MATABELELAND Tuskers' batsman Mark Vermeulen blew his fuse and was involved in a heated exchange with Mid West Rhinos' players after he was dismissed during a Logan Cup match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo last week.

Although the Tuskers authorities are trying to sweep the incident under the carpet Standardsport understands the incident occurred after Vermeulen was dismissed during the game.

The Zimbabwe opener was infuriated by the leg before wicket decision and the decision by Rhinos' players in the pavilion who celebrated the wicket.

After agreeing to walk, Vermeulen went straight to the visiting team's changing room and confronted Rhinos' players for celebrating his dismissal. A heated exchange ensued and it was later quelled after the intervention of officials from both franchises.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Tuskers' chief executive officer Stanley Staddon proved fruitless. His mobile was unreachable.

Tuskers' coach Robin Brown denied such an incident took place.

Rhinos' coach Andy Waller referred all questions to Staddon.

"I am not in a position to comment on that issue. You need to talk to the Tuskers' CEO about it. I can only comment on positive things about the game," Waller told Standardsport.

Vermeulen has a tendency of losing his cool. In September 2007, he was banned from playing cricket in England for 10 years after he threw a cricket ball at a crowd that taunted him during a match for his club at the time, Werneth. The ban was later reduced to three years.

A month later he was back in Zimbabwe and after a confrontation with Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Ozias Bvute, he set the CFX Academy pavilion on fire.

He was acquitted by a Harare magistrate court in April this year on medical grounds.

ZC recently offered Vermeulen an olive branch and allowed him to play for the national side.

In the last four series Zimbabwe played, Vermeulen opened the batting together with Hamilton Masakadza.

Vermeulen was not immediately reachable yesterday as he was involved in a game against the same team, Mid West Rhinos.