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Sports Reporter
TWENTY primary schools from Bulawayo and three guest teams will compete in the fifth edition of the Baines Junior Dumisani Mankunzini Winter Cricket Festival next month.

The guest teams participating at the tournament set for July 29-30 are Cubs Cricket Academy from Botswana as well as Alberton Cricket Club and Durban Cricket Agency from South Africa.

Tournament organiser Dumisani Mankunzini said reigning champions Milton Junior School had turned down the opportunity to defend their title.

“The tournament is getting bigger with every passing edition and as it is we have 20 schools that have registered for the competition. We’re still contemplating on whether to invite more schools or not. Sadly, champions Milton didn’t respond to our invitation and will not be participating,” said Mankunzini.

Milton have won the tournament twice, in 2013 and 2015. Other previous winners of the competition are Baines Junior, who won the inaugural edition in 2012, and Mtshingwe Primary of Emakhandeni in 2013.

Baines Junior, Mtshingwe, Gampu, Greenfield, Imgiqika, Hillside Junior, Lukhanyiso and Emakhandeni Primary are some of the schools that have registered for the tournament.

Mankunzini said their coaches have already started visiting the schools for training ahead of the finals.