CRICKET development stalwart, Steve Mangongo was impressed by the level of cricket being played at the on-going Powerplay Sports Under-19 tournament at Peterhouse School in Marondera.
The tournament started on Friday and has already produced two centurions both from South African batsmen playing for Powerplay Sports Select.
Armaan Manack scored the first century of the tournament on Friday when his 110 helped his team to a seven-wicket victory over Shasha Select.
However, Lethabo Phalhamohlaka with 168 (158), played the innings of the tournament when he despatched the Zimbabwe Under-19 national team select bowlers to all the parts of the field.
The first two days of the five-day tournament saw the teams playing 50 overs cricket. In these games players were being tested on how to build an innings and the bowlers skills being tested.
Mangongo, the chairperson of Powerplay Sports Academy said he is satisfied with what he has seen of the tournament so far.
“We have created a pathway tournament for the Under-19 cricketers and it’s up to the players to put up their hands and be counted. Some rough gems have been unearthed, others have been smoothened and at the end of the tournament cricket in Zimbabwe will be the winner,” Mangongo said.
“The boys from South Africa play at least 110 games per season and our boys here don’t even play half those matches and through this tournament we want to make sure that they start playing more high pressure games. If we can get them to play 60 competitive matches per season, this will augur well for the future of Zimbabwe cricket as you can only get better by playing matches.”
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The former Zimbabwe senior men’s team coach has produced the likes of Tatenda Taibu, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, among others. He still dreams of seeing players from the under-privileged backgrounds play at the highest level.
In that bid of inclusivity, they selected two sides made up of players from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“I have been impressed by the Shasha Stars and Harare Select. They have some serious bowlers and their never say die attitude and love of the game is contagious. What they lack in skill they make it up with their attitude,” added Mangongo. Six teams, Peterhouse boys, Shasha Select, Wise Owl, Power Play Sport Select and Harare Select are taking part in the tournament which ends tomorrow.
