Old Mutual cricket finals on

THE Old Mutual Colts Cricket Cup and the Cabs Under-13 Cricket Cup finals are set for the Old Mutual Cricket Academy Oval this Saturday.

Deputy Minister of Sports & Recreation, Arts & Culture, Emily Jesaya is expected to be the guest of honour.

Joseph Rego, the president and board chairman of the Old Mutual Cricket Academy Trust confirmed the event. This year, the Old Mutual Colts Cricket Cup celebrates a decade since it was first launched in 2014 christened My Vision-My Dream, the Dream Child of the visionary Indian sports celebrity Rego who in his career spanning 12 years in Zimbabwe has revolutionised the growth and development of youth cricket in the nation, especially in Bulawayo where over 40 primary schools are active in the sport.

Sadly, due to the devastating Covid-19 which disrupted sport across the globe in 2020, the tournament suffered a major setback and was re-launched in 2022 with CABS adopting the Under-13 age-group with an eye on promoting Rego’s structured grassroots level development agenda of building the sport in the nation.

“The prestigious tournament has been growing in leaps and bounds, supporting schools and children hailing from less fortunate backgrounds. The Old Mutual Cricket Academy identifies 40 cricket playing schools from the western suburbs of Bulawayo City.

“With a genuine intent and desire to shape a brighter world for these young budding and aspiring cricketers, the Academy employs professional coaches capable of providing leadership, direction and quality programmes that result in the development of the game at the grassroots level, producing young cricket stars ripe for the international stage.

“The top 30 teams played a tournament based on a point system that leads to the semi-finals and finals slated for Saturday, 5th October battling for the prestigious Old Mutual Colts Cricket Cup and the Cabs Under-13 Cricket Cup at the Old Mutual Cricket Academy. The finals starts at 12 noon and the game format is the popular T20 that has taken the cricket world by storm with various T20 Leagues being hosted by cricket playing nations around the world,” said Rego.

Despite the economic challenges, the nation has been facing, the Old Mutual Academy of Cricket Excellence Trust under the guidance of hardworking Rego has made giant stride in the growth and development of cricket in Zimbabwe.

The Academy nominates players to attend provincial age-group trials relevant to ability and potential.

Rego’s dream is to help transform the lives of hundreds of talented kids especially from high-density suburbs who have no access to sports facilities and equipment.

In 2015, he set his own mark when he visited 150 schools from the Western Suburbs in one month.

The Academy encourages aspiring young cricketers to develop their skills and ensures coaching sessions are held within a progressive and fulfilled environment in the true spirit of the game.

Girls are also inspired and motivated to get involved in playing cricket at the Academy.

“Our age-group teams pre-Colts, Colts, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 and U18 levels have been winning International tournaments,” said Rego who has been taking his teams to the region and abroad in the past.