Zimbabwe was now operating officially as an Associate Member of the ICC, being elected to that position in July 1981. The ZCU continued with their policy of two first-class touring teams during the season, with the tourists this season being the Young West Indies, under Faoud Bacchus, and Pakistan International Airlines, under Mushtaq Mohammad.

The Young West Indian team, with its battery of pace bowlers, aroused more interest in cricket in Zimbabwe than had been the case for many years. Apart from such fine pace bowlers as Malcolm Marshall, Wayne Daniel, Hartley Alleyne, Ezra Moseley and Winston Davis, they included such promising batsmen as Desmond Haynes, already established, Gus Logie, Jeff Dujon, Everton Mattis and Timur Mahomed. The West Indies played their traditional attacking game and Zimbabwe, by means of thorough preparation and steely determination, often managed to equal them on the field. Andy Pycroft with the bat and Vince Hogg with the ball stood out as the home team's most successful players. Their best performances were in Bulawayo, where they led them on first innings in the first-class fixture and then beat them in a one-day match. The Young West Indians won the first-class series 1-0, with two matches being drawn, and the one-day series 2-1.

The Pakistan International Airlines team was less powerful, and attracted interest only due to the presence of the great Mushtaq Mohammad. Zimbabwe, as often happened during the eighties, were slow to get the measure of the visitors, but won the second three-day match after a fairly even draw in the first. Four one-day matches were arranged, with the ICC Trophy competition coming up, and the series was shared with one victory each. The final two matches were drawn due to weather interference, and there was no method for calculating victory in such matches; had there been, under most methods Zimbabwe would have won both those matches.

Two batsmen stood out for Zimbabwe during the season, and they were often to hold the country's batting together with little support during much of the following ten years. Andy Pycroft surpassed even his deeds of the previous season with 507 runs in just five matches, including a century against each of the touring teams, and an average of 84.50. This was also the season when Dave Houghton established himself in the national side as a batsman, and against PIA also took over the wicket-keeping gloves from Robin Brown. He began with a fighting innings of 87 against the Young West Indies, and finished the season with 383 runs at an average of 47.87. No other batsman reached 200 runs.

Vince Hogg, the fast-medium seamer, was the outstanding bowler, with 21 wickets at an average of 20.28. He made a particular impression against the Young West Indies, who had no hesitation in rating him true international class. This was Hogg's one great season in first-class cricket; he was later troubled by injury and was never so consistent again, although he was dropped from the national side two years later perhaps before he deserved to be. Duncan Fletcher took 12 wickets at 19.08, while the spinners John Traicos and Richie Kaschula took 11 wickets each. This was to be Kaschula's last season in first-class cricket; he was not as effective as usual and retired at the end of it.

At the ICC Trophy competition, Zimbabwe were expected to make an impact, as the only team with first-class experience, to which they added by playing first-class matches against Worcestershire and Leicestershire before the tournament began. Both were drawn, but they lost two one-day matches, against Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. They duly dominated the competition from start to finish, winning all seven of their completed matches (two were washed out), mostly by large margins. Only against Bermuda in the final were they stretched, before winning by five wickets. Most of the opposition turned out to be well below Zimbabwean club standard, but the team had left nothing to chance and their preparation had been extremely thorough.

In the course of the tournament, only seven Zimbabweans even got the chance to bat; only in the final did as many as five wickets fall. Naturally only the top order had much opportunity. Dave Houghton, opening the innings, scored 308 runs at an average of 51.33, followed by Kevin Curran (276 at 92) and Jack Heron (221 at 44.20). The bowlers had a better time of it. Peter Rawson, a new discovery who made his debut for Zimbabwe on this tour, took 14 wickets at an average of 12.64, followed by John Traicos (11 at 13.45) and Vince Hogg (10 at 15.10). Their victory meant that Zimbabwe qualified to play in the World Cup with the seven Test-playing nations in 1983.

YOUNG WEST INDIES TOUR

(One-day, 40 overs) At Salisbury South Country Club; 7 October. ZIMBABWE COUNTRY DISTRICTS 132/6 (G A Paterson 31). YOUNG WEST INDIES 134/3 (36.5 overs) (S F A F Bacchus 31, E H Mattis 55*). Young West Indies won by seven wickets.

At Salisbury Sports Club; 9, 10, 12 October. ZIMBABWE 163 (A J Pycroft 61*; W W Daniel 3/46, H L Alleyne 3/27) and 201 (D L Houghton 87; W W Daniel 3/43, M A Tucker 5/50). YOUNG WEST INDIES 302 (E H Mattis 106, P J L Dujon 60, M D Marshall 34, M A Tucker 30; A J Traicos 5/73) and 63/3 (V R Hogg 3/23). Young West Indies won by seven wickets.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Salisbury Sports Club; 11 October. ZIMBABWE 183/6 (G A Paterson 39, A J Pycroft 63). YOUNG WEST INDIES 189/7 (S F A F Bacchus 51, E H Mattis 32, A L Logie 31, I Cadette 31*). Young West Indies won by three wickets.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Gwelo Sports Club; 14 October. YOUNG WEST INDIES 270/4 (D L Haynes 89, E H Mattis 78, Timur Mohamed 59*). ZIMBABWE XI 179/7 (J G Heron 35, G C Wallace 48, S A Kuhn 35*; D L Haynes 3/30). Young West Indies won by 91 runs.

