Mountaineers in title defence
MANICALAND cricket franchise, Mountaineers will be out to defend their Pro50 competition title when the season gets underway tomorrow (Saturday).
The Mountain Goats will be on a bye in the first round of fixtures set for this weekend, but will, however, set the ball rolling next weekend with a date against Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club.
Mountaineers will have their first home match at Mutare Sports Club against Tuskers on October 13.
Dangamvura-born and gifted medium pace bowler, Victor Nyauchi is expecting nothing less than a successful title defence.
“There is really nothing much. We are used to winning, so we just keep on doing what we are used to,” said Nyauchi, who is in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 reserves list together with Tanaka Chivanga, Innocent Kaia, Mountaineers teammate, Kevin Kasuza and Tadiwanashe Marumani.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will be held in Australia in October.
The talented bowler was recently handed an ODI cap together with fellow medium-pace bowler, Brad Evans, spin-bowling all-rounder, Tony Munyonga, and wicketkeeper-batter, Clive Madande during the course of the Bangladesh series.
However, it is Mountaineers’ sweet victory in the previous Pro50 competition which saw the Manicaland outfit clinching the championship title after defeating Southern Rocks by 71 runs in an exciting final played at Harare Sports Club in March that is expected to motivate the team to match their standards from the previous edition of the contest.
Mountaineers’ Ben Compton’s superb show earned him the batter of the tournament gong, while Wellington Masakadza was voted the player of the final match after shining with both the bat and the ball.
Sean Williams of Tuskers claimed the best bowler honours.
Sikandah Raza was rewarded for his impressive all round performance as he was named the Pro50 Championship player of the tournament.*