Junior cricketers to vie for national selection

Junior cricketers to vie for national selection PDF Print E-mail

Written by Austin Karonga, Sports Writer

Tuesday, 10 April 2012 12:48

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HARARE - Zimbabwe junior cricket age groups will converge in Harare and Marondera for the annual four-day Inter-Franchise Tournament which begins tomorrow and will end on Saturday.

Five provinces, namely Mashonaland Eagles from Harare, Manicaland Mountaineers, Masvingo’s Southern Rocks, Mid West Rhinos of Kwekwe and Bulawayo’s Matabeleland Tuskers will parade their finest talents in the limited overs tournament.

Provincial bragging rights will be at stake but the ultimate prize will be selection into the 24-member provisional age-group national teams.

The Under 14s will battle it out at Prince Edward School while the Under 16s will compete at Old Hararians and Alexandra Sport Clubs.

Watershed College of Marondera will for the second time in succession host the Under 18s.

Mash Eagles Under 18 coach Leonard Nhamburo, who won all the games with his team’s U 13 age group last year, looks forward to the tournament.

“This is an event that culminates in players getting national selection so we are looking forward to providing the bulk of players in this particular age group (Under 18) and all the other age groups,” Nhamburo told the Daily News yesterday.

“Mountaineers and South Rocks will provide serious competition but I believe we will be equal to the task considering how effectively we have prepared for this tournament.

“This is a very vital competition and as such we will be very happy if it could be transformed into a bi- annual tournament.”

The Eagles will bank on the strength of current Zimbabwe Under 19 and Prince Edward all-rounder Luke Jongwe,17, to elbow out opponents with both bat and ball.

Fellow Prince Edward batsman Farai Kabike and the talented Glen View High 2 pair of seamer Tatenda Kutyauripo and top-order batsman Tatenda Chikodzi will be looking to impress the selectors too.

Left-arm spin bowler Dylan Hondo of Churchill and Hellenic Academy’s batsman James Suddens also have the potential to star for Mash Eagles.

Mountaineers Under 18 coach Aleck Mapurira told the Daily News that his team is determined to claim the number on spot at this year’s tournament.

“We have always done well as a province and this time around we are looking at nothing short of being crowned the champions,” Mapurira said.

Mountaineers boast of players such as Colin Maparura of Mutare Boys, all-rounder Daniel Moolman of Peterhouse College and St Georges’ seamer Hendricks Macheke. The talented Macheke was part of the national Under 18 side last year.