Inter-franchise U-14 cricket tournament begins

Hararians Sports Club on Monday.
The annual tournament was last held at Hillcrest College in Manicaland.
The tournament is used as a feeder to the national Under-14 team that is expected to tour South Africa in June this year.
The teams, made up of schoolboys from different provinces, will play several teams across the Limpopo in the Winter League Programme that will be hosted by the Easterns Franchise of South Africa.
Mathew Connolly of Falcon College and Tuskers had a good outing on the bat on first day, hitting 77 runs in his team’s defeat to Mountaineers.
Welsh Nicky of St John’s College and Mashonaland Eagles also did well as he posted 61 runs in his team’s win against Midwest Rhinos.
This year’s event is pitting five clubs, namely Mashonaland Eagles A and B, Southern Rocks, Tuskers, Mountaineers and Mid West Rhinos.
Mash Eagles A team emerged as the biggest winners of the day when they dismissed Midwest Rhinos by 188 runs.
Mash Eagles won the toss and elected to bat, setting a target of 255/9 before they bowled out Midwest Rhinos for 67 all out.
The second match saw Mountaineers getting the better of Tuskers by 135 runs after setting a target 212/10. Tuskers managed 77/10
In the other match, Mashonaland Eagles B beat Southern rocks by two wickets in a tightly-contested encounter.
Southern Rocks set a target of 122 all out and Mash Eagles B managed a 124 /8 to win by two wickets. The Mashonaland Eagles A team manager Sylvester Mutusva expressed satisfaction with the level of competition, saying the school kids are showing a lot of potential.
“There is a lot of competition and the players are taking the game seriously.
“There is talent and if we can identify it from different provinces like we have done here, we can come up with a good side,” Mutusva said.
The national Under-14 team coach, Ian Tinker, is happy with the performance of the boys.
“The boys look set to go a long way in building a team for the future. They are playing good cricket and we hope to maintain them.
“There is a lot of potential in the youngsters,” said Tinker.