Vusumuzi Dube
Harare Bureau
FOR Zimbabwe’s young cricketers, it has been a month well spent on the Indian shores as they brace for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
The teenage outfit has since described their mission in India as one full of lessons, experience and progression.
That tour was a key part of their preparations for the World Cup scheduled for Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe are one of 11 teams that have already secured a place at the World Cup via an automatic qualification selection.
Their coach Prosper Utseya believes their stint in India opened eyes for his charges.
“The trip to India was specifically for our preparation practice tour for us as coaches to build a team and expose our players to sub-continent conditions.
“I am happy with our progress thus far; we are on the right trajectory.
“The players have progressed on well and we are so humbled by the way players went about their business on and off the field,” said Utseya.
With the bulk of the players still going to school, Utseya said they had resorted to utilising the school holidays to hold training camps as part of their preparations.
“We are trying to maximise on every school holidays when the majority of our players are around to prepare our players for what they will be up against during the World Cup’’.
He expressed delight in being accorded an opportunity to hold international training camps but reckons that playing other junior national teams will be more vital as they prepare for the World Cup.
“Tours of this magnitude go a long way in our players’ development pathway.
“Lots of positives came out of the tour.
“Our players have shown great signs of improvement at the level of competition we played and now we require to play more competitive teams like national Under-19 teams and ZC is working hard to ensure that we tick that box,” he said.
During their visit to India, the Young Chevrons played two three-day games and four 50-overs games.
They lost the first three-day game before bouncing back to win the next.
Zimbabwe also triumphed in their four 50-overs game against some Indian club sides, which left Utseya and his technical department satisfied.
As part of their tour to India, the Young Chevrons, were accorded a rare opportunity by Chevrons all-rounder, Sikandar Raza to watch an India Premier League match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Utseya described the gesture as a lifetime experience for the boys.
“It was an incredible experience and such an exciting game to watch, the boys will remember that for a long time and the boys felt very fortunate and happy with the gesture’’.
Former Chevrons coach Lalchan Rajput, who facilitated the tour, said he felt that the Young Chevrons needed to be exposed to the sub-continent conditions as they prepare for the World Cup.
“The Zimbabwe U-19 team will be playing in Sri-Lanka hence I organised that they can come and get exposure to the sub-continent conditions.
“And I am happy with the progress that they made during their stay here. We lost the first three-day game before going on to win the remaining matches.
“Playing away from home builds the team,” he said.
Utseya also feels that the experience gained is invaluable as it would stand the players in good stead for competition at senior level.
“Exposing these youngsters to international cricket ensures that we have continuity and the youngsters once picked for the national team will know what to expect and not be caught by surprise.
“Working with Zimbabwe Cricket we will continue facilitating such tours to allow us to expose our players to different conditions,” said Rajput.
Online Reporter