Following the decline of the standards of cricket in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Cricket decided to use a new set of teams for all the first-class, List A and Twenty20 formats of the domestic game. A total of 5 franchises were named, and the Mountaineers team was based in Manicaland.[2]
2009-10 Logan Cup
On their debut in this tournament, Mountaineers finished in third place in the group, with three wins from twelve games.[3] Their debut first-class match against Mashonaland Eagles was a draw, thanks mainly to captain Hamilton Masakadza's century.[4] Their first first-class win was against Southern Rocks, whom they crushed by eight wickets.[5] For their third-place finish, Mountaineers could not contest the final.
2009-10 Faithwear Metbank One-Day Competition
The Mountaineers had a brilliant tournament, winning the championship by defeating Mid West Rhinos in the final by three wickets. They underlined their dominance in the tournament, by finishing top of the pool with 6 wins from 8 games.[6] In the semi-final, they thrashed the Southern Rocks by seven wickets to enter the final. Players who starred for Mountaineers in that match included Hamilton Masakadza (44*), Tino Mawoyo (40), Stuart Matsikenyeri (36), and Shingirai Masakadza (3-20).[7] In the final against the Rhinos, Mountaineers restricted the opposition to a lowly first-innings score of 144, with captain Prosper Utseya taking 3-24. In return, Mountaineers themselves slipped down to 66-7, before a brilliant fightback by Shingirai Masakadza (41*) and Prosper Utseya (30*) in an unbeaten partnership and the winning runs were scored in style by Masakadza with a lofted six off Malcolm Waller. Rhinos captain Vusi Sibanda had tried nine bowlers, but nothing could break the partnership.[8]
2009-10 Stanbic Bank 20 Series
Despite the fact, that the Mountaineers emerged victorious in this tournament, they were pretty shaky in the group stage. They had 3 wins from 5 games, while counterparts Mashonaland Eagles (the group-toppers), had a better record than them, with 4 wins from 5 games.[9] The Eagles were more dominant, as was proved by the 82-run downing given to them by Eagles bowler Ray Price who took figures of 5 for 12 off just 17 deliveries and took his 5th wicket as Natsai Mushangwe was stumped and the match ended.[10] Mountaineers got better in the final, and put the aforementioned disaster behind them to score a massive nine-wicket win and upset, with the victory mostly possible due to Hamilton Masakadza (64*) and Tatenda Taibu (37*).[11]
Dirk Nannes, the Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore fast-bowler, has played the 2011-12 Stanbic Bank 20 Series with Mountaineers.
The Mountaineers made their first major overseas signing when they signed up South African all-rounder Greg Smith.[13]
The following season, there were many improvements in the squads. Former South African great fast bowler Allan Donald was named as the franchise's head coach,[14] while players like South Africa's Jonathan Beukes, Sean Ervine,[15] and more prominently, former South African great all-rounder Lance Klusener, who playing in 171 ODIs, had an average of 41.10 at an impressive strike-rate of 89.91,[16] Other signings include Liam Dawson, who scored, aged 21, scored 908 runs for Hampshire County Cricket Club, in the County Championship, and is supposed to have a long time contract with Mountaineers.[17]
For the 2011-12 season, Mountaineers signed overseas players such as Australian star fast bowler, Dirk Nannes, former Black Caps all-rounder Chris Harris, English wicket-keeper Phil Mustard, and Ned Eckersley.[18] Apart from that, former Zimbabwean seamer Gary Brent replaced Donald as coach.[19]
Current squad
Players with international caps are listed in bold.
