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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THIRTY aspiring cricketers have registered for the Dumisani Mankunzini Cricket Initiative (DMCI) holiday cricket training programme that starts today and ends on Monday at the Bulawayo Municipals Sports Club.

The five-day holiday programme is for young cricketers between the ages of three and 19, who will get personalised training from DMCI coaches.

DMCI founder and former Matabeleland Tuskers and national Under-19 leg-spinner Dumisani Mankunzini, who is a holder of a Zimbabwe Cricket Level Two coaching certificate, and Freedom Takarusenga are some of the coaches that will provide training.

The coaching clinic should have been held last week, but was postponed following the death of Mankunzini’s father, who was buried on Sunday.

“My father, who encouraged me to set up the DMCI passed away last week and that led to us postponing our programme to this week. So far we have 30 kids that have registered and we’re ready to roll. Training will start at 9AM and end at 11AM,” said Mankunzini.

The former Zimbabwe youth international said after this programme, they will embark on a scoring and umpiring coaching clinic at the Bulawayo Municipals Sports Club.

“Next week on Wednesday we will have a training programme for umpiring and scoring for development coaches we hope will play big roles at grassroots levels. We received lots of requests to organise such a programme following the successful hosting of the Baines Junior Winter Cricket Festival,” said Mankunzini.

Mankunzini said his project is meant to complement Zimbabwe Cricket’s development programmes.

“There are a number of schools without cricket coaches and I believe if we can manage to train a significant number of people, they will be key in the development of the sport at grassroots levels. Grasping basics at grassroots is key to development of cricket and DMCI’s vision is to see all schools in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North being coached by qualified personnel,” Mankunzini said. -@ZililoR