ZIMBABWE RISING STARS READY TO SHINE

Date: 19th May 2017

Ground breaking Academy now settled in Liverpool

When the news came out, earlier this year, that a team of up-and-coming Zimbabwean cricketers were due to arrive in Liverpool for a summer-long tour of England, there were more than a few eyebrows raised.

Zimbabwe’s struggles on and off the field have been well-documented in recent years and it was with a mixture of scepticism and hope that a 16-man touring party was unveiled, with some fanfare it has to be said, at one of Harare’s premier hotels back in March.

The driving force behind the project is former Zimbabwe captain, Tatenda Taibu, and his burning desire to improve the fortunes of his national team. Taibu, who is now the convener of selectors for Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and currently residing in Liverpool with his family, identified a gap between under 19s cricket, Zimbabwe A and full international cricket. The academy squad, known as the Zimbabwe Rising Stars, was seen as the crucial link and have already commenced a series of matches against county sides, academies and league representative teams. The players, all aged between 18 and 22, include Carl Mumba, Tarisai Musakanda and Ryan Burl, all of whom have already achieved full international honours.

Their training base is the county ground at Liverpool CC, for which Taibu is quick to thank cricket chairman at Liverpool, Jeremy Clein:

“Jeremy and the club have been extremely helpful and supportive, making all the squad honorary members for the season and allowing us use of training facilities and gym,” he said.

“However, what has struck me more than anything is the warm welcome the players have received wherever we go. We have had ex-pat Zimbabweans turning up to our matches and lots of support on social media. People have been so supportive of what we are trying to achieve” he added.

Key forthcoming fixtures and venues are listed below and cricket fans locally and from further afield are very welcome to attend:

25/05/2017	Myerscough College (OT)	Ashton on Mersey CC
30/05/2017	Northants 2nd XI	Desborough Town CC
01/06/2017	Future Stars Academy	Northern CC
04/07/2017	Wellington College	Liverpool College
tbc	Combined Universities	tbc
08/06/2017	LDCC rep XI	New Brighton CC
15/06/2017	Chennai U20s	Hinckley CC
22/06/2017	Warwickshire 2nd XI	tbc
23/06/2017	Timperley CC (140th ann.)	Timperley CC
29/06/2017	Lancashire 2nd XI/Academy	Northern CC
30/06/2017	Liverpool CC	Liverpool CC
06/07/2017	Formby/World XI	Cricket Path
09/07/2017	Dukinfield CC	Dukinfield CC
13/07/2017	Worcestershire 2nd XI	Barnt Green CC
17/07/2017	Chris Gayle Academy	Woodford Wells CC
20/07/2017	Liverpool CC	Liverpool CC
25/07/2017	Cricket 2000 XI	Ramsey CC, Cambridge
27/07/2017	Ormskirk CC	Ormskirk CC
03/08/2017	GMCL rep XI	Bury CC
10/08/2017	MCC	S&B CC
21-22/08/2017	Derbyshire	3aaa County Ground
24/08/2017	Cheshire Academy	tbc

For further information on the tour please contact Nick Gordon at Flash Sports on 07795 440495. You can also follow the latest squad news on Twitter @ZimbabweAcademy

Pic shows the Rising Stars Academy with Lancashire and Zimbabwe opening bowler Kyle Jarvis at Liverpool CC during the recent Lancashire v Northants Royal London One Day match.