The Sunday Mail
The Zimbabwe Under-18 cricket team departs for South Africa on Wednesday to participate at the regional junior cricket festival.
The trip is part of Zimbabwe Cricket’s efforts to build a strong Under-19 team for the 2016 International Cricket Council World Cup in Bangladesh.
St John’s College’s rising batsman, Eddy Byrom, will captain.
The tourney in Benoni starts on July 2 and will feature Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique.
Zimbabwe will also send the Under-14 and Under-16 teams amid huge expectations, the youngsters will hold their own against the region’s most promising players.
The Under-18 is under the tutelage of former Zimbabwe international Alois Tichana, who revealed that the festival is part of the selection process for the national Under-19 squad set to tour India in September.
“I have got a good, well-balanced team that I am positive will win us games in South Africa. It is the youngsters’ chance to stake a claim for the U19 squad. Our spinners will play a big role and we have some good slow bowlers in Brendon Mavhuta a leg spinner, left armer Rugare Magariro and Carl Hooper.
“Our two opening pace bowlers Richard Ngarava and Craig Evan are also expected to perform well.”
The junior team’s management has already laid a platform for the next ICC U19 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2016.
“The whole of our U18 players are eligible to play at the next U19 World Cup so they will be experienced enough by the time the World Cup comes.
“We believe exposing them to international competition this early will make them develop much faster,” said the team’s coach.
