ZIMBABWE national cricket stars led by Test and One Day International captain Craig Ervine and T20I skipper Sikandar Raza are set to grace the All Stars Cricket Academy (ASCA) tournament scheduled for Prince Edward School in Harare at the end of this month.
The ASCA tournament is a development initiative that seeks to groom and inspire future stars for Zimbabwe which has seen the invitation of some of the country's leading superstars. It is scheduled for March 29 and 30 in the capital featuring the U-14, U-15 and U19s while the colts edition featuring U-13 and U-11 is set for April 5 and 6 at the same venue.
The tournament will be streamed live on various platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
Tournament co-ordinator, Philemon Kadziche, paid tribute to Lady Chevrons’ Christabel Chatonzwa for breaking the ice and attending the inaugural event last year.
“Junior athletes have got role models they look up to and it's no secret that Raza, Ervine, Sean Williams, Richard Ngarava, Welly Masakadza Chamu Chibhabha and Tadiwanashe Marumani, among others, have got a lot of following locally before we even venture into the foreign lands.
“Due their proximity, there's no better way for these ambassadors to motivate and inspire the young and aspiring players than coming in their numbers to watch these youngsters play,” Kadziche told NewsDay Sport.
“We have already laid the groundwork speaking to the majority of our national team stars. Most have given us their assurances that they will attend as long as they don't have any international, national or club assignments on the said dates which is a huge positive for us and the kids.”
Kadziche said the tournament has generated interest during its infancy stage and is confident of staging a big gathering for the young boys.
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“We would like to thank a couple of parents who have already chipped in with various amounts as well as in kind towards this year's edition of the games. Everyone is excited and want to see this being a success,” he said.
“These donations will certainly go a long way in making our tournament a success. Our relationship is that of water and fish hence the co-operation by our revered parents is a key ingredient in our quest to scale dizzy heights.”
The tournament has attracted 12 teams drawn from around the country. They include hosts, ASCA, Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy, Elite (Mutare), Starlight, Goromonzi Sharks, Stardons, Glenview Development, St Aidens, Premier (Mutare), Diens and Grassroots Cricket Academy.
