Zimbabwe Domestic Cricket

[CremerCurrans]

Matsikenyeri has retired as well.

HARARE - Zimbabwe batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri has followed his childhood friend Tatenda Taibu into early retirement as the local game?s financial crisis continues to take a toll on the players.

Matsikenyeri, 30, was one of the country?s brightest young prospects when he made his debut for Zimbabwe as a 19-year-old against Pakistan 11 years ago.

A product of the famed Zimbabwe Cricket development programme which churned out the majority of the country?s black cricketers, Matsikenyeri went on to earn 112 ODI and eight Test caps for his country.

Mashonaland Eagles coach Steve Mangongo, who was heavily involved in grooming Matsikenyeri and his contemporaries at Takashinga Cricket Club, described the top-order batsman and part-time spinner?s retirement as a ?huge loss.?

Matsikenyeri was the Eagles captain at the time of his retirement.

?It?s very unfortunate to lose a man of Stuart?s calibre, who had such a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game and we expected that his valuable expertise would be passed on to the younger generation,? Mangongo told the Daily News.

?Such is life, but it has to go on and I guess it?s an opportunity for other players to step in and fill his boots, no matter how big they may be.?

Matsikenyeri?s retirement comes a year after that of his long-time friend Tatenda Taibu.

Taibu, Zimbabwe?s first black captain, shocked the cricket world last year when he announced his retirement from the game at 29, to concentrate on his gospel mission.

And now Matsikenyeri has joined a long list of Zimbabwean cricket players either forced out of the game altogether or have taken their talents elsewhere due to poor remuneration and working conditions.

The list is indeed endless, but in more recent times, former national side all-rounder Greg Lamb quit the game at 32 while three months later 24-year-old pace spearhead Kyle Jarvis accepted an English County contract before retiring from international cricket.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Swirler where did you find all that info on the squads? Good work!

 

[CremerCurrans]

From Zimbabwe Cricket Forums. I don't think they are 100 percent correct, but it's probably as close as I can get them before the season starts.

Some more information for you to read:

Southern Rocks eye Tuskers scalp
December 4, 2013 Sport

Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
SOUTHERN Rocks begin life without national team left arm fast bowler Brian Vitori when they play host to Matabeleland Tuskers in a Pro-50 One-Day game on Saturday.
The prolific bowler, a key member of Masvingo-based Southern Rocks? bowling attack, will play for Harare?s Mashonaland Eagles as he is pursuing his academic studies in the capital.

In a telephone interview from Masvingo yesterday, Southern Rocks coach Shepherd Makanura, who took over from Dave Houghton, said he is looking forward to their season opener.

Southern Rocks also lost the services of ex-national team seamer Tawanda Mupariwa who retraced his roots to Matabeleland Tuskers.

The Masvingo club is likely to pin their hopes on national team wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami who turned down an offer to join Matabeleland Tuskers.

?We got a full squad last Tuesday and we have just had a week?s training but the guys are looking sharp. There are a number of youngsters who I think can put up a good fight throughout the season. I believe that the match against Matabeleland Tuskers is going to be a good game. They (Matabeleland Tuskers) have quality players but I have confidence in my players.

?Our target is to fight for at least one trophy and end the season with something but this is not to say that we are going to put in substandard performances for some formats,? said Makanura.

The fact that Southern Rocks started their preparations late might work against them as Matabeleland Tuskers have been training together for at least two months.

Makanura said most of his players have been getting game time by playing in Harare?s Provincial League.

Matabeleland Tuskers players have also been playing club cricket in Bulawayo.

Beside Mutumbami, Southern Rocks have Briton Matthew Pardoe who plays County Cricket for Worcestershire, Bernard Mlambo whom they signed from Manicaland Mountaineers and Prince Mashaure to lead their batting attack.

Trevor Garwe, Roy Kahiya and Hillary Matanga are some of the players that they retained for the 2013/14 season with Cuthbert Misoko and Luke Jongwe ? tipped for the national Under-19 squad ? also part of the players to watch out for at Southern Rocks.

His Matabeleland Tuskers counterpart Wayne James will also be in charge of his first competitive game for the Bulawayo club since taking over from Heath Streak who turned down an offer to renew his contract.

?Everyone is working hard and we should be naming our squad on Thursday before we travel on Friday. Everyone is looking forward to the game and what we want is to play good cricket and get a positive result,? said James.

Matabeleland Tuskers will pin their hopes on captain Sean Williams, up-and-coming opening batsman Brian Chari, veteran spinner John Nyumbu, allrounder Keith Dabengwa, pace bowler Christopher Mpofu who is fighting for a return to the national team set up, Mupariwa and Bradley Staddon.

