By Ashley Dube
Zimbabwe Cricket has taken a major step in reinvigorating club cricket by launching the National Premier league (NPL), which is set to commence this weekend.
The NPL is will see top clubs all over the country lock-horns in a 45-over tournament. The clubs are Amakhosi, Queens, Takashinga, Raibow, Gladiators, Harare Kings, Great Zimbabwe Patriots, Midwest and Easterns.
The Gladiators have been touted as a young, exciting team and was represented by upcoming star former U-19 batsman Milton Shumba during the launch.
On paper
this is set to be a brilliant initiative which is expected to give a number of
youngsters the chance to competitive cricket against seasoned internationals.
Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani speaking on the launch acknowledged that the board from 2015 has fallen a bit short in its primary objective of producing cricketers and playing quality cricket. He stressed the NPL is ZC’s way to build a strong club system which will give a pipeline for players and acts as development brand for the first class system which will in turn aid in the rebuilding of the national team.
The
tournament will be round robin with the team on top at the end of the round being crowned champions with a prize money of 1000 dollars going to the
winners and 500 dollars going to the runners-up.
Overall
this looks like an exciting competition and hopefully it produces the right
results; and the fans will see some exciting and competitive cricket. More importantly
the competition should offer talent development and players will move through
the right channels in to the different levels of the national sides. In doing
so it might bring players back and the system will be better off and a strong
competitive Chevron side
Read here for the full squads of the participating teams.
Pakistan Tour
Meanwhile Zimbabwe will tour Pakistan for some white ball cricket in October. They will play three One Day Internationals and two T20 matches. A 25 men training squad was called up in September in preparation for the tour.
Uncapped players such as Faraz Akram and Milton Shumba were called up whilst there were recalls for Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chisoro as well as hard hitting opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe.
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