In a welcome show of interest after a two-year lull, domestic cricket returned to Mutare a fortnight ago with the start of a new 30-over knockout competition. Called the Oliver Jordan Cup in memory of the beloved player/administrator Alderman `Olly' Jordan, who died last year, five teams will contest this new trophy. Donated by his son Mark – a lawyer residing in Yorkshire – this competition revives a pre-season tradition (not played for ten years or more) once known as the Athenides Cup. In another salute to his memory, the new media centre at Mutare Sports Club has been named the Oliver Jordan Score Box in recognition of the countless occasions he scored for Manicaland.

Two new teams are contesting this competition – the Development X1 (drawn from the mostly black high-density suburbs) and Hillcrest College. The other sides are Mutare Sports Club, Easterns and Casuals. All five will additionally play in the Mutare league, revived by the new committee after years of serious decline.

Results of matches in the Jordan Trophy so far have put old rivals Casuals and M.S.C. into next week's final, with the youthful M.S.C. overwhelming favourites. Casuals will take some pleasure from progressing to the finals with their forty-something side, whilst the ever-mercenary M.S.C. have poached five Academy professionals in a bid for elusive honours.

Most of the academy coaches have arrived back in Mutare in readiness for Manicaland's national league program that starts on 21 October. Neil Ferreira has been confirmed as both captain and chief coach, in charge of coordinating and monitoring Manicaland's coaching staff. This is likely to be a bigger job than he bargained for, given the reputation some coaches earned last year for spending more time chatting up schoolgirls than working at the nets.

At the Manicaland A.G.M. a month ago Mark Burmester was elected chairman, despite an impending move to Juliasdale (100 kilometres north) to become a potato farmer. He takes over the role from his father Greville who managed the job from the slightly closer locality of Bvumba (35 kilometres south). Kevan Barbour (president), Tony Cumming (treasurer) and Suku Naik (Harare representative) were re-elected en bloc, whilst newcomers Brian Moore (vice Chairman/domestic cricket fixtures), Andrea Moore (secretary), Alan Walsh (domestic clubs), Joel Muzeya (low/high density schools) and Humphrey Tait (private schools) complete the new-look committee. Brian Moore and his wife Andrea are new to Mutare from Masvingo, where they were heavily involved in Lowveld cricket administration.

It is envisaged that the committee will run Manicaland cricket along the lines of its parent body the Z.C.U. -- individuals being identified with specific jobs. It is also hoped the Z.C.U. will appoint a full-time (paid) administrator to direct this (unpaid) committee, plus oversee all other cricket business in the province. The Z.C.U. have been promising provincial administrators for a couple of years and a board of control meeting this week should ratify this and other new national posts. The jobs will then be advertised in the national press.

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