The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
ERNEST ‘Neshto’ Masuku is local cricket’s ‘Mr Aggression’, and don’t expect him to cool down anytime soon.
“Man I come from the ghetto in Lobengula, it’s a lovely place, but it’s not for the softies,” says Masuku.“I am not really a gangster, but am not a softie and I take that to work.
“When I’m bowling I mean business and every batsman that comes up against me should know that,” he said.
The pace bowler has not only developed into Matabeleland Tusker’s enforcer who has inflicted pain on some batsmen, but the 26-year-old is also a wicket-taker of repute.
Masuku has 40 wickets from 10 First Class matches at an impressive average of 24.20 and in 11 wickets from 11 List A matches. He was last season’s Logan Cup top wicket-taker with 32 wickets from seven matches, a feat which earned him national team call-up ahead of the Bangladesh tour last year.
“It felt great to be number one and getting the call to the national team camp was a proud moment.
“I think all that success was from the way I prepared and the hunger I had as a youngster.
“I have been motivated with the progress I am making, it’s a privilege to play First Class cricket for Tuskers I know many people would love the same opportunity,”” said Masuku. For this season, the plan is the same, be aggressive, play with his heart on your sleeve and have fun.
“I would want to be number one again if not at least be in the top five,” said Masuku who has picked three wickets in the only one concluded match Tuskers have played this season.
As much as he is aggressive, Masuku has fun on the field.
He celebrates almost every wicket with a different celebration and he isn’t shy to imitate Pakistan’s Hasan Ali’s punch-the-air and arms-afloat trademark celebration. “I like that celebration,” said Masuku.
“The celebrations only mean I am cherishing the privilege of playing at this level,”” he said. There is a story that Masuku once bounced out Mountaineer’s Wellington Masakadza in Logan Cup match and gave him a send-off telling the 25-year-old bowler to ‘Remember the name’.
Neshto gives his side of the story.
“I wasn’t referring to Welly, but my team mate I was running towards at square leg and Welly was so close that he (Welly) thought it was directed at him.
“But that wasn’t the case.”
His teammates also call Masuku, Cooper. Why?
“I got that nickename during my rugby days at Milton High School.
“I used to train with the rugby team and I always talk about the Australian fly half Quade Cooper who was my favorite.
“The name just stuck from that point onwards,”he said. There is also a theory that his rugby days at Milton is where his agression stems from, but Masuku has since come out to refute it.
“No, it was for fun and fitness,”he said while refering to his rugby sojourn.
“I also played soccer for New West City’s Under-2 side back in 2011,” he said.
Tuskers captain John Nyumbu lauded his budding bowler.
“We have all seen that he is a raw talent; but he is someone I can throw the ball to, and I know something will happen.
“In fact whenever he is on the field he will do something, ball or no ball,” said Nyumbu. So whenever Tuskers are in action ‘remember the name’ ‘Neshto’!Masuku will be in action when Tuskers take on Eagles in a Logan Cup match at Old Hararians today..
