Depleted squads readdress strengths

The Logan Cup will resume on Wednesday with four of the teams involved without the services of their players, currently away on national duty in the five-match ODI series against Kenya. Matabeleland Tuskers will look to bring their losing streak to an end when they take on Mashonaland Eagles at Queens Sports Club, while Southern Rocks, who are also winless, host the unbeaten Midwest Rhinos at Masvingo Sports Club.

The Robin Brown-coached Tuskers, despite being one of the best assembled sides, have lost both their matches and will surely miss Mark Vermeulen, Charles Coventry, Sean Williams and Christopher Mpofu who are involved against Kenya, while Gregory Strydom is out injured.

Matthew Williams, Gavin Ewing, Khawulani Ntuli, Bonaparte Mujuru, Thabo Mboyi and Keegan Meth have been included in the starting line-up as a result. Meth, who represented Zimbabwe at the Under-19 World Cup in 2006 and played five ODIs, arrived from South Africa last week. Having impressed Brown and his fellow selectors in the warm-up matches, he has been picked in the Tuskers squad.

Under-fire captain Terry Duffin who found form with the bat over the weekend while playing for Crescent will have an opportunity to redeem himself. He makes up the bating order with Dion Ebrahim, Tafadzwa Ngulube, Ewing and Williams. Tawanda Mupariwa, who was overlooked for the national team, will be leading the team's bowling attack along with Mboyi, Ntuli, Meth and offspinners John Nyumbu and Ewing.

The Eagles would be without captain Elton Chigumbura, wicketkeeper Foster Mutizwa, fast bowler Trevor Garwe and left-arm spinner Raymond Price for their upcoming fixture. Former England bowler Chris Silverwood, the Eagles' player-coach, will bank on the exploits of Regis Chakabva, Cephas Zhuwawo, Prince Masvaure and Greg Lamb for success. Silverwood is also likely to partner Douglas Hondo and Admire Manyumwa in the fast-bowling department. The Harare-based franchise have won only one Logan Cup match, against Southern Rocks, having blown away two good opportunities against Mountaineers and the Rhinos.

The Rhinos, meanwhile, will hope to maintain their unbeaten record without Graeme Cremer, Malcolm Waller and Brendan Taylor. They will, however, bank on their captain Vusi Sibanda, who is in top form after hitting a double century and a century during Zimbabwe XI's win over Kenya in an ICC Intercontinental Cup match at the Kwekwe Sports Club. Sibanda should combine well with Friday Kasteni, Bothwell Chapungu and Solomon Mire. Edward Rainsford will lead the bowling attack with Taurai Muzarabani, with left-arm spinner Brighton Mugochi making up for the absence of Cremer.

Still yet to win a match in the Logan Cup, the Rocks will go into the match without their Kenyan import, Steve Tikolo, who is also taking part in the ongoing series against Zimbabwe.