The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
THERE will be no rest for National Premier League champions Takashinga, who have already pointed daggers at the Vigne Cup.
Takashinga were recently crowned NPL champions, much to the delight of gaffer Eric Chauluka.
“I think it was a competitive tournament, considering the fact that we lost two games and Midwest gave us a good run for our money right up to the final game,” said Chauluka on his team’s performance during the tournament.
“Winning this tournament meant a lot to us, given that we brag that we are the best club in the country and this validates that claim,” he said.
The Highfield-based outfit will have two teams (Takashinga 1 and 2) in the Vigne Cup, with Chauluka hoping that his charges make a big enough splash to earn two slots at next year’s National Premier League.
“Insofar as what’s next, I am going to give the boys a couple of days to celebrate and then we start preparing for the Vigne Cup.
“We go into the tournament as champions, and not only want to defend it, but our desire is to make sure that both our teams do well.
“It would be nice if we can get an extra slot during next season’s National Premier League,” he said.
Chauluka was a double winner during this year’s NPL, winning the tournament with Takashinga and being named Coach of the Tournament during the NPL Awards held on Tuesday.
Other winners included Roy Kaia, who was crowned Player of the Tournament, and the duo of Tarisai Musakanda and Malcom Chikowa, who were named best batsman and bowler respectively.
This was on top of Takashinga and Midwest getting their winners and runners-up medals, and pocketing US$10 000 and US$5 000 respectively.
Meanwhile, Southern Rocks have bounced back as the fifth first-class team ahead of the start of Zimbabwe’s 2020/21 domestic season on December 3.
Southern Rocks, who last played in the elite domestic competitions in the 2013-14 season, replace the Alistair Campbell High Performance Centre team that failed to have a new academy intake this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This sees Shepherd Makunura, who was in charge of Mountaineers, moving to Southern Rocks as their coach, while Stuart Matsikenyeri, Walter Chawaguta and Douglas Hondo remain in charge at Eagles, Rhinos and Tuskers respectively.