At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 16, 17, 19 October. YOUNG WEST INDIES 215 (V R Hogg 4/33, R H Kaschula 3/78) and 318/9 dec (D L Haynes 69, M D Marshall 109; V R Hogg 3/50, R H Kaschula 4/116). ZIMBABWE 279 (D A G Fletcher 35, R D Brown 102, A J Pycroft 30, D L Houghton 46; H J Joseph 4/69, H L Alleyne 3/35). Match drawn.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 18 October. ZIMBABWE 227/5 (J G Heron 44, T W Dunk 33, D A G Fletcher 54, G C Wallace 40*). YOUNG WEST INDIES 174 (38.3 overs) (D L Haynes 45, S F A F Bacchus 48; V R Hogg 3/43, D H Streak 4/45). Zimbabwe won by 53 runs.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Umtali Sports Club; 21 October. YOUNG WEST INDIES 283 (D L Haynes 122, Timur Mahomed 44; M P Jarvis 3/40, K M Curran 3/56). ZIMBABWE XI 165 (45.4 overs) (A J Pycroft 30, G M Scott 44, J A Meyer 31; M D Marshall 3/11, Timur Mohamed 4/13 including hat-trick). Young West Indies won by 118 runs.

At Salisbury Sports Club; 23, 24, 26 October. ZIMBABWE 194 (A J Pycroft 94; M D Marshall 4/39, W W Daniel 3/27) and 255/5 dec (A J Pycroft 59, D L Houghton 45, G A Paterson 43*; W W Daniel 4/38). YOUNG WEST INDIES 214 (D L Haynes 35, Timur Mahomed 59; V R Hogg 3/68) and 116/2 (D L Haynes 40*, Timur Mahomed 3/54). Match drawn.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Salisbury Sports Club; 25 October. YOUNG WEST INDIES 231/7 (A L Logie 73, M C Neita 46). ZIMBABWE 105 (33.1 overs). Young West Indies won by 126 runs.

PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES TOUR

(One-day, 50 overs) At Salisbury South; 17 March. ZIMBABWE COUNTRY DISTRICTS 250/8 (G A Paterson 60, B H Oldrieve 48, I P Butchart 55, M A J Seager 34). PIA 218 (47.2 overs) (Asif Mohammad 54, Aftab Baloch 37; M A J Seager 5/56). Zimbabwe Country Districts won by 32 runs.

At Salisbury Sports Club; 19, 20, 22 March. ZIMBABWE 299 (D L Houghton 62, A J Pycroft 71, D A G Fletcher 56; Liaqat Ali 4/35) and 193/4 dec (D L Houghton 36, J G Heron 41, A J Pycroft 42*, D A G Fletcher 39*). PIA 247/9 dec (Mushtaq Mohammad 101, Aqil Memon 33*; V R Hogg 3/50) and 163/4 (Asif Mohammad 100*; E J Hough 3/51). Match drawn.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Salisbury Sports Club; 21 March. ZIMBABWE 203/8 (T W Dunk 81). PIA 204/7 (47.4 overs) (Mushtaq Mohammad 95*). PIA won by three wickets.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Umtali Sports Club; 24 March. PIA 200 (Ghulam Abbas 58, Naeem Ahmed 74; G C Wallace 4/14). ZIMBABWE XI 200 (K M Curran 31, G Langlois 42; Liaqat Ali 3/38). Match tied.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 27 March. PIA 205 (48 overs) (Ghulam Abbas 49, Hasan Jamil 65; K M Curran 3/34, D A G Fletcher 3/30). ZIMBABWE 208/7 (46.5 overs) (R D Brown 42, A J Pycroft 31, C A T Hodgson 52; Naeem Ahmed 3/51). Zimbabwe won by three wickets.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 28 March. ZIMBABWE 275/8 (R D Brown 63, A J Pycroft 66, I P Butchart 41; Naeem Ahmed 3/34). PIA 239/8 (46.1 overs) ((Asif Mohammad 38, Ghulam Abbas 77, Naeem Ahmed 38*; V R Hogg 3/33). Match drawn.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Triangle Country Club; 31 March. PIA 178 (49.5 overs) (Shahid Mohammad 59; P W E Rawson 3/31). ZIMBABWE XI 140 (44.2 overs) (J G Heron 38; Liaqat Ali 3/14). PIA won by 38 runs.

