Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SCOTLAND’S recent tour of Zimbabwe went pretty much according to the script, with the visitors dominating the development sides, but there were a lot of takeaways for the local emerging players, Zimbabwe Cricket Academy coach Elton Chigumbura reckons.
The Scots, who are preparing for the forthcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series against the Netherlands and the UAE in the Netherlands starting this coming weekend, played six limited-overs matches against Zimbabwe Cricket Academy and Zimbabwe A.
The hosts lined up mostly young and inexperienced players in the academy side, while the Zimbabwe A was a blend of development players and fringe national team players.
Despite the tourists winning five of the six matches played, former Zimbabwe captain Chigumbura hailed Zimbabwe Cricket for providing the stage for the young players to showcase their talent against a competitive side.
“It was a great opportunity for our young players to go against a national team. It helps them gauge where they stand in terms of their levels of development as they push towards international cricket.
“Normally, we don’t have enough opportunities for A team games, but we would like to appreciate Zimbabwe Cricket. If you look, recently we had Canada coming down here, and before that there was Durham touring the country.
“All these were game opportunities for the young players to push for international cricket. It was also a great opportunity for our under-19 players who are preparing for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup,” said Chigumbura.
Upcoming players like Kian Blignaut, Newman Nyamhuri, and Brandon Senzere featured for both the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy and Zimbabwe A sides.
Blignaut was impressive in the second one-day for Zimbabwe A when he featured in a brilliant 87-run partner-ship with record-breaking Antum Naqvi. He contributed 47 runs.
But it was the Belgian-born all-rounder Naqvi who stole the limelight when he set a new record with his 110-ball 158, slamming 13 fours and nine sixes.
Naqvi’s score is the highest individual score in Zimbabwe A’s history across all formats, surpassing Peter Moor’s 157 against Pakistan A in their 2016 Bulawayo first-class encounter.
“I think there were some sparks of promise from players like Kian (Blignaut), Newman Nyamhuri and a few others. Kian was involved in a good partnership for the third wicket with Antum Naqvi in the second game for Zimbabwe A,” said Chigumbura.
“It was good to see for someone who is 17-18 years featuring in an 80-plus run partnership. Then we had Nyamhuri, who bowled very well.
“With the way he bowled, someone could argue he was just unlucky not to get some of the lbw decisions. But with more practice these youngsters can only get better,” added Chigumbura.
There were also some positive glimpses with the bat by fringe national team players such as Roy Kaia, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tony Munyonga, and Tadiwanashe Marumani.
There were also solid displays by the bowlers Brad Evans and Ernest Masuku, who finished with an incredible 7/35 in Zimbabwe A’s huge eight-wicket consolation win as Scotland were bowled out for a paltry 85 runs in the last match of the tour on Monday.
