By John Ward

The home international season is over, but there is still plenty of cricket activity ahead. Our national side has just flown off to their first-ever tour of the West Indies, while the A team tour to Sri Lanka in April has now been confirmed and the team selected. The West Indies tour is previewed in this issue.

On the domestic scene the Logan Cup is about to start, which would under normal circumstances mean an increase in the number of articles, profiles and interviews for the online magazine. Unfortunately circumstances are not normal. The Zimbabwe government's adventures in the Congo have resulted in a critical supply of foreign currency, and petrol and diesel fuel were already in short supply when the heavy rains disrupted the normal supply route through Mozambique. At present fuel is almost impossible to obtain, which has already wiped out a couple of potential articles for this issue and looks set to wipe out most of the content that had been planned for the next issue. After that, who can tell? We will do our best, but without fuel travel becomes impossible and articles cannot be written when the information cannot be obtained.

Of the articles that are included here, we have a biography of Brian Murphy, the surprise inclusion in the touring team to the West Indies, and also of Douglas Hondo, another academy player. Dave Houghton looks back philosophically on a very trying season so far and is open-minded about the future.

Even with the Logan Cup imminent, the provinces have not sent us any reports, so we can add nothing further about the teams chosen or their prospects. Life in Zimbabwe is not easy for us, but it deepens our gratitude to our regular contributors - Clive Ruffell, Peter Whalley and Iain Campbell.
[Logan Cup fixtures | West Indies tour schedule]

INTERVIEWS

The Coach's view - Dave Houghton on the season so far

Dave Houghton talks to John Ward about the progress (or otherwise) of the Zimbabwe team since the World Cup.

"It's hard to say there are no new hill to climb - every single series we play against every side is a hill. Australia, South Africa - you couldn't have wished for better Test series to play. And Sri Lanka as well, who are a good side again now. Every series is a hill for us. There may have been a bit of complacency for us in the thought that we've been playing well so that's fine, but I don't think our players think like that. The one thing about us is that we know exactly who we are and what we can do. It's really just a case of understanding that we've got to play way above ourselves and hope the other side have a bad day for us to win."
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ZImbabwe in West Indies: a Preview
By John Ward

These days Zimbabwean touring teams arouse discussion as they always did, but usually, instead of "Why on earth was So-and-so selected?", the question is more likely to be "Why on earth was So-and-So left out?" Gradually the pool of Test-class cricketers in Zimbabwe is increasing and there are always in the future going to be unlucky players who merited a place but narrowly missed selection.

"Zimbabwe are playing the two teams currently ranked as the weakest in the world, apart from themselves, on current form. England appear to be on the way up, though it remains to be seen whether that 'up' is really significant. The West Indies still appear to be in turmoil, with new coach Roger Harper controversially brought in ahead of Viv Richards, and captain Brian Lara having unexpectedly resigned. Now past 35, Ambrose and Walsh are still formidable bowlers, but hardly have the same pace as of old, and their fitness is suspect. They have talented batsmen who, like Zimbabwe's, have not performed to potential. But there is the brooding genius of Lara, and like Tendulkar if he gets going there is little Zimbabwe will be able to do about it."
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