The Matabeleland Logan Cup team will be without national captain Heath Streak for the opening game against Mashonaland `A' this weekend. Streak, who will only arrive back in Bulawayo on the evening of 15 February after the long flight from Australia, where he attended the meeting on international captains, will benefit from a rest for a couple of weeks before the second game against Manicaland in Bulawayo on 2 March.

Matabeleland will obviously miss Streak, the country's leading bowler, but his replacement Jason Hitz will no doubt relish the chance of representing his province again after his chances of playing this season were virtually eliminated with the possibility of five Test bowlers (Streak, Olonga, Nkala, Mbangwa and Rennie) as a pace attack. Hitz made his debut last season, producing some good bowling spells with the limited opportunities he had with the ball.

As a result of the withdrawal of Streak, Mark Vermeulen, a former Zimbabwe Under-19 captain, will now lead the team. Spirit amongst the rest of the squad is good and the players are all looking forward to a very successful season, particularly as last year they finished bottom of the table. All players will be out to impress the national selectors for the forthcoming tours by Bangladesh, India, West Indies and South Africa.

The one area of concern is the weather in Harare, which has had some heavy rain over the past few days. In view of the prospects of a damp field the final team will only be announced on the morning of 16 February.

© Cricinfo