The Logan Cup

Zimbabwe's First Class Contest

This information is taken from an article by John Ward

In March 1899, Lord Hawke brought an English cricket team to Bulawayo and won two matches, against a Bulawayo XVIII and a Rhodesian XV. Politician J.D. Logan was present at these matches and was much impressed by the Rhodesians, 5 of whom had undertaken the two week journey from Salisbury to play (Salisbury is now Harare). He asked that Lord Hawke buy from England a cup for cricket competition between Bulawayo and Salisbury.

The Logan Cup cost Lord Hawke 100 guineas. It is silver and 75 centimetres high. Like the Ashes, which never leave Lord's, the Logan Cup is permanently housed at Harare Sports Club.

The first Logan Cup matches were played in 1903/04. Gwelo (now Gweru) also entered the competition. In the first ever Logan Cup match hosts Bulawayo defeated Salisbury by 54 runs, after trailing by 199 runs on the first innings. Bulawayo then defeated Gwelo by an innings to take the Cup.

After a time, the teams competing in the Logan Cup became the provinces of Matabeleland and Mashonaland, rather than representing the cities. Before World War I Bulawayo were the usual winners of the Logan Cup, and competition after that was closer, with Matabeleland slightly stronger. Since the sixties, however, Mashonaland has dominated cricket so well that briefly the Logan Cup became a club competition. It has now returned to being between provinces, however Matabeleland fields only one team and Mashonaland three. So the competition is now:

• Mashonaland
• Mashonaland Under 24
• Mashonaland Districts
• Matabeleland

The competition consists of 3 rounds and a final. Points are allocated for first innings or outright wins, with bonus bowling and batting points available also.

The Logan Cup was granted first class status, in accordance with Zimbabwe's status as a test nation, in 1993-94. Rhodesia had played cricket as a first class team, mainly in the South African domestic competitions, from 1905 until independence in 1980. Matches involving Zimbabwe from then until test status in 1992 were also first class. Mashonaland Under 24 defeated Matabeleland on first innings in the final to win the inaugural first class Logan Cup.

Matabeleland win the 1995/96 Logan Cup

The final of the 1995/96 Logan Cup belonged to Matabeleland keeper Wayne James. He took 11 catches and made 2 stumpings to set a new record for wicketkeeping dismissals in a first class match. He also made 99 and 99 not out, facing the last ball of the game which was bowled down leg side for 4 byes.