Banned Masakadza to miss crucial last round

Hamilton Masakadza has been fined and banned for Easterns' next Logan Cup match following his altercation with Westerns' Thabo Mboyi last Sunday during the game at Queens Sports Club. He will now miss his side's crucial last-round match against Centrals.

Masakadza, the Easterns' and Zimbabwe opening batsman, was fined all of his match fee and banned for Easterns' final match against Centrals to be played in Kwe Kwe while Mboyi also lost his match fee but escaped a ban.

The altercation occurred when Masakadza attempted to block Mboyi from taking a - and the two had to be restrained by team-mates. The match referee Clement Mahachi convened a meeting with the three match officials, coaches and managers of both teams and the players concerned.

Lovemore Banda, Zimbabwe Cricket's senior communications manager confirmed the ban on Monday, saying: "Both players admitted to a Level 2 charge of the ICC Code of Conduct." A Level 2 charge deals with inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players during the course of play.

With only one round of matches in the Logan Cup left, Easterns have taken control of the standings after their fine win over Westerns in Bulawayo. The final round starts on Thursday with the Westerns travelling to Masvingo for a match with the struggling Southerns, while Easterns take on Centrals at Kwekwe Sports Club.