adminFungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
PREPARATIONS are at an advanced stage for the launch of the Tino Mawoyo Junior Cricket Development Festival aimed at developing cricket in under-privileged communities.
The Chevrons and Mountaineers batsman Mawoyo confirmed the project will be officially launched next month.
Mawoyo said he is targeting children under the age of 13 from Sakubva, Chikanga and Dangamvura.
“There is so much talent in these areas and a lot of cricket players come from these high density suburbs.
“We can talk of Tendai Chatara, Donald Tiripano, Kevin Kasuza and the list is endless. We want to identify talent and nurture it. We hope this initiative will help a lot in developing the game, not only in our province but in Zimbabwe at large,” he said.
The festival will run from September 7 to 9 at Mutare Sports Club.
On September 7, there will be training for the girls. On September 8, there will be an umpire seminar, which will be conducted by international umpire Jeremiah Matibiri.
There will be also the sports leadership seminar for the participating children, which will be conducted by the Sports Leadership Institution of Zimbabwe.
“We have lined up a lot of activities for the three days that the festival will run. “On Thursday, we will have training for the girls before an umpire seminar, which will be conducted by international umpire Jeremiah Matibiri.
“All our participants will undergo leadership training on Friday. On Saturday, which is our last day of the festival, we will have a four-team competition. Each team will have 12 players.
“We will award the best fielder, bowler of the festival and batsman of the tournament. We will also honour the most promising player of the festival. This will be an annual event not only for Manicaland. Next year I hope to make it a national event,’’ he said.
The event will be graced by all Mountaineers players and coaches, chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket Tavengwa Mukuhlani, ZC selector Givemore Makoni, ZC managing director Faisal Hasnain and national team captain Graeme Cremer.
Online Reporter