Fixtures
Saturday, Pro-50 One-Day: Southern Rocks v Matabeleland Tuskers (Masvingo), Mashonaland Eagles v MidWest Rhinos (Harare Sports Club), Manicaland Mountaineers (bye)

Mountaineers, the Mutare-based team, appear to have a strong franchise squad for the 2013/14 season, and should again be challengers for all three domestic trophies on offer. Gary Brent will again coach the team.


They have lost two players from last year ? Gregory Lamb and Callum Price, both of whom have retired from cricket. On the other hand, they have two quality imports from Mashonaland Eagles in Forster Mutizwa and Innocent Chinyoka. Mutizwa, a former national player, had a disappointing season last year, but it is hoped he will be able to return to his best form with Mountaineers, for whom he will probably also keep wicket.

Tinotenda Mawoyo will again captain the side, which will again be built around the strong international contingent of Hamilton and Shingirai Masakadza, Timycen Maruma, Tendai Chatara and Natsai M?shangwe. Two extremely talented young players to watch are the batsman Kevin Kasuza and all-rounder Donald Tiripano.

It is hoped that Mark Pettini of Essex, will return as an overseas player, along with Dan Housego, a batsman from Gloucestershire.

I think that's it.

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Ignore the spelling Zimbabwe writers seem to regularly make spelling & grammar mistakes, and they still manage to be published.

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It should be: Roy Kaia, Prince Masvaure & Calum Price, not Prince Mashaure, Roy Kahiya & Callum Price.

 

[CremerCurrans]

Nick Welch a 15 year old batsmen will be playing for the Eagles this season. He has been training with the franchise, and the coach has said that he will defiantly get some game time early in the season.

I'm quite surprised I thought Eddie Byrom would be the first of the young players to play franchise cricket.

 

[CremerCurrans]

From Zimbabwe Cricket Forums

Mid West Rhinos final squad:

Muzhange happy with contract
December 6, 2013 Sport

Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
Mid-West Rhinos right arm fast bowler Richard Muzhange is pleased with the mutual decision he reached with his franchise to downgrade him from a monthly fixed paying contract to earn-as-you-play contract ahead of the Zimbabwe domestic cricket season that starts tomorrow.
Muzhange had previously enjoyed the benefits of a senior contract with the franchise in the past seasons, earning a steady income along the way.

But he has opted for a different scheme so that he could also explore other financial adventures while also playing the game. The cricket season was delayed owing to financial challenges affecting the mother body and the uncertainty drove many players such as Muzhange to find alternative means of earning a living.

?It was a decision I had to make because things were a bit unpredictable and I had other things that I am doing on the side so I cannot just get up and leave them, it was mutual decision between us with the Rhinos,?

Muzhange has interest in a company that manufactures wire nails and works for former Zimbabwe Cricket convener of selectors and chairman of the cricket committee, Alistair Campbell, who now has an ITC retail business which specialises in laptops and tablets.

?I have a good arrangement with the Rhinos and I will be available for each game. It has been a while since everyone has played cricket so you actually don?t know how people have been performing and it is only up to the first game for me to gauge how strong each squad is,? he said.

Muzhange is also joined by former national team player Edward Rainsford on the list of players on earn-as-you-play contract. The Rhinos will travel from Kwekwe to open their season with a Pro50 match against Mashonaland Eagles at Harare Sports Club. Seven out of the contracted squad of 18 are on monthly contracts while the franchise will be cushioned financially with three players Vusi Sibanda,

Brendan Taylor and Malcolm Waller on ZC central contracts and the remaining eight on earn-as-you-play schemes.
Rhinos Squad

Brendan Taylor, Bothwell Chapungu, Mkhululi Nyathi, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Pj Moor, Bazel Njanji, Malcom Waller, Simon Mugava, Carl Mumba, Nyasha Mayavo, Tarisai Musakanda, Neville Madziwa, Ronnie Chokununga, Michael Chinouya, Richard Muzhange, Mark Mbofana, Edward Rainsford, Kudakwashe Munyede

 

[SpitfiresKent]

A very low & slow scoring start to the season. Mutumbami with 45 and Mpofu with 4 wickets probably the ones that stood out for me.

I noticed there was no Taylor for the Rhino's, do we know when he is available?

 

[CremerCurrans]

A very low & slow scoring start to the season. Mutumbami with 45 and Mpofu with 4 wickets probably the ones that stood out for me.

I noticed there was no Taylor for the Rhino's, do we know when he is available?

He should be back in Zimbabwe now. So should be in the Logan Cup match.

Strange scores. Don't know if they were on green early season pitches. The Harare pitch often is.

