The Zimbabwe domestic season reaches its climax during April and May with the conclusion of the Logan Cup and the Pro50 Championship.
The Logan Cup is Zimbabwe’s premier first-class cricket competition and there are still three rounds to be played within the next month.
This Thursday, 19 April, the young Rising Stars team will play Harare Metropolitan Eagles at Takashinga Sports Club in a four-day match, while in Mutare, Manicaland Mountaineers host Midlands Rhinos. The fifth team, Bulawayo Metropolitan Tuskers, have a bye.
Mountaineers, the reigning champions, are again the favourites to win the Logan Cup with their experienced side, as they have 48 points from their six matches, four of which they have won, and remain undefeated.
The only team that can catch them are Eagles, who have 42 points from three victories and one defeat; both teams have two matches to play.
Tuskers have 29 points with two matches to play, while Rhinos (17 points) and Rising Stars (16 points) have three matches to play but have only pride to play for now.
The centre of attention at Takashinga will probably be the big-hitting Eagles opening batsman, Cephas Zhuwao, who in December set up a new first-class Logan Cup record by scoring 265 against Rhinos.
He has scored 664 runs in Logan Cup matches so far this season, at an average of 55.33, and will be looking forward to batting against the inexperienced Rising Stars attack.
Zhuwao’s chief opponent should be Blessing Muzarabani, Zimbabwe’s new pace bowling star.
There should be a good match in Mutare, with the balance tilted towards the home team, with their great depth of talent, unless Rhinos are able to play most of their seven international players who took part in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
