Houghton wants at least one trophy for Tuskers

[CrimsonAvenger]

http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx ... 7101&cat=3

MATABELELAND Tuskers coach David Houghton has said his aim is to bring at least one cricket trophy to Bulawayo this season with his target being the four-day Logan Cup.

Houghton arrived in the country from England last Monday together with young wicketkeeper Adam Wheater.
The former Zimbabwe coach missed Tuskers’ first Logan Cup and Metropolitan Bank encounters against Mountaineers played at Queens Sports Club. With assistant coach Heath Streak in charge, Tuskers lost the four-day match by five wickets but won the limited overs contest by 17 runs.

In an interview during the team’s training session at Queens Sports Club last Wednesday Houghton said there were numerous incidents of unrest in the Tuskers set up last season, which was now history and was confident that one of the three trophies will find its way to Bulawayo.

“Last season there was an unhappy atmosphere which contributed to the team not doing well. What we have done now is create a good environment to be able to produce national team players. If you speak to any coach they will tell you they want to be on top but I will be happy with winning at least one trophy. My major focus is on the Logan Cup,” he said.

Last season, Houghton was a coaching consultant at franchise and national team level before heading off to England where he is a batting consultant for Northampton. He said he was tired of travelling and that is why he took up the Tuskers coaching job.

Houghton was also extensively involved in the recruitment of foreign players and coaches for the local franchises and he revealed that a lot of players had shown interest in playing in the Zimbabwe domestic league although he had to turn down some of the players who included England left arm spinner Samit Patel and Darren Stevens.

“We had lots of players who wanted to play in Zimbabwe, at some stage I had 30 names and I had to turn down some of them. We want to boost the standards while at the same time not taking away opportunities for our own players,” he pointed out.

Houghton said he was looking for an opening batsman, wicketkeeper and specialist Twenty20 player for Tuskers and that was why he had signed top order batsman Paul Horton from Lancashire, Wheater from Essex and Warwickshire all-rounder Neil Carter for the Twenty20 version of the game.

Of the three players, Wheater is the only one already in the country while Horton and Carter are expected in Zimbabwe next month.
Unlike many in the Tuskers set-up who believe in controlling what is published about the team in the media, Houghton said he expects the scribes to play their role and not protect his team when not playing well.

In an interview at Queens last Wednesday, an excited Wheater said he had turned down offers from Australian clubs to come and play in Zimbabwe, as it was a great prospect for him to play first class cricket.
The former England Under-19 wicketkeeper whose father initially was against him coming to Zimbabwe said he is glad to play cricket in the country and hopes to make a winning contribution for Tuskers.

“I had offers from clubs in Australia but I was happy to come to Zimbabwe as I saw it as an opportunity to play first class cricket. It is going to be a good experience and I hope to make a winning contribution for Tuskers,” said Wheater who is in Zimbabwe for the first time.
Wheater will take away the wicketkeeping duties from Charles Coventry. The hard hitting Coventry and fast bowler Christopher Mpofu are not available for the match against Southern Rocks starting at Queens Sports Club on Thursday because of national duty.
Left handed batsman Terrence Duffin has also been ruled out of the match against Rocks because of a knee injury.

For a team which failed to win anything last season under the guidance of Robin Brown, Tuskers are looking like a more settled team and hopes are high that they will bring a trophy to Bulawayo this season.

[Mike]

Bloody Hell imagine Samit Patel playing in a Zim domestic team. Everyone raves about him over here, but the only reason he doesn't play for England is because of how fat he is

[sloandog]

Bloody Hell imagine Samit Patel playing in a Zim domestic team. Everyone raves about him over here, but the only reason he doesn't play for England is because of how fat he is

Ya he's not helped himself in terms of keeping down the pounds