Was surprised to see Admire Manyumwa on the scorecard, but he did really well. The U19 players all contributed well, which is positive.

 

[Umair7]

Ervine Brother's,Meth,Cremer & Jarvis=all gone rip Zimbabwe Cricket

who is next ?? Taylor

 

[CremerCurrans]

Meth might not have left.

Found this on Facebook, looks like it's the final squads.

ZIMBABWE CRICKET SQUADS FOR THE 2013/14
DOMESTIC SEASON

Mashonaland Eagles
1 Butt Sikandar Raza
2 Chibhabha Chamunorwa
3 Chigumbura Elton
4 Gumbie Joylord
5 Handirisi Shoun
6 Kondo Keith
7 Gumunyu-Manatsa Lovemore
8 Gupo Simbarashe
9 Mafusire Tinotenda
10 Mahere Clive
11 Manyumwa Admire
12 Mugochi Bright
13 Mupurura Nigel
14 Mutombodzi Tinotenda (Captain)
15 Muzarabani Taurai
16 Muzarawetu Tafadzwa
17 Mwakayeni Sam
18 Nyati Rememberance
19 Sharara Emmanuel
20 Utseya Prosper
21 Vermeulen Mark
22 Vitori Brian
23 Waller Nathan
24 Zhuwao Cephas

Matabeleland Tuskers
1 Chari Brian
2 Chimhamhiwa Stephen
3 Coventry Charles
4 Dabengwa Keith
5 Ewing Gavin
6 Kandala Kevin
7 Mamhiyo Godwill
8 Mboyi Thabo
9 Meth Keegan
10 Mpofu Christopher
11 Mpofu Nkosana
12 Mupariwa Tawanda
13 Mupariwa Tony
14 Nyumbu John
15 Querl Glen
16 Staddon Bradley
17 Williams Sean (Captain)

MidWest Rhinos
1 Byrom Eddie
2 Chapungu Bothwell
3 Chinouya Michael
4 Chokununga Ronnie
5 Madziwa Neville
6 Mayavo Nyasha
7 Mbofana Mark
8 Moor PJ
9 Mugava Simon
10 Mumba Carl
11 Munyede Kudakwashe
12 Musakanda Tarisai
13 Muzhange Richard
14 Njanji Bright
15 Nyathi Mkhululi
16 Rainsford Edward
17 Sibanda Vusimuzi
18 Taylor Brendan (Captain
19 Waller Malcolm
20 Walsh Nick
21 Wessels Riki

Mountaineers
1 Chatara Tendai
2 Chinyoka Innocent
3 Housego Daniel
4 Kasuza Kevin
5 Maruma Timycen
6 Masakadza Hamilton
7 Masakadza Shingirai
8 Mawoyo Tinotenda (Captain)
9 Mufudza Tapiwa
10 M?shangwe Natsai
11 Mutizwa Forster
12 Petinni Mark
13 Sauramba Kudzai
14 Tiripano Donald

Southern Rocks
1 Bezuidenhout Ryan
2 Chisoro Tendai
3 Garwe Trevor
4 Jongwe Luke
5 Kaia Innocent
6 Kaia Roy
7 Kamungozi Tafadzwa
8 Masvaure Prince
9 Matanga Hillary
10 Maunze Kudzai
11 Mlambo Bernard
12 Munyaradzi Tanyaradzwa
13 Musoko Cuthbert
14 Mutumbami Richmond (Captain)
15 Panyangarara Tinashe
16 Pardoe Mathew
Reserves
17 Kunje Charles
18 Maruma Tendai
19 Masunda Lavert
20 Tsiga Tafadzwa

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No Nick Welch but Eddie Byrom is listed. So we are going to have at least one 15/16 year old debut this season.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

The Mountaineers only have 14 players and 2 of them are over seas players.

 

[CremerCurrans]

They would have junior players as well. I'd say they've just given contracts to the established players for the moment. They have a lot of experience and talent in their ranks this season.

 

[Hombarume]

This season appears to be full of low scoring games

 

[SpitfiresKent]

A century for Brendan Taylor in his first game & Malcolm Waller also getting a decent score

 

[CremerCurrans]

A century for Brendan Taylor in his first game & Malcolm Waller also getting a decent score

We were trying to guess who would score the first century of the season over at ZCFs. We should of realised Taylor would get there first.

Pleased with Chari's effort & a half century for Mujuru. Both probably should of pushed on and scored centuries.

This season appears to be full of low scoring games

I didn't realise we had another Zimbabwe fan on PC, plus one that lives in Harare. Will you be going to watch some of the Eagles v Rhinos match?

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Swirler the kit you see below being worn by the U-19's a few months back, is this also the new kit for the senior team?