malvernmugadzikwa
Don Makanyanga
THE onus is now on Zimbabwe’s Under-19 cricket team to atone for the senior team’s struggles against Sri Lanka on their tour of the sub-continent.
Until Tuesday, the Chevrons had battled to get one over Sri Lanka in a tour that was preceded by three One-Day Internationals and followed by as many T20 games.
After some poor shows in the ODIs, Zimbabwe pulled off a sensational win in Colombo on Tuesday, securing their first T20 international victory against Sri Lanka in dramatic fashion.
Chasing a target of 174, Zimbabwe, who needed 20 runs off the last over bowled by Angelo Mathews, ultimately triumphed by four wickets with a ball to spare, in a game in which Luke Jongwe shone for the visitors.
As the Chevrons wrapped up their tour of Sri Lanka with the third ODI against the hosts, focus immediately shifted to the next generation of the senior side, who plunge into ICC Under-19 World Cup action in Cape Town, South Africa, today.
Incidentally, the Young Chevrons will open their account with a date against Sri Lanka.
For Zimbabwe Under-19 coach Prosper Utseya, it is how his players develop from such tournaments that is his major concern.
He wants to see his team graduate into the senior side by using the Under-19 World Cup as a stepping stone.
After playing Sri Lanka in the opener, Zimbabwe will face Australia on January 25 and round off their group matches with a date against Namibia two days later.
Utseya and his charges will not be under pressure to win the coveted prize, but they have set themselves a modest target.
“The target for us is to finish as high as possible but taking into account that this is an Under-19 tournament, which is a developmental stage, hence we need to ensure we have ticked all our boxes with regards to all aspects of performance,” said Utseya.
“Having played at Under-19 and international stage has really helped me, as I have a good idea of what’s required at that level, so I try to prepare them well in all aspects of the game.”
Utseya, who is at his third Under-19 World Cup as a coach, is confident Zimbabwe will make a mark at the tournament.
“I believe we are ready as we have prepared for this tournament sufficiently. I am really looking forward to seeing how our boys perform,” he said.
In the build-up to the competition, Zimbabwe played warm-up games against USA and Ireland. Utseya is, however, worried that nerves could get the better of some of his players. “The warm-up matches exposed us to the many challenges we may face in the tournament, thereby giving us sufficient preparation,” he said.
“We have played some really strong sides. However, this being the first game and now the real tournament, I would expect them to be a bit anxious, but that usually fades away once you get in the game.
“And hopefully, we will carry on with the momentum that we have had in the warm-up games.”
Zimbabwe’s other Group C opponents are regional neighbours Namibia.
“For starters, we just need to make sure we go through to the next round, and we are taking each game seriously. I believe each of the three teams in our group poses a threat to our target of going to the next round.” Utseya is counting on the experience of captain Matthew Schonken and Panashe Taruvinga, who were part of the side that was at last year’s tournament in West Indies. “I think all the boys are confident and eager to get going.
“We have had a good build-up to the World Cup. Our returnees — the captain Matthew Schonken and his assistant Panashe Taruvinga — are bringing the much-needed experience,” added the Young Chevrons coach.
Speaking during a captains’ day out ahead of the start of competition, Sri Lanka captain Sineth Jayawardene expressed confidence in his side. He also revealed that he drew much of his inspiration from Indian legend MS Dhoni. “I would like to be like MS Dhoni. He is my idol. I want to be as cool as him. The way he handles the team, his decision-making — everything about him is amazing,’’ Jayawardene said.
Online Reporter