Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
VICTOR NYAUCHI was just 11 years old the last time Zimbabwe toured England for a competitive cricket match.
It was 2003, and the tour featured a two-match Test series, one that did not go Zimbabwe’s way.
England dominated both fixtures, winning the first by an innings and 92 runs at Lord’s and the second by an innings and 69 runs at Chester-le-Street.
A lot has changed since then.
The likes of Michael Vaughan, then-captain Nasser Hussain, Alec Stewart and a fresh-faced James Anderson were all part of that English side.
Today, they are retired and living their lives either off the grid or in the commentary box.
Zimbabwe’s own cricketing greats from that era — Grant Flower, Ray Price and Andy Blignaut — have also hung up their boots, while former skipper Heath Streak has sadly passed away.
The only real remnants from that last encounter are Sean Ervine and Dion Ebrahim.
Ebrahim, who opened the batting for Zimbabwe back then, is now the Chevrons’ batting coach. Sean Ervine, meanwhile, is the elder brother of current Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine.
Time has certainly done its rounds.
As for Nyauchi, who is now 32, he has no memory of those 2003 Tests.
Back then, cricket was only just entering his world.
“The first match I ever watched live — I think I was in Grade One — was South Africa in Zimbabwe, back in 1999,” Nyauchi recalls.
“My elder brother, Milton, used to play cricket and I occasionally tagged along.
I think that match is what really put me on the cricket path. From then on, deciding what I wanted to do with my life became a lot easier. I have never changed my mind or wavered from that decision since.”
Despite having no direct memory of Zimbabwe’s last outing in England, Nyauchi could not help but feel a wave of nostalgia after Zimbabwe’s historic four-day Test match at Trent Bridge last month.
For him, it was a “homecoming of sorts”, not just for the team, but for the country.
“This was special,” he said, beaming.
“It was like a dream for us. Everyone wants to play England in England, and we really appreciate the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) for inviting us. It has been 22 years since Zimbabwe last played here, and some of us were too young to remember.
But that hasn’t stopped us from understanding how important this moment is. You could even say it felt like a great comeback.”
A win would have been the cherry on top, of course.
But in the spirit of rebuilding, there is wisdom in celebrating the baby steps.
There were notable positives to take home. Chief among them was young opener Brian Bennett’s breathtaking century in Zimbabwe’s first innings.
In response to England’s mammoth 565 for six declared, the 21-year-old smashed 139 runs off just 143 balls, registering Zimbabwe’s fastest-ever Test century in the process.
His bat did not just score runs; it roared.
The match also gave the England-based Zimbabwean diaspora a rare chance to cheer their national team in person.
In turn, the fans lit up the venue with songs, dances and rapturous applause, especially during Bennett’s fireworks.
“Obviously, it was unbelievable to get that hundred in front of a packed Trent Bridge crowd with a lot of Zimbabweans,” said Bennett.
“Before that, I could hear them singing the war cries we usually hear at Harare Sports Club.
The reception I got from the crowd was just unreal. I enjoyed every moment of it.”
Nyauchi’s individual contribution may not have made headlines, no wickets and 13 runs across two innings, but he soaked in every moment like a seasoned pro.
After the match, he could be seen signing autographs, taking selfies and joining in the Chevrons’ unorthodox yet totally justified lap of honour.
Despite the loss, the team made a point to thank both the Zimbabwean fans in attendance and the English supporters who had been won over.
And while the spotlight may have bypassed him on the field, Nyauchi quietly carved out his own piece of history, one that went largely unnoticed.
Until 2020, Mufakose, a high-density suburb in Harare known more for its football exports like Khama Billiat, Ramson Zhuwawo, Memory Mucherahowa and Stanley Chirambadare, had never produced a Test cricketer.
That changed when Nyauchi made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club.
Two years later, he earned his ODI cap, also at Harare Sports Club.
Prior to Nyauchi, several cricketers from Mufakose had flirted with national recognition — Mike Muguda (ex-Zimbabwe U-19), Tino Mafusire, Brighton Zhawi and Tawanda Chikazhe — but none managed to make the much-needed break.
Nyauchi did.
His journey from Mufakose to Trent Bridge is laced with grit and resilience.
He is the third-born in a family of four talented brothers.
The eldest, Marlon, once represented Zimbabwe in basketball and was a pivotal member of the revered Mufakose Hawks of the early 2000s.
Milton and the youngest, Mufaro, were both capable cricketers. Their bond tightened after tragedy struck early.
“My parents died when I was still very young, maybe 10 years old, and we had to learn to lean on each other,” said Nyauchi.
“We were lucky that our grandmother was there, but it was mostly just the four of us. My elder brothers especially played a huge role in shaping me. They sacrificed a lot, whether it was getting me to school, practice or just being there. It’s something I have never taken for granted.”
Nyauchi spent nearly six years toiling in Zimbabwe’s domestic scene before breaking into the national team.
His first stint came with the Mashonaland Eagles in the 2013-2014 Pro50 season, where he played just four List A games.
He soon moved to the Mountaineers, debuting in the Logan Cup during the 2014-2015 season, and he has remained loyal ever since.
There, he found his groove.
In November 2015, he made his Zimbabwe A debut in a List A match against Bangladesh A, taking two wickets.
He followed that up in the longer format just days later, finishing as the second-highest wicket taker in a two-match series with eight dismissals.
Steadily, he kept his name in the conversation, earning selections for matches against Pakistan A, South Africa A and Afghanistan A.
He capped off the 2017-2018 Logan Cup as the second-highest wicket taker, claiming 31 wickets in just eight games.
It was not long before his international breakthrough came.
In January 2020, Nyauchi finally earned his Test cap against Sri Lanka, grabbing three wickets in his debut bowling innings.
Then came his T20I debut against Namibia in May 2022, followed by his ODI debut later that year against Bangladesh.
To date, he has 23 wickets from 11 Test matches, alongside a modest 77 runs.
In the limited overs formats, he has taken seven ODI wickets in 10 matches and three T20I wickets in two outings.
With Zimbabwe’s international calendar looking increasingly packed, especially in the longer format, those stats are likely to swell.
But numbers alone do not define Nyauchi.
His story is about persistence, purpose and pride.
From watching his first match as a wide-eyed six-year-old in Harare to standing tall at Trent Bridge in front of a sea of singing Zimbabweans, his cricketing journey has come full circle.
And in many ways, he is only just getting started.
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter