Zimbabwe: Biggest High Schools cricket festival (11 December 1998)

11 December 1998

Zimbabwe: Biggest High Schools cricket festival

The Zimbabwe Independent

The 1998/99 high school cricket season started in traditional manner with the annual Schools Festival, hosted by Prince Edward, St George's and St John's on September 3 and 4. This was the largest ever festival as 25 local schools and four South African took part.

It was immediately followed by the annual Shell Under-19 Inter-Provincial Tournament which was hosted by Eaglesvale. The teams taking part were Mashonaland, Matabele-land, Mashonaland Country Districts and a Selectors' team.

It was pleasing to note the appearance of three Midlands boys in the Selectors' team, the first time in 15 years that Midlands players have taken part in this competition.

The winners of the Father Ken Nixon Shield were Matabeleland, who beat Mashonaland by three wickets. The national selectors picked a squad of 26 players for a final trial.

The final trials for Under-18 and Under-13 players, as well as the Under-15 inter-provincial tournament, were all held on the weekend of October 10 and 11 at St George's College. This weekend was sponsored by Stragglers and Zimbabwe schools cricket is very grateful for their interest and financial contribution.

The Under-15 inter-provincial for the Mike Whiley Shield was won by Mashonaland country Districts in the final.

At the conclusion of the weekend, three national age-group teams were announced to play in the age-group tournament in South Africa in December.

The successful boys were presented with their ties by Peter Chingoka, president of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

Once again it was pleasing to note the progress and selection of boys from the ZCU scholarship development schemes.

The Under-18 team is to play in the Coca-Cola Week in Johannesburg and will also play three three-day games against Western Province, Boland and Natal.

The Under-15 PS Bison Tournament is scheduled for Stellenbosch, while the Under-13s will travel to Potchefstroom for the Standard Bank Cricket Week. The cost of sending teams to these weeks is rising with the fall of the Zimbabwe dollar, but Zimbabwe Schools cricket and the ZCU are to be commended for being the only school sport in the country to send out as many teams and players as this on an annual basis.

It is pleasing to note that the number of schools playing first-eleven cricket is increasing and is up to 33 in number, with 42 participating at junior level.

This is an incredible achievement when one considers the very small number of cricket coaches in both government and private schools, and the fact that cricket is the most expensive and time-consuming of all school sports.

It was also pleasing to welcome over 20 visiting school cricket teams from England, South Africa and Australia in 1998. It is unfortunate that, with the exception of South Africa, these tours are unlikely to be reciprocated by Zimbabwean schools as the cost of going to England or Australia is prohibitive.

On a more positive note, the proposed introduction of the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy is most welcome, as both Zimbabwe schools and the ZCU strive not only to improve the quantity of players but also the quality, so that the high profile cricket enjoys in regularly playing against the world elite and in World Cup competitions can be sustained.

Source :: The Zimbabwe Independent Online (https://www.samara.co.zw/zimin/)