Southern Rocks
 |
|
| Captain: |
 Chamu Chibhabha
|
|---|---|
| Coach: |
 Monte Lynch
|
| Overseas player(s): |
 Jon Kent (T20 only) Alex Obanda (T20 only) |
| Colors: | First-class: List A & T20: |
| Founded: | 2009 |
| Home ground: | Masvingo Sports Club, Masvingo |
| Capacity: | 1,000 |
| First-class debut: |
Mountaineers in 2009–10 at Mutare Sports Club, Manicaland |
| Official website: | [www.southernrockscricket.co.zw] |
The Southern Rocks was one of five Zimbabwean cricket franchises. They were a first-class cricket team, based in the Masvingo and Matabeleland South area. They played their home matches at Masvingo Sports Club in Masvingo. They ceased to play after the 2013-14 season. In their 47 first-class matches they won 3, lost 27, and drew 17.
Following the decline of the standard of cricket in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Cricket used a new set of teams for all the first-class, List A and the Twenty20 formats of the game. The Southern Rocks were based in Masvingo and Matabeleland South area.
The Southern Rocks debut in the Logan Cup was disastrous. The Rocks played 12 matches and lost six, while drawing six. These included heavy defeats such as a 234-run defeat to Mash Eagles, an 8-wicket loss to Mountaineers, a defeat by an innings and 214 runs to Matabeleland Tuskers, an innings and 87 runs defeat to the Tuskers, an innings and 114 runs defeat to Mountaineers, an innings and 19 runs defeat to Mashonaland Eagles, etc. The team's first draw was against Mid West Rhinos, achieved at Masvingo Sports Club.
Southern Rocks lost their first ever List A match to Mountaineers by 5 wickets at Mutare Sports Club, but duly bounced back to finish in fourth place in the group stage and qualify for the semi-final. In the semi, they were crushed by Mountaineers by seven wickets to eliminate them from the competition, despite Steve Tikolo providing some resistance to Mountaineers with a 37 in a Rocks total of 131 all out.
Rocks had a worse Stanbic Bank Twenty20 tournament in 2009-10 and finished in last place with just 1 win and four losses from five matches. Their only win came in a 43-run win over Matabeleland Tuskers, which was possible due to excellent batting from openers Chamu Chibhabha and Sikandar Raza.
The Southern Rocks again had a very poor Logan Cup, with five defeats from 12 matches, and seven draws.
The Rocks had a brilliant campaign, becoming the champions of the Pro40 Championship. They were by far the strongest team of the tournament, first finishing third in the group, with three wins out of eight matches, then defeating the Tuskers in the semi-final by a massive nine-wickets. Brian Vitori, Rocks' standout bowler, took improbable figures of 5-26, as the Tuskers were shot out for 94. Then Chamu Chibhabha scored 45*, to lead the victory. In the final, Michael Chinouya took brilliant figures of 3-28, and despite Malcolm Waller scoring a 68, the Mid West Rhinos were shot out for 151. The Rocks cruised to the title by eight wickets with Sikandar Raza scoring 44 and Craig Ervine 42*. Rocks kept their nerve in the chase; the only real threat to their victory was the possibility of a storm. The rain never came though, and Rocks' batsmen were clinical in taking their team home with plenty of time to spare. It was the perfect way for Rocks to finish their season, and an important revival in their fortunes after they had a torrid Logan Cup in which they finished bottom of the table with no wins.
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