The Sunday Mail
HAMILTON MASAKADZA loves the West Indies. It’s the team he grew up supporting and the opponent he likes tormenting.
Sixteen years after a historic entry into test cricket, Masakadza reminded his ‘favourite’ team that with age, he is getting better.
As a 17-year-old, Masakadza scored 119 in the second innings of his maiden test match against West Indies at Harare Sports Club in 2001.
Last week, he starred with the bat finishing the two-match series as the highest run scorer with 251 runs at 62.75 with a highest score of 147 against Jason Holder’s team at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
“I was really looking forward to this tour and was feeling in good touch in the lead up so was really happy to have converted one of the three starts I had and make some important contributions for the team,” said the Zimbabwe opening batsman whose ton was his first at the ground.
“Growing up, a lot of my inspiration came from West Indian Cricket, watching and hearing about greats like Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, Big Bird Joel Garner who is the current team manager, Holding, Marshall, Lara, Chanderpaul.
“The list is endless, so they have always been one of my favourite teams to watch and to play against. I also made my debut against them so that makes it even more special to play against them. They and South Africa remain two of my favourite teams to play against,” added Masakadza who averages 42.80 in five tests against West Indies.
And Zimbabwe faces South Africa next in a day-night four-day test match on Boxing Day in a new format under trial until the 2019 World Cup.
“I really have mixed feelings about the pink ball because it will be something totally new for us and we don’t play any day or night cricket at home so that’s a concept that remains alien to us as a team,” commented Masakadza.
“At the same time, I am really excited at the prospect of experiencing it for the first time and seeing firsthand how the pink ball behaves.
“I am looking forward to seeing the sort of challenges it might bring and playing in South Africa again for the first time in a really long while.”
At 34 years, the body obviously reminds you you’re not a kid anymore. So how does the burly batter keep fit?
“I enjoy working on my game both in the team setting and privately.
“I love what I do and believe that I am one of the few fortunate people that have jobs they actually love so it’s not hard for me to get motivated to go the extra yard.
“It’s very important to stay fit for any sport so a lot of credit goes to our team fitness trainer Sean Bell and Grant Mitchell who does work with our Zimbabwe Sevens guys who have both helped me with my fitness.
“On top of that I do a little extra by playing lunchtime touch rugby with a great bunch of guys at Old Hararians, including former players Doug Marillier and Dirk Viljoen and current player Malcolm Waller. I also enjoy the occasional social soccer game with the Croco Motors boys for a little more running,” he said.
He might be a senior member in the team, but Masakadza says he is still learning.
“Sport and age have a very strong correlation. I believe as a player in any sport you never stop learning, so the longer you play the more you know and the more experienced you get.
“So to have the sort of experience we have in the team now is really good for us as we can bounce ideas around and it also becomes that much easier for the new guys joining the set up for the first time,” he said.
