The popularity of cricket in Zimbabwe continues to grow. Young boys and girls are not prepared to wait for school days to play the game at school. They are playing cricket on any piece of land, driveways, back yards, streets or open ground. Some parents are now going to the extent of making bats and stumps for their children. I have come across numerous types of bats, big and small, some shaped like proper cricket bats, some just a piece of plank with a flat face and the handle just long enough so it can be used to drive the ball away for runs.

This is a very exciting development and we hope to utilise the enthusiasm to develop the game further.

GLEN VIEW, HARARE

Glen View 3 Primary has improved its standard of play. The school is now capable of competing with such strong opposition as Chipembere, Zengeza 4, St Aidens and others. The staff at the school and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union staff coach have done a great job.

Zengeza 4 is doing the same. The school has managed to introduce the game to almost every child at the school. The school cricketers have even arranged Saturday morning practice sessions with the coach. The team is currently playing well in the Harare Primary Schools league.

MARONDERA

Godfrey Kaswa and Jestina Gwatiringa are now in Marondera. They have been accommodated at Godfrey Huggins School and have settled in well. They have not yet started coaching in the high-density areas because of problems with kit. We are hoping the programme starts soon in the high-density areas since I have provided the coaches with some equipment. I have already given the coaches a bag each, two pairs of batting pads per coach, plus wicket-keeping gloves and a set of Kwik cricket equipment each.

The coaches have not yet started work at Marondera High School. I have to speak to the headmaster first before we commit ourselves to the development of the game there. They have to show commitment first. We do not want a situation whereby they lose interest and abandon the game. They must not treat the game as an outside sport but include it among their curriculum activities.

SHAMVA

Robson Eriya has been negotiating with the mine for the erection of pitches and nets. The mine is very supportive in this regard, but are unable to fulfil their ambitions because of financial constraints. They have a very tight budget for sport, which is not enough to cover facilities.

Since the mine is at present unable to continue with the project of constructing a cricket ground, The Management is prepared to hand the site over to anyone willing to continue with the project. The mine had gone as far as levelling the piece of land. What is left is to construct a concrete pitch in the middle, and possibly two nets to start with. The ground also needs fencing.

Below is the estimated cost of completing the project, in Zimbabwe dollars:

concrete pitch 20 000; 2 concrete nets 50 000; shed (pavilion) 15 000; storeroom and toilet 25 000;

Total 110 000

This project if taken over by the Zimbabwe can be financed by themselves and the Shamva farming community, as well as the business community.

MACHEKE

Stanley Timoni, Nicholas Munyurwa, Jenner Maponga and I successfully introduced cricket to farm labourers and their children in April.

Mrs Osborne of Osborne Investments (Pvt) Ltd has written to us, expressing her gratitude to the coaches for their professionalism and keenness. She now wants to engage three coaches again for the week of Monday 29 November to 3 December 1999. This arrangement, with assistance from Mrs Osborne, has enabled us to take cricket to remote areas. Now farm school children can play the game and enjoy it, something they had never dreamed of.

CHINAMORA AND DOMBOSHAWA

A gala has been scheduled for 30 November for eighteen schools at the Showgrounds in Domboshawa and Chogugudza Schools. Headmasters, sports masters and education officers have all been invited. The heads are all encouraging school children and their teachers to be there on the big day. The gala is expected to be successful judging by the way it is being organised, and the response and enthusiasm evident in everyone concerned.

EQUIPMENT AND KIT

The cricket equipment below has been received in 25 bags from Duncan Fearnley. It is second-hand but in very good condition:

48 pairs of batting pads, 5 pairs of batting gloves, two pairs of wicket-keeping pads and 68 pairs of wicket-keeping gloves.

We also received equipment from Gavin Rennie. The equipment, although used, will go a long way in alleviating our equipment problems. The kit is as follows:

6 bats, 9 pairs left-hand gloves, 3 pairs left-hand pads, 2 helmets, 12 white wide-brimmed hats (new), 2 left-hand thigh pads.

The Australian Cricket Board has also given us some soft-ball sets together with some extras. The whole consignment was made up of the following:

160 Kwik cricket balls, 60 stump bases, 180 stumps, 60 small bats, 40 large bats, 5 bags, 5 proper Kookaburra cricket bats, 5 pairs batting pads, 5 thigh pads, 12 Kookaburra practice balls, 5 pairs batting gloves.

The equipment came at a time when we had virtually nothing left for coaching. The equipment problem may become a problem of the past once we received donations of kit from the Club Cricket Conference, Westgate Merchants (Jestina Mukoko), Save the Children Fund and another donor in Australia.

I only hope that these promised donations reach us soon.

PLAYING AND PRACTICE FACILITIES

The following schools have been identified as being fairly central and usable as coaching centres: Shingai (for St Mary's schools), St Mary's High (for Zengeza and St Mary's high schools), Dzidzai (for Seke North), Budiriro No. (for Budiriro) and Glen View 7 )for Glen View).

It is planned that concrete pitches will be laid and completed before the end of November. The first four will be funded by B.P. Shell and the fifth by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

The next phase will be the laying of pitches in Matabeleland and certain other areas. Nets will also have to be laid and constructed in all these centres in future.

KIT FOR SPECIAL SQUAD

There is a need to provide enough proper kit for our development team which will be participating in the primary schools festival. Last year the head in charge, Mr Rick Pettipher of Bryden School

in Chegutu, was rather concerned about the state of their dress and equipment. Although their turnout left a lot to be desired, the coaching, rapport and performance was most gratifying. We received many compliments I this regard from a number of different people. So this year our boys should be better turned out.

The following are needed: 24 shirts and pairs of shorts and socks; 12 pairs of takkies (plimsolls) and floppy white hats, 3 bats, 3 pairs of batting gloves and 3 boxes.

We also need to equip the two coaches with track suits, takkies, floppy hats and blazers for the prize-giving and awards ceremony. This is also very important because coaches should also be well

turned out. Last year our coaches looked like fish out of water. Their Harare counterparts were well equipped and turned out to

be the best team of the festival.