ZIMBABWE Women’s cricket captain Mary-Anne Musonda and U19 skipper Kelis Ndhlovu yesterday joined the visiting Australian cricket legends at the Aussie embassy in Harare for a coaching clinic.
The Australian cricket legends, including former Australian cricket coach and multi-World Cup winning batsman John Buchanan, retired ICC umpire and former Aussie player Paul Wilson and Peter Buchanan, the High-Performance coach and Victoria Men’s cricket team coach, are currently in the country as part of an 11-day coaching leg with the Grassroots Cricket development initiative.
They were joined by Zim U19 ladies team players Lorraine Pemhiwa and Runyararo Pasipanodya as well as team manager Caroline Nyamande.
Twenty-five children from Glen View 3 Primary school, Chitungwiza’s Dudzai Primary school and Celebration International Primary school attended the coaching clinic.
Musonda said she was excited to see the zeal and passion that was exhibited by the kids throughout the sessions.
“We felt really good. That’s where we all started and getting an opportunity to do that again, but from a different angle is always good. You can see the excitement they have on their faces, how keen they are to learn and how keen they are to just enjoy the game and I think this is the most important part of any cricketer,” Musonda said.
“It was amazing because there were almost like two kinds of levels that they had. I think some play cricket in their primary schools or those who are part of the academies and then some are raw. There was one little fellow who hadn’t bowled or batted and for him to come to me with so much excitement to say, ‘I learned to bowl, I learned to bat, it’s my first time’.
“I mean that was such a great feeling for me to have such a first experience with him in his life. So, I think it’s important for these young ones to have exposure, especially national team players that have been here to inspire them and to have a look at what they can be one day.”
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Host, Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe Minoli Perera, showed some elegant batting skills during the event and spoke of the unity that exists between the two countries as a result of sport.
“Of course, we’re here today to celebrate cricket as a sport and to reflect on its important role in the relationship between Zimbabwe and Australia. As we all know, for many decades, cricket and sport in general have been a common thread that has bound our two nations. Sport is widely recognised, of course, as a universal language that can break down cultural barriers and bring people, communities and nations together,” Perera said.
“From community clubs to representing a country on the international stage, sport is very much a part of both Australia and Zimbabwe’s DNA. We’re proud to have partnered Grassroots Cricket for a few years now in their mission to connect the power of cricket and help transform young lives in Zimbabwe by providing life coaches, life skills and essential support.”
The multi-World Cup-winning Buchanan said they aimed to groom a complete human being that can fit and prosper in any environment in life.
“Today was a special day because we got to come to the embassy we got to train children and just to involve them in a series of small skills and small activities. Not only did the children have some fun, but they were learning from the Zimbabwe Cricket team, the Lady Chevrons, who were helping out doing a wonderful job and particularly we watched Minoli’s [ambassador] batting technique at the end so thumbs up for real,” Buchanan said.
“From a Grassroots cricketing perspective, obviously what they want to do is to reach as many young kids as possible to give them an opportunity through cricket, just to experience skill development, because cricket is a multi-skills sport.
“It’s catching, it’s running, it’s balancing, it’s hitting, it’s agility. It's a whole range of things from an individual point of view. Therefore, that’s what we want to grow.”
Added Buchanan: “We want everyone to understand the value of what cricket can do through grassroots for a community, for a development team, for leadership, and just basic fundamental activities.”
The legends, together with the Grassroots Cricket officials and coaches, left for Bulawayo yesterday for similar coaching clinics.
