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FORMER Zimbabwe senior national cricket team coach Robin Brown has been appointed the Matabeleland Tuskers coach.

He is not new in the set up as he was the coach of Westerns as Tuskers were known in 2007.

Playing as Westerns last season, Matabeleland Tuskers had a poor showing in the country’s premier first class competition where they finished winless. However, they did well in the shorter versions of the game, finishing second to Easterns in the Faithwear one-day competition and won the Metropolitan Bank Twenty20 competition. Brown was appointed Zimbabwe coach in August 2007, taking over from Kevin Curran. Despite posting an upset victory over Australia at the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 held in South Africa in September 2007 and recording another shocking win over the West Indies at the end of 2007, he only lasted for a year in the post before he was replaced by Walter Chawaguta in August last year.

Matabeleland Tuskers have secured almost all their key players for this season with only injured left handed all-rounder Keith Dabengwa and top order batsman Mbekezeli Mabuza who is with the Zimbabwe A side preparing to take on Afghanistan the only players yet to put pen to paper.

Tawanda Mupariwa, Mark Vermeulen, Sean Williams, Charles Coventry, Christopher Mpofu, John Nyumbu, Simba Kusano, Sydwell Ndlovu, Titus Chipare and Matt Williams are the players who have all signed their contracts.

Fast bowler Njabulo Ncube is the only player who has been lost by the franchise. The former national Under-19 player has signed for Mutare-based Mountaineers franchise. However, Matabeleland Tuskers spokesperson Donald Khumalo said the player has shown willingness to come back to his home franchise.

Matabeleland Tuskers have also set their sights on signing some former Zimbabwe internationals who are playing club cricket in the United Kingdom at the moment. These are former Zimbabwe captain Terrence Duffin, former Zimbabwe opening batsman Dion Ebrahim and off spinning all-rounder Gavin Ewing and a J McClean, who is understood to be playing international club cricket in the UK.

Fourteen other players have signed pay as you play deals. These are Thabo Mboyi, Freedom Takarusenga, Romeo Kasawaya, Kendrick Moyo, Taurai Madiri, Mxolisi Dube, Bernard Mukondiwa, Cunningham Ncube, Khawulani Ntuli, Godwin Mamhiyo, Steven Chimanhiyo, Dumisani Mankunzini, Vincent Dururu and Mduduzi Fuzwayo.

Matabeleland Tuskers have also set their sights on signing some former Zimbabwe internationals who are playing club cricket in the United Kingdom at the moment. These are former Zimbabwe captain Terrence Duffin, former Zimbabwe opening batsman Dion Ebrahim and off spinning all-rounder Gavin Ewing and a J McClean, who is understood to be playing international club cricket in the UK.