adminBongani Ndlovu Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) has introduced the Zimbabwe Premier League (ZPL), a national 50 overs club cricket competition set to start tomorrow. Eight teams will be involved in the competition and the side finishing with the most points after seven rounds of matches will win the inaugural championship.
Three teams from Harare Metropolitan and Mashonaland Central, Takashinga Patriots 1, Takashinga Patriots 2 and Rainbow, two from Bulawayo and Matabeleland North, Amakhosi and Inkatha will take part in the league.
Manicaland and Mashonaland East will have a single team, Eastern Lions, while Mashonaland West and Midlands will be represented in the competition by Muzvezve Tigers. As reward for winning the Associate Provincial League, Masvingo’s Southern Lions are in as the eighth team.
Takashinga Patriots 1 and Rainbow will battle it out tomorrow at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare. Amakhosi and Eastern Lions will face off at Masvingo Sports Club, while Inkhatha and Takashinga Patriots 2 clash at Kwekwe Sports Club.
Southern Lions and Muzvezve round off tomorrow’s action with a game at Old Hararians.
“ZPL is a very important competition involving Zimbabwe’s top clubs fighting it out for national honours,” ZC head of cricket affairs Givemore Makoni said.
ZPL is taking a leaf from the now defunct Indian Cricket League where budding cricketers rub shoulders with those that have played international cricket.
According to Makoni, to ensure the league is very competitive, each club has registered at least three players that have represented the senior national team or Zimbabwe A, while the playing XI must include at least one Under-19 player.
“It’s top-notch cricket with all national team players not in the Test side expected to turn out for clubs in the league. This means youngsters will get the chance to play with and against experienced international players, which will quickly bring them through,” said Makoni.”
The next round of ZPL fixtures is scheduled for July 30.
Online Reporter