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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) national development manager Nicholas Singo has applauded former national Under-19 legspinner Dumisani Mankunzini for his role in developing the sport after successfully staging the Baines Junior Winter Cricket Festival.

Mankunzini, 25, whose promising cricket career was brought to an abrupt end after he picked up a back injury in 2013, ventured into cricket development targeting primary schools in a tournament named after him.

Milton Junior won this year’s edition of the Baines Junior Dumisani Mankunzini Winter Cricket Festival on Saturday after beating Gampu Primary by nine wickets in the final of the 24-team tournament.

Milton beat Hugh Beadle by 36 runs in the quarter-finals and went on to dismiss Imbizo by six wickets in the semi-finals.

Gampu beat Thomas Rudland by nine wickets in the quarter-finals and dented Mtshingwe’s hopes of defending the title with a seven-wicket win in the semi-finals.

The primary schools’ tournament, which is in its fourth year, started with four teams in 2012 before doubling to eight schools in 2013 and increasing to 12 in 2014.

“To be honest, I think the Baines Junior Dumisani Mankunzini Winter Cricket Festival is a brave initiative. I was really impressed with the number of schools and the number of youngsters who were exposed to competitive cricket over the weekend. It’s only proper to give credit where it’s due and the young man has done well to contribute to the sport that shaped his life,” said Singo.

However, Singo said staging one competition a year was not enough for cricket development and encouraged organisers of the Baines Junior Dumisani Mankunzini Winter Cricket Festival to hold at least three tournaments a year.

“To have proper development, there is need to have youngsters playing lots of cricket. Going forward, what should happen is that there must be a proper league in Bulawayo, not to only rely on once-off tournaments. If possible, these guys should organise more tournaments. Unfortunately as ZC, we can’t help much because we already have programmes that we’re doing with schools and our franchises, but we really want to see more cricket being played,” Singo said.

Mankunzini, who is considering the idea of staging more tournaments per year, said his plans were being constrained by lack of funding.

“Everything revolves around money and we’ve brilliant ideas to develop cricket, but they all need funding. We’re grateful to companies like Nokel Security and Schweppes, as well as schools, parents and a number of individuals, who believe in our dream of having every child playing cricket. Hopefully, if we get more funding we’ll stage more tournaments,” said Mankunzini.

For winning the tournament, Milton pocketed $500 and a floating trophy while Gampu received $125.

All participants received a t-shirt, cap and a certificate.

Siyabonga Ngwenya of Gampu was voted player of the tournament and best batsman, while last season’s best bowler Tendai Takavengwa retained the award for taking 14 wickets in the competition.

The best fielder award went to Stanslaus Ngirezi of Mtshingwe and Thubelihle Saidi of McKeurtan took home the most promising cricketer award.