adminone of their overseas players and his slow bowling will provide a new dimension to their bowling attack.
Mugava had his Zimbabwean first-class debut against the Mountaineers in 2010 and has taken 42 wickets in 15 first-class matches at an average of 24.26, including one five-wicket haul.
This will be the young man’s first time playing as an overseas player and he acknowledges the magnitude of the task at hand.
There is a lot demanded of an overseas player in English cricket and the pressure to perform at a very high level is very intense.
However, this does not deter Mugava as the young bowler is confident.
“I am honoured to be selected by the club; this does not happen to a lot of people, especially people my age. It will be very challenging adapting to new conditions, and the
responsibilities and expectations as an overseas player, I have had a look at what my role will be and it’s not going to be light work in England. I back myself up very much and I
have played in Zimbabwe’s first-class, which even made me hungrier for more competitive cricket, so the fear of not performing at my best is not an issue for me right now,” he said.
Zimbabwe Cricket’s 2011/12 domestic season came to a close earlier this month and is likely to resume in September — this leaves a huge six-month gap of no competitive cricket.
Club cricket is still played in Zimbabwe but not at an advanced level such as English Club cricket, something that is vital for building a broader player base for national team selection.
Some clubs in England are supported by affluent members, sponsors and the English Cricket board, which also makes it a good and rewarding decision to play for teams such as Eversley.
For Mugava, the decision to go to Hampshire is not financially-based but rather a career development move as he sets his eyes on a national team place in the not so distant future.
“It’s not about the money it’s about the exposure and experience and to learn how to take control of responsibilities. We have a long break and I would rather get more game time during that period than anything else.”
Mugava will be giving back to the Midlands community as a volunteer umpire in today’s Kadoma Under-19 one-day tournament along with his MidWest Rhinos teammates.
Online Reporter