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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S domestic premier first-class cricket, the Logan Cup, will resume after the provinces conclude outstanding contractual matters with their players.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Cricket’s head of cricket affairs Givemore Makoni said tentative dates for the resumption of the Logan Cup would be announced by this weekend.

“We’re working round the clock to make sure the Logan Cup resumes soon. We haven’t come up with a tentative date, but we were looking at starting our games on January 17 with the hope that the provinces would have attended to outstanding player contracts,” said Makoni.

The 2016-17 Logan Cup season had a false start, with players striking before the Christmas break.

The cricketers refused to take to the field following a pay dispute, resulting in a premature end to the Logan Cup match between Bulawayo Metropolitan Tuskers and Midlands Rhinos at Queens Sports Club.

Rhinos were awarded the match, winning by 207 runs after Tuskers forfeited their second innings.

According to sources, the cricketers felt betrayed by ZC after it failed to honour its commitment to pay them their November salaries together with their December dues. ZC only paid players their November salaries.

Last week Tuskers held a meeting with the provincial chairman Vumi Moyo, where the players expressed their grievances following the strike.

Moyo said the cricketers misfired by going on strike because this was a breach of their contracts.

However, Moyo said they would not be charging players who incited the strike, as the group stood together saying they made a collective effort.

“They aired their grievances and one thing that we’re not against is players expressing themselves, but in so doing they have to follow official channels and avoid acting on emotions. They said to us they didn’t mean to have the game forfeited and said it was an issue of a misunderstanding.

I think the meeting we had was successful because we told them not to refer to the past but look to the future and have faith in the present administration.

“We won’t be taking any disciplinary action against any individuals because the players said they acted as a squad. As the board we applaud the team spirit even though it came in a negative way and we hope the same unity they showed will also be evident when they take to the field,” Moyo said.

When the Logan Cup eventually resumes, Tuskers will play their second game of the season against Mountaineers in Mutare, while Eagles and Rhinos will face off in Harare.

@ZililoR