At Salisbury Sports Club; 2, 3, 5 April. PIA 159 (Mushtaq Mohammad 46; D A G Fletcher 3/28) and 195 (Aqil Memon 55, Ghulam Abbas 40, Zafar Ahmed 31; E J Hough 4/48). ZIMBABWE 399/7 dec (D L Houghton 83, J G Heron 43, A J Pycroft 133, C A T Hodgson 87; Mushtaq Mohammad 4/103). Zimbabwe won by an innings and 45 runs.

(One-day, 50 overs) At Salisbury Sports Club; 4 April. ZIMBABWE 272/6 (A J Pycroft 42, D A G Fletcher 95, C A T Hodgson 59, K M Curran 38*; Hasan Jamil 3/50). PIA 200/6 (37 overs) (Asif Mohammad 43, Mushtaq Mohammad 59; D A G Fletcher 3/33). Match drawn.

TOUR OF ENGLAND 1982

At Worcester; 2, 3, 4 June. WORCESTERSHIRE 222/9 dec (M J Weston 63, Younis ahmed 63; A J Traicos 5/57) and 181/7 dec (Younis Ahmed 75*; P W E Rawson 5/42). ZIMBABWEANS 156/3 dec (A J Pycroft 62*, D A G Fletcher 56*) and 52/2. Match drawn.

At Leicester; 5, 7, 8 June. ZIMBABWEANS 249/9 dec (R D Brown 51, C A T Hodgson 47, G C Wallace 34, I P Butchart 54; G J Parsons 3/64) and 286/9 dec (J G Heron 83, A J Pycroft 50, C A T Hodgson 33, G C Wallace 43; N G B Cook 3/73). LEICESTERSHIRE 284/7 dec (J F Steele 64, R A Cobb 63, D I Gower 32, P B Clift 45; A J Traicos 3/71) and 78/5 (A J Traicos 3/5). Match drawn.

(One-day, 44 overs) At Nottingham; 9 June. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 218/3 (R T Robinson 45, B Hassan 35, C E B Rice 60, J D Birch 58*). ZIMBABWEANS 142 (A J Pycroft 41; N J B Illingworth 3/34). Nottingham-shire won by 76 runs.

(One-day, 60 overs) At Sheffield; 10 June. ZIMBABWEANS 202 (D A G Fletcher 53, K M Curran 33; P W Jarvis 3/47). YORKSHIRE 203/7 (G Boycott 98*; D A G Fletcher 3/30). Yorkshire won by three wickets.

ICC TROPHY COMPETITION (all matches scheduled for 60 overs)

At Moseley CC; 16 June. ZIMBABWE 332/4 (D L Houghton 135, K M Curran 126*). U.S.A. 141 (K D Venkersammy 39, T Roberts 34; P W E Rawson 4/34). Zimbabwe won by 191 runs.

At Wolverhampton; 18 June (reduced to 25 overs). ZIMBABWE 192/4 (D L Houghton 71, J G Heron 50). KENYA 71/4 (B M R Desai 34). Zimbabwe won by 121 runs.

At Brewood CC; 21 June. ZIMBABWE v GIBRALTAR, abandoned without a ball being bowled.

At Leamington Spa; 25 June. CANADA 8/0 (9 overs) v ZIMBABWE. Match abandoned.

At Bloxwich; 28 June. ISRAEL 65 (P W E Rawson 3/22, A J Traicos 4/22). ZIMBABWE 66/1 (D L Houghton 43). Zimbabwe won by nine wickets.

At Wombourne; 30 June. PAPUA NEW GUINEA 94 (N R Agonia 31; P W E Rawson 3/24, A J Traicos 3/16). ZIMBABWE 96/1 (D L Houghton 44*, K M Curran 30*). Zimbabwe won by nine wickets.

At Wellesbourne; 5 July. HONG KONG 192/4 (A A Lorimer 72, M N Sabine 36, P W Anderson 41*; V R Hogg 3/34). ZIMBABWE 196/3 (J G Heron 51, A J Pycroft 83*). Zimbabwe won by seven wickets.

(Semi-Final) At West Bromwich Dartmouth; 7 July. BANGLADESH 124 (A S M Roquibul Hassan 35; K M Curran 4/31). ZIMBABWE 126/2 (J G Heron 63*, K M Curran 44). Zimbabwe won by eight wickets.

(Final) At Leicester; 10 July. BERMUDA 231/8 (G A Brown 48, S Lightbourne 32, C F Blades 45, A C Douglas 36*; D A G Fletcher 3/34). ZIMBABWE 232/5 (K M Curran 30, A J Pycroft 82, C A T Hodgson 57*). Zimbabwe won by five wickets.

It is intended in the future to produce full scorecards, and also much more information about all cricket in Rhodesia during this season. At present, the next entry in this section is for 1982/83