The Mountaineers is one of five cricket Zimbabwean cricket franchises. They are a first-class cricket team, based in the Manicaland and Mashonaland East area. They play their home matches at Mutare Sports Club in Mutare.
Franchise history Following the decline of the standards of cricket in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Cricket decided to use a new set of teams for all the first-class, List A and Twenty20 formats of the domestic game. A total of 5 franchises were named, and the Mountaineers team was based in Manicaland.
2009-10 Logan Cup On their debut in this tournament, the Mountaineers finished in third place in the group, with three wins from twelve games.Logan Cup 2009/10 / Points table ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011 Their debut first-class match against Mashonaland Eagles was a draw, thanks mainly to captain Hamilton Masakadza's century (188). Their first first-class win was against Southern Rocks, whom they crushed by eight wickets.Logan Cup Mountaineers v Southern Rocks First-class match 2009/10 season at Mutare Sports Club ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011 For their third-place finish, Mountaineers could not contest the final.
2009-10 Faithwear Metbank One-Day Competition The Mountaineers had a brilliant tournament, winning the championship by defeating Mid West Rhinos in the final by three wickets. They underlined their dominance in the tournament, by finishing top of the pool with 6 wins from 8 games.Faithwear Metbank One-Day Competition 2009/10 / Points table ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 17 December 2011 In the semi-final, they thrashed the Southern Rocks by seven wickets to enter the final. Players who starred for Mountaineers in that match included Hamilton Masakadza (44*), Tino Mawoyo (40), Stuart Matsikenyeri (36), and Shingirai Masakadza (3-20).Mountaineers thrash Rocks to enter final ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 17 December 2011 In the final against the Rhinos, Mountaineers restricted the opposition to a lowly first-innings score of 144, with captain Prosper Utseya taking 3-24. In return, Mountaineers themselves slipped down to 66-7, before a brilliant fightback by Shingirai Masakadza (41*) and Prosper Utseya (30*) in an unbeaten partnership and the winning runs were scored in style by Masakadza with a lofted six off Malcolm Waller. Rhinos captain Vusi Sibanda had tried nine bowlers, but nothing could break the partnership.Mountaineers lower order secures trophy ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 17 December 2011
2009-10 Stanbic Bank 20 Series Despite the fact, that the Mountaineers emerged victorious in this tournament, they were pretty shaky in the group stage. They had 3 wins from 5 games, while counterparts Mashonaland Eagles (the group-toppers), had a better record than them, with 4 wins from 5 games.Stanbic Bank 20 Series, 2009/10 / Points table ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 December 2011 The Eagles were more dominant, as was proved by the 82-run downing given to them by Eagles bowler Ray Price who took figures of 5 for 12 off just 17 deliveries and took his 5th wicket as Natsai Mushangwe was stumped and the match ended.Price downs Mountaineers ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 December 2011 Mountaineers got better in the final, and put the aforementioned disaster behind them to score a massive nine-wicket win and upset, with the victory mostly possible due to Hamilton Masakadza (64*) and Tatenda Taibu (37*).All-round Mountaineers scale Twenty20 peak ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 December 2011
2010-11 Logan Cup
Players
When the country was debuting in the 2009-10 Logan Cup, the team consisted of Zimbabwean international and domestic players. Key players at that time included Hamilton Masakadza (Captain), Timycen Maruma, Johnson Marumisa, Shingirai Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tino Mawoyo, Natsai Mushangwe, Njabulo Ncube (who later went on to join his home province Matabeleland Tuskers), Tatenda Taibu (who later on joined Southern Rocks), and Prosper Utseya.Mountaineers Squad Zimbabwe Domestic Season, 2009/10 ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011
The Mountaineers made their first major overseas signing when they signed up South African all-rounder Greg Smith.Mountaineers Squad Stanbic Bank 20 Series, 2009/10 ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011
The following season, there were many improvements in the squads. Former South African great fast bowler Allan Donald was named as the franchise's head coach,Allan Donald to coach Mountaineers ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011 while players like South Africa's Jonathan Beukes, Sean Ervine,Sean Ervine Becomes a Mountaineer Hampshire County Cricket Club Official Website. Retrieved 11 December 2011 and more prominently, former South African great all-rounder Lance Klusener, who playing in 171 ODIs, had an average of 41.10 at an impressive strike-rate of 89.91,Klusener to play in Zimbabwe domestic league ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011 Other signings include Liam Dawson, who scored, aged 21, scored 908 runs for Hampshire County Cricket Club, in the County Championship, and is supposed to have a long time contract with Mountaineers.Dawson to play for Mountaineers ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011
For the 2011-12 season, Mountaineers signed overseas players such as Australian star fast bowler, Dirk Nannes, former Black Caps all-rounder Chris Harris, English wicket-keeper Phil Mustard, and Ned Eckersley.Gayle to play T20s in Zimbabwe ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 11 December 2011 Apart from that, former Zimbabwean seamer Gary Brent replaced Donald as coach.Gary Brent Replaces Allan Donald as Mountaineers Coach zimcricketnews.com. Retrieved 11 December 2011
Current squad Players with international caps are listed in bold. No. Name Nat Birth date Batting style Bowling style Notes Batsmen3 Timycen Maruma Right-handed Right-arm leg break googly Innocent Kaia Right-handed Right-arm leg break Kevin Kasuza Right-handed Right-arm off break 12 Tino Mawoyo Right-handed Right-arm medium fast 10 Hamilton Masakadza Right-handed Right-arm medium Tinashe Chimbambo Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium All-rounder Roy Kaia Right-handed Right-arm off break Wicket-keepers Forster Mutizwa Right-handed Right-arm off break Tafadzwa Tsiga Right-handed Right-arm medium Richmond Mutumbami Right-handed Right-arm offbreak Joylord Gumbie Right-handed Spin Bowlers Wellington Masakadza Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox 13 Natsai M'shangwe Right-handed Leg break Pace Bowlers15 Donald Tiripano Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium Captain11 Shingirai Masakadza Right-handed Right-arm fast medium Victor Nyauchi Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium William Mashinge Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 2 Tendai Chatara Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium Source: ESPNCricinfoMountaineers Squad Zimbabwe Domestic Season, 2011/12 ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 December 2011Mountaineers Squad, Stanbic Bank 20 Series, 2011/12 ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 December 2011
Honours Champion Logan Cup: 4 2013-14, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 Pro50 Championship: 4 2009-10, 2013-14, 2021-22, 2022-23 ,
References