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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE cricket chairman, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, yesterday described the launch of the women’s provincial cricket tournament as a new era in the development of the game in the country.
The association, which recently announced the National Premier League club cricket for men, also gave the women something to smile about.
They unveiled two competitions at the Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The provincial one-day competition, and the T20 tournament, are scheduled to start in the coming week, with four teams participating.
ZC said they will begin with Eagles, Rhinos, Mountaineers and Tuskers with hopes of expanding, in the future, as they hope to build the “critical mass” in women’s cricket.
The competitions are expected to help develop, and fine-tune talent, for the national teams.
“For us, as Zimbabwe Cricket, to develop a larger pool of female cricket players, and ensure the future sustainability of the game at the highest level, we need a healthy and functional and competitive domestic system,’’ he said.
“These tournaments will help, not only with competitive game time for our international players who are all involved, but will also serve as a platform to unearth, and develop talent, that will in the near future help Zimbabwe become a true cricket powerhouse that it should be.
“I believe our duty, as Zimbabwe Cricket, is to ensure that the structures are in place that will help make a positive difference, that will help give future Zimbabwe teams the best possible chance, and that is what we fully intend to do.
“It is my hope that this initiative, plus many others that are in the pipeline will, in the long run, widen our player base and then go on to give a fresh impetus to our infield fortunes, and the continued growth of women’s cricket throughout Zimbabwe.”
The initiative is likely to bring back cheers to the players and officials alike.
Women’s cricket was the hardest hit by the off-field issues that bedevilled the game in the 2019-2020 season.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, they had already suffered the most, when ZC’s membership was suspended by the ICC, last year.
The episode saw the Zimbabwe women’s tours to Ireland, and Netherlands, being shelved after ZC failed to secure funding.
That was followed by four cricketers —Mary-Anne Musonda, Sharne Mayers, Anesu Mushangwe and Tasmeen Granger and head coach Adam Chifo — being barred from travelling to the UK where they were supposed to be part of the ICC Women’s Global Development programme.
“The biggest low came when Zimbabwe was barred from taking part in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers with Namibia taking our place in the tournament held in Scotland.
“As I speak, the Zimbabwe national women’s cricket team last played an international in May last year when they won the ICC Women’s Qualifier Africa Region 2019.
“Of course, today is not the day to mourn. We now consider that as water under the bridge,” said Mukuhlani.
The trophies, for both tournaments, were unveiled at the launch.
Pakistani sportswear manufacturer, Ihsan Sports, are the official kit sponsor for the women’s competitions.
Online Reporter