Manatsa confident and optimistic

can look up to with confidence in Test cricket, provided he gets the necessary support.
The 22-year-old fast bowler has only been back in the country for one year, getting his first feel of the domestic game in the last part of the season and getting his best figures for Eagles in the four-day Logan Cup Competition.
Manatsa, who spent 18 months in South Africa at the High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria, met with immediate success when he won the Coca-Cola Pro50 Championships.
“Last year was a pretty good season for Mashonaland Eagles. I only started playing in the second half of the season. I had learnt quite a lot in the first half just sitting around and watching the experienced players and getting tips from the coaches. It was good they won one of the three competitions.
“I look forward to a good season this year. As defending champions in the limited overs game, I think it’s crucial if we start by winning the first four games of the season and get ourselves in a position to retain the championship.
“It’s important to win early. I know the competition will be tight this year. All teams are looking forward to winning the opening matches because that will set the tone for the season. If I am chosen to play, I would like to do my best this year,” said Manatsa.
The lanky bowler, whom Eagles coach Kevin Curren loves to compare with former West Indies great Curtly Ambrose, started playing cricket at a very young age at Borrowdale Primary School. He was rather more of an all-rounder as he was also involved in a big way in high school rugby and athletics.
Manatsa represented Zimbabwe at the 2008 Penn State Relays in the United States, the same year he was awarded full colours for rugby at St. George’s College.
Soon after leaving the Saints, Manatsa took up a contract with Mashonaland Northens to play in provincial cricket. 
In 2010 he was among the recipients of Zimbabwe Cricket scholarships to attend a two-week bowling course at the Centre of Excellency in Brisbane, Australia.
But his career changed for the better when he was offered a performance bursary at the High Performance Centre in South Africa, where he was moulded into a finished product.
Manatsa improved his game playing for the Tuks Cricket Club in 2011 but was to come back home when he was recalled by ZC after spending one-and-half years at the centre.
“It was meant to be two full years but when Zimbabwe returned to Test cricket they wanted all the potential players to come back.
“I was asked to come back and drafted into franchise cricket because I needed to play first class cricket to develop my skills and gain experience. So when I did start my season, I started very well using the experience that I gained from the last two years. From the HPC I learnt a lot of psychology, I learnt not to give up easily and always pushing myself.
“There was a lot of inspiration at the HPC.
“Lots off South African teams came there and I remember playing against Scotland, Kenya and I had an opportunity to bowl at Royal Challengers Bangalore when they came.
“I wasn’t too sure of what to expect when I returned because there was a number of senior players to look up to and it was all exciting
“Now I am fit and ready for new challenges. The team spirit is good at the moment and I am looking forward to it. If I am given the opportunity, my role as fast bowler is to open the bowling, picking up a couple of early wickets. Last season my best figures came from the four-day cricket and I think that’s where my strength is but obviously I want to do well in all three formats of the game,” said Manatsa.
Eagles will get the ball rolling today when they face Southern Rocks at the Harare Sports Club in a 50 over match and then meet the same opponents again tomorrow in the Twenty20 competitions.
They are likely to get more competition this year from Logan Cup champions Matabeleland Tuskers, Mountaineers, who won the Stanbic Bank Twenty20, and MidWest Rhinos who are eager to stop their barren chase despite featuring in several finals.
Manatsa was included in the Zimbabwe A training squad early this year but picked up a groin injury during practice.
However, the lanky bowler has since recovered and is even looking beyond the franchise level. 
“During the off-season I have been working hard in the gym and doing a bit of running to keep fit. I was involved with the Zim A tour although I didn’t play any games. In the next three or four years, performance-wise, I would like to put everything in my game and push my name forward for national team selection,” said Manatsa.