Zimbabwe's domestic first-class competition, the Logan Cup, is set to resume from January 17. Only one match of the four-team, 12-round tournament has been completed so far, after player strikes and non-payment of salaries affected the games after the first round.
The second round of the tournament was originally scheduled to be held between January 5 and 8, and these matches will be played from January 17. The tournament has been postponed three times this season.
First, the tournament began a week later than scheduled after which the third day of the first-round match between Mid West Rhinos and Matabeleland Tuskers was delayed as players refused to take the field over the issue of non-payment of salaries. The domestic players, not nationally-contracted ones, led the strike because they were left without pay. The nationally-contracted players had received salaries, but the domestic players were only remunerated for one month instead of a promised two. The other match in the first round, between Mountaineers and Mashonaland Eagles, was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Zimbabwe Cricket, in a press release issued on Friday, said that disruption of the first-round match happened after "an unfortunate misunderstanding over provincial salaries".
"Some players on provincial contracts were not happy when their December salaries were delayed because the provinces they represent had not submitted their paperwork in time for the Zimbabwe Cricket secretariat to include them on the December payroll together with the other players on central contracts and non-playing staff," the board said. "All salaries are now up to date."