Club news from Zimbabwe Cricket Online

ALEXANDRA SPORTS CLUB

Report from cricket chairman Jim Watters

We had a very interesting game last Sunday, a top-of-the-table clash against Old Georgians. Craig Wishart played a spectacular innings, middling the ball well, and we wold love to see him transfer this form into the international arena.

We have been encouraged by the form of Jason Vaughan-Davies, who has scored runs consistently for us in our last few games and mad some good scores. Andy Blignaut also scored a fifty and he has proved a good signing for us this season, but we would like to see him do more with the ball, although we know he still has a slight knee injury.

It was disappointing for us to see Doug Marillier out to a controversial catch in the slips early on, because he is often in the runs for us.

Our second-team match against Winstonians II was cancelled, and we are lodging a formal complaint with the Mashonaland Cricket Association. Although they have been provided with quite a lot of equipment, there seemed to be very little preparation or anything in the way of covers at Churchill School. Our team is going quite well and we are not out happy about having to share the points for this match, so we will await the outcome.

Our third team was comprehensively beaten by Universals II, but as I mentioned last week we are struggling with our depth at that level.

OLD GEORGIANS SPORTS CLUB

Report from first-team captain Gus Mackay

It is good to see Craig Wishart back after his knee injury; although he is not 100% fit yet he is getting there, and he played a great match-winning innings for us last Sunday.

Our bowling also did well for us, with Craig Evans and myself getting three wickets apiece and Craig Wishart took two with his slow off-cutters.

After that victory we are now at the top of the table on points with Alex, but we have a match in hand over them. We hope to beat Old Hararians when we play them in our remaining match so as to finish clear at the top. It would be unfortunate if it was decided on run rate, and we are not happy with the way the run rate is calculated and added on after each match.

OLD HARARIANS SPORTS CLUB

Report from Paul Strang

We had a good win over Sports Club on Sunday, despite losing Bryan Strang and Gary Brent to the Test match. It was a great help to have Trevor Penney back. Ray Price batted superbly and was well supported by Trevor, who was just a cut above the rest.

Eddo Brandes bowled particularly well, taking one wicket for just nine runs off his nine overs. There was a rush of wickets near the end of the Harare Sports Club innings which helped us in a match restricted to 45 overs per side.

We are very happy with the success of Gary Brent in the Test team, but he knows he will have to keep working hard at his game.

Our second team also enjoyed a good win against Harare Sports Club seconds. We are not happy with the way positions in the table can be decided by consolidated run rate, though, added on after each match. We have played on some bowlers' pitches this season as we are striving to improve our facilities at home, and this system works very much in favour of Alex, who are able to compile some big scores on their ground. Perhaps instead of run rate there should be a grand final if two teams finish together at the top of the table on points.

Our secretary and hard-working administrator Jean Milne has been ill recently, and we all wish her a speedy recovery.

HARARE SPORTS CLUB

Report from cricket manager Gavin Johnstone-Robertson

Both first and second teams lost to their counterparts at Old Hararians over the weekend. Apart from lack of practice, we can only blame ourselves as I do not think they were really better sides; our big names failed to come off.

We had Trevor Gripper away for the Test match in Bulawayo, while Ray Price flew back to play for Old Hararians, and we would have been in better shape without him in the opposition!

For us Andre Hoffman came to the fore with a good innings and four wickets, and perhaps he was unlucky not to dismiss Trevor Penney lbw. He played really well; he did a bit of work in the nets with Glenn McGrath when the Australians were here and has definitely put on an extra yard an a half of pace, and is bowling with more diligence and discipline. I really think he is a player to look out for in the future.

We have had problems in using our nets for practice again with the touring teams here, but we are in for a long break now with the Sri Lanka series upon us. This stop-start season has not been easy for any of the clubs.

A piece of good news is that Dan Peacock has now had the cast taken off his leg and should be back for us when we start playing again, which will be a big bonus for the side.

UNIVERSALS SPORTS CLUB

Report by Justice Ahmed Ebrahim

We played Winstonians last weekend, batting after winning the toss, and our top scorer was Khalid Adam who made 76.

Winstonians made a good response, and there was a very good innings from young Stuart Matsikanyere. He is only 16, and I am surprised that he was not included in any of the age-group teams going down south. He really batted very well, and Winstonians too were going well at one stage, without Andy Flower, but they fell away rather quickly at the end. They put up a good performance against a very strong attack which contained two Test bowlers in Everton Matambanadzo and David Mutendera, a Board XI bowler in Hitesh Hira and promising Academy pace bowler Douglas Hondo.

David Mutendera has maintained his good form, and Everton has been included in the Zimbabwe squad in preparation for the Second Test against Sri Lanka this coming weekend.

Our seconds won very convincingly by nine wickets against Alex Seconds, and our leg-spin bowler Waqar Ali took seven wickets for only 14 runs as Alex were bowled out for 76.