Australia pulling out of their short tour to Zimbabwe this month will have focused the minds of Zimbabwean cricket officials. The murder of Norton farmer Terry Ford just 30 miles from Test ground Harare Sports Club no doubt swung the decision. Like Pakistan before them, Zimbabwe will struggle to attract international cricketers until stability is restored. Even the gallant Afghan side who agreed a replacement tour of Pakistan when New Zealand pulled out last year might be pushed to come here.

Cricket is by a stretch the wealthiest game in Zimbabwe. The national team - in the form of international TV rights for its matches - generates 99% of that wealth. If the Australians have established a trend, Zimbabwe will be forced to play everything away from home in future. Which means at best 50% of the income. Will the ICC have the money (or the will) to take up the slack? The international community has shown little appetite to assuage the self-created crisis elsewhere in Zimbabwe, so the Zimbabwe Cricket Union should expect nothing different.

Since Test status was conferred in the early nineties Zimbabwe's cricket administration has grown from a handful of unpaid enthusiasts to a cash-guzzling high-street corporation. With regular hits of US dollars at 330 to 1 the ZCU has been insulated from the 117% inflationary spiral afflicting mainstream Zimbabwe. With the thumbs now poised on the golden goose's neck, survival strategy and management-performance will dominate new CEO Vince Hogg's tenure.

With no international cricket in prospect local players and public have only the final round of the Logan Cup to anticipate. This Friday sees Matabeleland arrive in Mutare with Heath Streak back to full fitness. Manicaland will be looking to avoid a first-class whitewash, having gone down by nine wickets in just over two days in Kwekwe last week.

Having elected to bat they were caught on a designer-made pitch for spin-twins Douglas Marillier and Ray Price. Bundled for 200 in the first innings and 20 fewer second time around, Midlands brushed them aside with embarrassing ease. Scoring 374 in little more than a day, Midlands faced little threat themselves from a spin-blunted Manica attack, with inexperienced Keegan Taylor forced to carry the load. Richie Sims injured an ankle during his first-innings 55, reducing him to just six overs in the match.

For Midlands Craig Wishart and Marillier got half-centuries whilst Harare Sports Club/Worcestershire seconds pro James Cornford hit 98 not out. In Manicaland's second innings Neil Ferreira and Gary Brent each got half-centuries in a match played in good spirit.

The spin-conditions would have tested (and made for a better game) the skills of spin-eater Andy Flower - predictably denied his wish to play for Manicaland by empire-building Harare bureaucrats. This weekend's game will at least see the return of the injured Alistair Campbell, but the absentee list is growing. Out injured are Justin Lewis and Sims; Taylor, Mawoyo and Andre Soma will be at Under-19 trials, whilst Whittall and Brent are expected to go to Namibia with Zimbabwe A.

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