"Thse kids give me goosebumps."

In my first years as a high school teacher in Zimbabwe, I introduced cricket as a sport at the rural school I taught at, back in 2003.

I loved the kids, an enthusiastic young bunch who would do anything for their teacher, including trying the hand at a “boring sport", whose perception was quickly only after a few breath taking weeks at it.

The then development manager Nick Singo visited us once and left a couple of bats and some rubber balls.

Unfortunately my project never amounted to much more as I left the school the very following year, my dreams of chasing a journalism career and just the daily grind of having to survive an inflationary Zimbabwe getting ahead of everything else.

But truly, there are nights when I lie back and rue that I never got to stay and push some more. I remember a sprightly wicketkeeper with quick hands and a mean cut shot and one boy, Khumbulani Mpofu, with a perfect technique.

But one still stands out to this day and is the source of my regret: Nothani Ndhovu, a strapping 14 year old, who would run in, bowl a fast bouncer, a classic line and length and produce a ruthless yorker on demand.

I was the best batsman in the team, having had a six year advantage on age (I was 20, they were 14) and another six year head start on the sport, but even I had immense difficulty facing him, and he could bludgeon the ball a long way.

And so I am reminded of that little chapter when I read this article here this morning:

http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/these-kids- ... world-cup/

Former Zimbabwe coach Steven Mangongo, it seems, has identified some "real gems" in his team.

They are 15 years of age and in his own words, "these kids give me goosebumbs."

Let’s hope the next under 19 squad is more successful than the last two.