The Official Midwest Rhinos Supporters Club Returns

[eugene]

Yep I agree. A very good website with a photo gallery !! Most zimbabwean cricket websites fail to install photo gallerys

Most Zimbabwean cricket websites fail.

[sloandog]

Yep I agree. A very good website with a photo gallery !! Most zimbabwean cricket websites fail to install photo gallerys

Most Zimbabwean cricket websites fail.

[Train Driver]

Right then Rhinos everywhere, it's nearly time for the big boys to join in the action

Thanks to maehara for posting the Rhinos link, i find it's really slow loading and not exactly up to date, Mike Chinouya is listed as a squad member for example, but it's definitely better than nothing

As i did last season, i will use the first post on this thread to update what's going on from the info that becomes available, particularly the player situation as it becomes clearer

Big losses as far as i'm concerned are Mike Chinouya, who i thought began to show great promise last season, Brighton Mugochi is missing from any mention at the moment, a couple of years ago the lad was a sensation and looked to be the man to take over from Ray Price at national level eventually, a great loss if he's drifting out of the game, Tarisai Mahlunge i remember as a promising keeper/batsman a couple of years back, even with some dodgy Rhinos batting displays last year he didn't manage to get a single game in and seems to have moved on to Eagles

On the gains side we have the promise of Gary Ballance, the experience of all rounder Paul Franks and the much awaited return of Ian Nicolson to Zimbabwe, it will also be interesting to see if Solomon Mire has picked up much from his spell in Australia

Andy Waller will be a great loss but we'll have to wait and see what Jason Gillespie can bring to the side, with Ed Rainsford, Taurai Muzarabani, Franks, Nicolson, Mire and hopefully Richard Muzhange, Gillespie will have some good seamers to work with

Not long until tuesday and the opening game at Rocks, i'll get the details on the squad up as soon as possible on post number one

Sharpen those horns you Rhinos, another season of trampling is about to begin

[Train Driver]

cricinfo have the squad up on their site for tomorrows game against Rocks

Sibanda, Ballance, Chapungu, Chikunya, Cremer, Franks, Kasteni, Lewis, Mire, Muzarabani, Nicolson, Nyathi, Rainsford, Taylor, Waller & Wessels

No last minute superstar signings then

Justin Lewis is the only addition to the original cricinfo squad, i doubt that Paul Franks will be in the starting XI tomorrow, it's a bit of a commute from Manchester where he's currently playing for Nottinghamshire

It's obviously a far different Rocks side to the one from last season and Sean Ervine will be missing for them of course

[Train Driver]

Game underway in Masvingo with Rocks putting us in to bat

Pretty much the expected team i think

Vusi Sibanda (C), Brendan Taylor, Friday Kasteni, Bothwell Chapungu, Malcolm Waller, Riki Wessels, Graeme Cremer, Solomon Mire, Ed Rainsford, Taurai Muzarabani & Ian Nicolson

That leaves Innocent Chikunya, Gary Ballance, Paul Franks, Justin Lewis & Remembrance Nyathi on the bench today

Hope the weather is a bit sunnier than here

[Train Driver]

Not a bad first day of the season

344-2 at the close with Brendan Taylor 180* and Vusi Sibanda 63* continuing as though last season hadn't finished

Good efforts also from Friday Kasteni 61 and Bothwell Chapungu 25

Shame i won't be able to keep in touch very closely with the game over the next 3 days as work calls

4000 first class runs for BRM and Vusi just 129 more away from the same target

That trampling noise has started again, beware, those Rhinos are on the charge again

[zimfan1]

Looks like another long season in terms of overs for Cremer

[sloandog]

Looks like another long season in terms of overs for Cremer

Long time no speak, good to hear from you mate

[zimfan1]

Looks like another long season in terrms of overs for Cremer

Long time no speak, good to hear from you mate

Hi Sloandog, ive just started a new job in Hong Kong and its taken a while to settle in, hopefully will be more active from now on going into a busy international schedule for Zimbabwe

[Train Driver]

What you up to then zimfan1, are you going to lead the Zim challenge for the Hong Kong Sixes this year ?

I only managed to get a passing idea of the Logan and Metrobank games this week after the first day, great to see such a hard hitting start to the batting season, Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda and Malcolm Waller all starting where they left off last year with good efforts from Friday Kasteni and Riki Wessels as well, a valiant attempt to force the win but Rocks have a lot more backbone than last year. Graeme Cremer sure is going to bowl a few overs again, the great thing about watching Mushtaq Ahmed bowl over after over was that he seemed to enjoy it so much, hopefully Cremer will as well and the coaches will keep a good eye on any potential injury weak spots. I'm pretty confident that we've got a very good seam line-up this season but a little worried about our spin ability when Cremer is away with the national squad. Nice starts for Ed Rainsford, 33 overs in the Logan and 7 in the Metrobank with only 3 no balls against his name, much better than last season, and Ian Nicolson taking some wickets straight away, in the Metrobank game well done to Malcom Waller and Friday Kasteni for saving us from a dodgy situation with the bat and to Nicolson again, Solomon Mire and the new secret weapon Brendan Taylor with the ball, victory number one for the new season

A bit annoying but the boys won't be playing now until 30th september and i'm away for a couple of weeks from 2nd october, i expect you to lead them to success zimfan1