The new-look Manicaland team travelled to Old Hararians last Sunday to open the 2001/2 national league program. Added to last year's side are national discards Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall who join world number one Test batsman Andy Flower. All three have come to Manicaland at the ZCU's expense as part of their ongoing decentralization policy.

They will be accommodated free of charge at Leopard Rock Hotel when required to stay overnight in Mutare. This means that there are now only 5 genuine Manicas in the team - Tafadzwa Madondo, Leon Soma, Alec Taylor, Mark Burmester and Kingsley Went. Already grumbles are being heard from local parents who feel their kids will leave the province if the prospects for Manicaland selection are small. The ZCU is learning how difficult it is to be all things to all people.

In a game reduced to 45 overs due to the late arrival of Queens from Bulawayo, Manicaland batted first and scored 258/7. Highlights included a patient 79 from Campbell, 67 from Whittall and 36 from Madondo. Mluleki Nkala was Queens' most successful bowler (3/42) whilst openers Pommie Mbangwa and Matt (son of `Dobbo' Derrick) Townshend picked up a wicket apiece. In reply Queens collapsed to 161 all out in the 43rd over (Walker 48) to give Manicaland a 97-run victory. Richie Sims (3/19) and Ian Coulson (3/38) were the best Manicaland bowlers.

The second team secured a four-wicket victory over Harare Sports Club seconds in a 50-over second-league match at Mutare Sports Club on the same day. Winning the toss, Manicaland captain for the day, Burma Valley farmer Dave Wright, put HSC in and bowled them out half an hour before lunch for 203. S. Bala made 53 whilst veteran Spike Lewis (older brother of Nyazura farmer Vince) hit 50. Nyanga flower grower Don Percival took 3/25 whilst Hillcrest schoolboy Keegan Taylor picked up 3/37 with a mixture of leg-breaks and seamers.

Although team coach Arthur Fulton argued that three regulars were missing at Under-19 trials, this was a poor effort by a mediocre team. A few years ago Harare Sports Club fielded two teams in the national first league. This side was full of schoolboys who looked better suited to the school Second XI. 55-year-old Fulton was forced to play to make up numbers and the former national baseball player did sterling work behind the stumps. Both he and Lewis played alongside their sons - further evidence of the diminishing player base in Zimbabwe cricket.

Manicaland made hard work of the total, losing six wickets before Wright (49 not out) and Adiel Makota (51 not out) joined forces for a match-winning eighth-wicket partnership. Of the rest only Andre Soma (34) played with purpose. 17-year-old Makota - who learnt his cricket at Barings junior school and is currently at Mutare Boys High - played with straight bat and steady head as he hauled in the total.

Also played in Harare over the weekend were the national school trials. Hillcrest College was represented by Daniel Soma, Ian Bains and Robbie Hunter at Under-14 level with Gerry Penford, Donald Bains and Tina Mawoyo at Under-16 level. Congratulations to Tina who has been chosen to captain the Zimbabwean team to South Africa early next year.

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