Harare-based Logan Cup gets underway

[zimfan1]

Harare-based Logan Cup gets underway

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2009

The Logan Cup, Zimbabwe's domestic first-class tournament, gets underway this week, but there is unrest that all matches will be staged in Harare.

Historically, games have been played at a variety of venues across Zimbabwe, but this year four grounds - Harare Sports Club, Academy Grounds, Alexandra Sports Club and Old Hararians Sports Club - will host all rounds of the competition.

The decision leaves Zimbabwe's second centre, Bulawayo, without any cricket. Aside from two Logan Cup games last May, the city, which is home to two international venues, has not hosted any game of significance since December 2007.

The Faithwear Cup, the country's one-day competition, which was played early this month was also held entirely in Harare.

Zimbabwe Cricket officialsare operating under difficult circumstances and currency restrictions and fuel shortages make transporting players across the country prohibitively expensive.

"Of the 78 players who have been distributed to the provinces, 52 are from Harare, 18 from Bulawayo and eight from the other provinces," a ZC spokesman told Cricinfo. "Of the officials, 70% are from Harare. For logistical purposes, it is easier to bring in 26 players into Harare than send 52 out."

However, one senior administrator from outside Harare told Cricinfo that the board had an obligation to take cricket to as many areas as possible. "We are struggling to keep the game alive and the lack of any cricket and of being able to see the stars of Zimbabwe makes our job all the harder."

Another took a more cynical view. "ZC gets good money from the ICC and has a responsibility to give the game as good a base as it can. The reason we are not getting allocated games is that the board knows the infrastructure is crumbling and wants to hide the fact. One of the recent [Faithwear Cup] matches was scrapped because the facilities were substandard, and that was in Harare … imagine what would happen at some of the outlying grounds."

This was vehemently denied by ZC. "We have nothing to hide in terms of dilapidated grounds in Bulawayo," the spokesman said. "We have two leases there. At Queens we own the outer buildings and maintain the cricket oval while at the Bulawayo Athletic Club we only maintain the oval. At both, the cricket facilities are looking good, aided by the considerable amount of rainfall they have had there."

[CrimsonAvenger]

Looks like Steven Price is back, and back with the vengeance