this year.
The 2020/21 champions received the coveted trophy as well as a cheque for US$5 000 from Zimbabwe Cricket.
The tournament’s individual awards all went to Southern Rocks players.
