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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket general manager Dirk Viljoen says the hosting of ICC Cricket World Cup games at Takashinga Cricket Club in the high density suburb of Highfield is set to benefit cricket in the suburb in a big way.
The Highfield venue has hosted two-time champions West Indies, as well as the United States of America in the past week and the supporters were treated to some entertaining cricket.
Viljoen said the hosting of the matches at the iconic venue will leave lasting impressions to the aspiring cricketers in the area, which previously was among the disadvantaged areas.
Takashinga has produced a host of franchise and national team players. Among the first fruits are former national team captain Elton Chigumbura, Tatenda Taibu, Chamu Chibhabha, Prosper Utseya who is now the Under-19 coach and current national team assistant coach Stuart Matsikenyeri.
There are also some household names like Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Eric Chauluka, Forster Mutizwa, Trevor Garwe, Alester Maregwede, Timycen Maruma who have passed through the system.
“Playing at Takashinga is more of a testimony if you look at the make-up of Zimbabwe cricket over the last couple of years. A lot of players came out of that structure,” said Viljoen.
“For more, when I go and play out there it’s just another game of cricket. Sometimes the grounds are just beautiful, if you look at Lords, if you look at Melbourne Cricket Ground and you think back to the history of the people that have played there.
“For us as ZC, we could have hosted the Qualifier games at Old Hararians which has hosted before. Takashinga is a testimony to where ZC has found a lot of its talent and what’s gonna be key at the end of these World Cup Qualifier is more youngsters realising that this is a stage you can play at because the players that have come before you have done it and here is your opportunity.
“So Takashinga as a venue for the World Cup is massive for showing that grounds around the world don’t always have to be Lords or MCG.
“Any ground can be made to play a quality game of cricket but for us very strategic in making sure that the youngsters in the ghettos know that cricket is available for everyone and I think that’s what Zimbabwe Cricket have done,” said Viljoen.
The venue has hosted some Group A games with the West Indies and USA the first to play there on Sunday. The Netherlands and USA played their latest game yesterday at Takashinga.
The Chevrons, however, cannot play at Takashinga because of the huge crowds at their games, which can only be accommodated at Harare Sports Club.
“Remember that when the schedules came out, no one knew who was going to qualify and who wasn’t,” said Viljoen.
“No one knew who was going to play at Harare Sports Club or Takashinga. So that the ICC protocol was that the top eight teams qualified automatically.
“I would like to think that if you look back three/four years back you would assume that West Indies and Sri Lanka would qualify automatically. As it turned out they didn’t.
“So a lot of that was not sort of strategic in sending West Indies there but it was just more of fate that West Indies were coming here. “They were put in Group A with Zimbabwe as per rankings. The fact that Zimbabwe, because we are hosting we got to play at HSC and West Indies play some of their games at Takashinga.
“So, I think it was more of just fate in how it turned out that the West Indies went there and what a great opportunity for them and I must say Takashinga is looking fantastic,” said Viljoen.
Online Reporter