Mashonaland bid to make it six in six

The Logan Cup, Zimbabwe's premier first-class inter-provincial four-day competition, gets underway on Tuesday with the four provinces in action in Bulawayo and Mutare.

A fierce battle is in store at Bulawayo Athletic Club where Matabeleland will host Mashonaland. The last time the two sides met, in April this year, Matabeleland won by five wickets. Heath Streak, the then-Matabeleland skipper, put up a sterling allround performance in that match to lead them to their first victory over Mashonaland in eight years.

He scored a century and took seven wickets as Matabeleland completely dominated. This time around Streak is available: he was willing to play but did not notify the Matabeleland selectors that he was available, after spending most of last week trying to retrieve his boat which sunk in Binga a fortnight ago.

Matabeleland will be captained by pace bowler Mluleki Nkala and boast a strong batting line-up that includes Mark Vermeulen, who is likely to bat down the order. Gavin Ewing, along with Keith Dabengwa and Gregory Strydom, are their proven allrounders. Nkala leads the Matabeleland bowling attack.

Tatenda Taibu, skipper of the national side, captains Mashonaland, who have won the Logan Cup five years in a row. They have an equally strong batting line-up, including Brendan Taylor, Barney Rogers and Elton Chigumbura. Their bowling attack will be led by Douglas Hondo.

Taibu, a capable bowler himself, is likely to hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Taylor, who is equally good behind the stumps. Taibu is still recovering from an injury to his left shoulder which he suffered during Zimbabwe's match against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy.

In the other match, at Mutare Sports Club, Manicaland, captained by Dion Ebrahim will host Midlands, who are skippered by Alester Maregwede.