Southern Rocks
Southern Rocks: competitions
Southern Rocks: First-Class Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Logan Cup
1
2020–21
Southern Rocks: Limited Overs Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Pro50 Championship
0
0
Southern Rocks: Twenty20 Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Stanbic Bank 20 Series
0
Southern Rocks: about the Zimbabwe cricket team
The Southern Rocks (SR) is one of five first-class cricket franchises in Zimbabwe. The club is based in the Matabeleland South region, where the Masvingo home stadium is. The Zimbabwe Cricket owns the team.
The club debuted in 2009, but has suspended activities since the 2013/14 season. This is due to the franchise results: the club has negative statistics of only 3 wins with 27 draws in 47 first-class matches.
The national cricket organization announced in December 2020 that the SR was returning to the league as part of the Logan Cup 2020/21, where the squad unexpectedly won a grand victory.
Southern Rocks: history
After a critical decline in the overall level of the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), it began recruiting new first-class teams in all formats (the first-class, the List A, the T20). The Matabeleland South region was represented by the Southern Rocks team based in Masvingo.
The 2009/10 season was the Rocks debut. The team appeared in the application for the Logan Cup, but this start can hardly be called successful. The team lost 6 of the 12 group stage matches, and the rest tied. The defeats turned out to be no less difficult because each of them left no chance of victory.
The Rocks took part in the Metbank One-Day Competition in the same season, where they lost out to the Mountaineers in the first match. However, the squad found the strength to finish the group stage in fourth place. Reaching the semifinals assumed a meeting with the same Mountaineers, who again did not put the slightest chance of the ST to further pass through the tournament grid.
The Stanbic Bank 20 Series 2009/10 was ineffective for the Rocks. The club finished last with just one win with four losses in five group stage matches. The only victoria over the Matabeleland Tuskers was won through the collaboration of the Chibhabha-Raza batsmen tandem.
The new season for the Southern Rocks started again with a major setback in the Logan Cup, which the team failed massively: 5 losses in 12 matches and 7 draws.
The club’s management put all expectations on the Metbank One-Day Competition series, which was supposed to improve the quality of the squad’s play. The managers pinned their hopes on the acquisition of experienced players Brian Lara and Ryan Sidebottom, able to improve the atmosphere within the team.
Despite this, the tournament’s first match was lost, despite the fact that Lara chalked up 65 points. Fortunately, the Rocks got together and fought their opponents twice, which made it possible to complete the group stage in the third position, making their way to the semifinals. The club did not manage to please their fans with victories in the semifinals and the match for third place.
The Logan Cup 2011/12 turned out to be the worst for the team in the entire history of participation: 4 defeats in 4 matches. The subsequent championship, the Coca-Cola Pro50, somewhat smoothed the disappointment. The Rocks’ statistics showed 2 wins in 5 matches, moreover, over top opponents the Mid West Rhinos and the Tatenda Taibu.
The 2011/12 season ended for the SR with a failed Stanbic Bank 20 Series, where they again failed to win a single victory.
The Southern Rocks’ disappointing performance resulted in the suspension of the franchise by the Zimbabwe Cricket. The Rocks would end their performances next season and had not entered any of the four home tournaments for five years.
The ZC announced the club’s return to the league in December 2020, after which he appeared in the application for the Logan Cup 2020/21. Few would have guessed that the eternal underdog would organize a victorious return in the tournament without losing a single match.
Southern Rocks achievements
The team remained an outsider for a long time, but a long pause without performances did it to their advantage. Few expected that the Rocks would take the title in the first tournament after their return and become the most talked-about team of the season.
Even if they have only one trophy on their account, this is not a reason to stop. Fan support will always be the best motivation for even the weakest team. This is also felt in the Rocks’ example, which, even after their dizzying success, continue their victorious march.
Southern Rocks: line-up
As of July 2021, the Southern Rocks line-up is as follows:
| Name | Birth date | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes |
| Batsmen | ||||
| Benjamin Curran | 7 Jun 1996 (25) | Left-hand bat | Right-arm off-break | |
| Roy Kaia | 10 Oct 1991 (25) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm medium pace | |
| Sikandar Raza | 24 Apr 1986 (35) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm off-break | |
| All-rounders | ||||
| Innocent Kaia | 10 Aug 1992 (28) | Leg-break | Right-hand bat | |
| William Mashinge | 6 Oct 1996 (24) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm fast-medium | |
| Cephas Zhuwao | 15 Dec 1984 (36) | Left-hand bat | Leg-break | |
| Wicket-keepers | ||||
| Richmond Mutumbami | 11 Jun 1989 (32) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm off-break | |
| Spin Bowlers | ||||
| Tendai Chisoro | 12 Feb 1988 (33) | Left-hand bat | Left-arm fast-medium, Slow left-arm orthodox | |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 2 Oct 1996 (24) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm fast-medium | |
| Pace Bowlers | ||||
| Tendai Chisoro | 12 Feb 1988 (33) | Left-handed | Left-arm leg spin | |
| Shane Snater | 24 Mar 1996 (25) | Right-hand bat | Right-arm medium pace | |
| Brian Mudzinganyama | 9 Apr 1999 (22) | Left-hand bat | Right-arm off-break | |
* international players are in bold.
