ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2020

569 Zimbabwe in 2019/20 Zimbabwe’s three Tests in 2019/20 constituted a modest programme, but, unlike Afghanistan and Ireland, the team at least qualified for the ICC rankings, albeit very firmly in bottom place out of the ten ranked nations. When, in January, Zimbabwe hosted Sri Lanka, the two Tests were Zimbabwe’s first anywhere since touring Bangladesh in November 2018 and the first at home since West Indies were met at the start of the 2017/18 season. Considering Zimbabwe’s lack of practice at Test level, the Sri Lanka rubber could have been a lot worse. True, Zimbabwe lost the first Test but they made their distinguished opponents work hard for the win, and in the end it was essentially Angelo Mathews’ unbeaten double hundred that was the difference between the sides. And in the second Test, a fine hundred by Sean Williams gave the home side the initiative and they retained it throughout, although they never looked likely to force a win. Still, new captain Williams might have taken comfort that losing 0-1 against such credible opponents was maybe not such a bad result; but Zimbabwe’s continuing weakness at this level was exposed by an innings defeat in the one-off Test in Bangladesh in February. The domestic season started chaotically as Zimbabwe Cricket, desperately awaiting financial support from the ICC, was unable to start the programme on time. The Logan Cup eventually got underway in mid-December, and even then there were further deferrals. The Cup this year was enlarged from four teams to five by the addition of Rangers, a side of promising young players based on the Alistair Campbell Academy in Harare. The intention was to play a double round robin format – twenty matches in all – but the pandemic forced the cancellation of the last six matches. Zimbabwe Cricket announced that the Cup would not be awarded – a fair decision, since Eagles, in first place, had not established a clear ascendancy over Mountaineers, a close second with a game in hand. At the other end of the table, new boys Rangers finished winless in bottom place. Naturally, pickings were meagre in such a short season. Kevin Kasuza of Mountaineers was the only batsman to pass 400 runs but his highest score was only 86; while the leading wicket-taker was the Eagles’ off-spinner Tapiwa Mufudza with 30. (JCB) Logan Cup 2019/20: Final table P W WLF L LWF DWF DLF Pts 6 5 0 1 3 2 1 Eagles 6 3 2 1 0 0 0 28 2 Mountaineers 5 3 1 1 0 0 0 23 3 Tuskers 6 2 0 2 1 1 0 16 4 Rhinos 5 1 1 2 1 0 0 12 5 Rangers 6 0 0 3 2 0 1 4 NOTE: The last 6 matches were cancelled owing to the pandemic. Zimbabwe Cricket announced that the Logan Cup will not be awarded in 2019/20.