Future of Zim cricket is bright: Utseya
IN 2004, when senior players walked out of Zimbabwe Cricket in protest against the sacking of then skipper, Heath Streak, authorities had to turn to young talent who had just represented the country at the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh.
A strike by senior players ahead of Sri Lanka’s visit to the country saw a number of players who had just reached the Super League stage at the Under-19 World Cup being given a chance at senior level. Brendan Taylor, Elton Chigumbura, Tinashe Panyangara and Prosper Utseya saw themselves playing for the senior team a month after their return from Bangladesh. Chigumbura, Taylor, Panyangara and Utseya all made their One Day International debuts against Sri Lanka at Queens Sports Club on 20 April 2004.
Even Tawanda Mupariwa, who was part of the Under-19 structures but not go to Bangladesh was soon called up for a Test match against Sri Lanka. Captain of the Zimbabwe Under-19 in 2004, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Edward Rainsford were other members of the Under-19 team that went on to play at senior level. Only James Cameron, Stanley Marisa and Tafadzwa Mufambisi did not graduate from that Under-19 team while Colin de Grandhomme went on to play for New Zealand where he is still shining for the Kiwis.
In fact, five players from that Zimbabwe Under-19 team which went to Bangladesh have captained the country over the years.
A lot was expected from these youngsters, with Taylor asked to open the batting on his Odi debut which backfired since he got a five-ball duck while Panyangara took the new ball on that day and got one wicket in a match Sri Lanka won by 12 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Mupariwa toiled for 34 overs without a wicket on his Test debut as Sri Lanka won by an innings and 254 runs.
That Zimbabwean team at the Under-19 World Cup had done wonders as they beat Australia by seven wickets and clobbered Canada by nine wickets having lost to Sri Lanka by two wickets in their opening fixture of the tournament. Coached by Walter Chawaguta, the Zimbabwean lads finished second in their group and qualified for the Super League stage of the tournament where they won just one match against New Zealand.
Fast forward to 2020, Zimbabwe have yet another promising Under-19 team with a number of lads who have shown lots of promise. What makes it interesting is that those who were youngsters in 2004 are now veterans who must now guide the next generation of Zimbabwe cricketers.
Having failed to qualify for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, Zimbabwe ought to make sure they are there at the 2023 edition in India. For that to happen, youngsters with the energy have to be gradually introduced into the team over the next few years.
Utseya, coach of the Under-19s who went to this year’s World Cup feels that the future of the game in the country is really promising.
“I really think that Zimbabwe’s cricket future is really bright, we would have wanted to go on to qualify for the Super League but it wasn’t the case. If you want to analyse deeper, the way we played against India, there is no team in this tournament that has dominated the Indian bowlers like we did — on the Pakistan game we were right on track but we just lacked in the key moments, which comes with experience,’’ Utseya said.
He is optimistic that most of the players he brought to South Africa will go on excel on the international arena. Utseya has given a four-year timeline for his youngsters to break into the senior team.
“This group if you look at the number of players that we brought here, I am quite positive that most of them will play for the national team, I don’t think they will play for four years without us seeing them in the national team.”
Wesley Madhevere and Milton Shumba, the most experienced out of the Under-19s who were in South Africa could have a taste of international action as early as next month since they are likely to be part of Zimbabwe’s limited overs squad to tour Bangladesh.
The Zimbabwe Under-19s might have finished 11th but Zimbabwean cricket fans are eager to see these youngsters to progress to the next level and achieve success at international level.