ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2018

Zimbabwe in 2017/18 Yet again Zimbabwe’s Test programme was notable as much for its sparsity as for its lack of success. West Indies visited for two Tests at the start of the season, winning the first easily enough but being held to a draw in the second. And then Zimbabwe travelled to South Africa for a one-off Test at Christmas, controversially allotted only four days. But in fact, this time would have sufficed to play it twice over, as Zimbabwe suffered a crushing innings defeat in only five sessions of play. And that was that: Zimbabwe played no more Tests in 2017/18 or 2018 and remained rooted firmly at the bottom of the Test rankings, perhaps even casting a nervous eye forward to the time – still likely some way off – when new boys Afghanistan and Ireland will have played enough games to qualify for a ranking. The only match from which any real comfort might be derived was the second Test against West Indies. Hamilton Masakadza’s 147 got the home team off to a flying start, and a total of 326 at least looked competitive – especially when Sikandar Raza’s off-spin reduced West Indies to 230-7 in reply. But from this point the match was transformed as 212 was added for the eighth wicket by Shane Dowrich and Jason Holder, both of whom hit centuries. Going in again against a deficit of 122, Zimbabwe had little option but to play for a draw, which they achieved comfortably enough – their first, incidentally, since as long ago as 2005. Sikandar Raza, with scores of 80 and 89 to go with his 5-99, enjoyed a particularly fine game. There were slight glimmers of hope elsewhere, too. Even the steady loss of talented players, which has had such an adverse impact on Zimbabwe’s Test prospects, went somewhat into reverse as Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis were welcomed back to the fold. But overall, the dispiriting pattern of Zimbabwean Test cricket was maintained. Too few matches are played, and most of those are against the weaker Test nations. And even against such modest opposition, the results tend to be poor; while the occasional foray against more powerful sides, as for instance against South Africa this season, is met with humbling defeat. And it seems the Test programme may be scaled back yet further, as Cricket Zimbabwe announced that for financial reasons it expected fewer home Tests to be arranged in future. Apart from the West Indies Tests, all the first-class matches were in the Logan Cup. The teams played each other twice rather than thrice as in 2016/17, and the four teams that had contested the Cup in 2016/17 were complemented by a new ‘Rising Stars’ side (although it belied its name by finishing in bottom place). Perhaps the pivotal moment in the whole competition came in the first match played by defending champions Manicaland. Defeat appeared inevitable as opponents Midlands, set 328 to win, reached 321-6; but Victor Nyauchi’s fast-medium bowling came to the rescue as he swept aside Midlands’ inexperienced lower order to snatch a dramatic victory by 2 runs. Had this match gone the other way, the early-season table would have had a very different feel to it and Manicaland would have faced an uphill fight to retain the Cup. But as it was, they went on to show fine form for most of the remainder of the season, and a serious reverse in the return game against Midlands came too late to deprive them of the title. In terms of individual performances in the season as a whole, Harare’s Cephas Zhuwao was the leading first-class run-scorer with 821 at 58.64, aided more than a little by his 265 against Midlands. Donald Tiripano of Manicaland was next with 678, his impressive average of 75.33 bolstered by several not-outs. He was unquestionably the all-round star of the season as his fast-medium bowling brought him 30 wickets at 21.36, but it was the Bulawayo medium pacer Ernest Masuku, in only his second season, that headed the bowlers’ list with 32 at 23.06. Victor Nyauchi and Tendai Chisoro were just behind with 31. (JCB) 615