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Zimbabwe’s Chamu Chibhabha clips one through the leg side in the first T20I against Afghanistan in Bulawayo, in this file photo — AFP

Lovemore Zigara in Gweru
THE Zimbabwe A cricket team yesterday conducted coaching clinics at various schools in Gweru.

The side was accompanied by team manager Lovemore Banda on a tour which took them to Thornhill High School, Cecil John Rhodes Primary and Lundi Park Primary.

Chamu Chibhabha, the Zimbabwe A skipper, said he hoped the coaching clinics would be done more often and spread across the country.

“We hope such initiatives happen more often as these guys look up to a lot of guys in the national team and for us to show up and help goes a long way,” said Chibhabha.

Midlands Cricket Board secretary John Makuwalo said the coaching clinic would motivate budding cricketers to work on their game.

“This is very vital for the development of the sport because when these youngsters see their role models, it pushes them to do better in their game. This is only the beginning and as Midlands Cricket Board, we are pushing to have more international cricket matches played in the Midlands so that we can motivate youngsters,” said Makuwalo.

The visit by Zimbabwe A comes after Gweru launched a High Performance Centre at Cecil John Rhodes Primary School, which has reignited interest in the game.

Zimbabwe Cricket convenor of selectors Tatenda Taibu launched the centre and pledged to assist in the sourcing of equipment.

This has also seen a massive rehabilitation of the Gweru Sports Club cricket pitch, which will house the club’s High Performance Centre.

The cricket pitch and its facilities are in a deplorable state due to years of neglect, which has left the Midlands capital with no cricket pitch.

@lavuzigara1