Wenslus Murape
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
AS young female cricketers turned up at St John’s Emerald Hill High School in numbers for the launch of the Girls Play Cricket Academy (GPCA), a feeling of nostalgia gripped Zimbabwe women’s cricket captain Mary-Anne Musonda.
The GPCA is the brainchild of the Lady Chevrons skipper.
Watching the kids stepping onto the field, most of them for their first cricket lesson, brought back memories of her own first time to play. She could not hide her joy seeing one of her many dreams coming to fruition.
“Watching these kids has reminded me of how I started my cricketing career at Kwekwe High School, some 20 years ago,” said Musonda.
“I could see the spark in their eyes lighting up as they ran around and absorbed as much as they could about cricket, batting, bowling and fielding. It feels good and I am happy that we are here today. It is something I have been wishing and hoping for, and for us to be able to do it today, it is truly a dream come true.”
A sport fanatic in her formative years, Musonda was spotted during a hockey session after which an invitation was extended to her to try cricket.
Back then, cricket was still a new sport, let alone for girls.
“I started to play cricket and I credit my coach, who was really passionate about cricket.
“So, what he did was, he just spotted me amongst the girls that were playing hockey and that is how I started playing cricket.
“After we had done one or two sessions, he just said, ‘You are going to be a good cricket player,’” she said.
With those words at the back of her mind, Musonda went on to launch and embark on a hugely successful career.
She made her debut for the national team at the age of 15 before going on to lead the senior women’s national team, a role she still plays to this day.
As she prepares for life away from the playing field, launching a cricket academy is part of the 33-year-old all-rounder’s mission to leave a legacy in cricket.
She is on a mission to find the next big thing in Zimbabwe women’s cricket.
“I want to find a girl who can one day say that GPCA gave her the platform to play cricket. It’s something that I’m hoping that a girl will be able to say about her career.
“GPCA wants to give girls hope, to give them dreams and for them to feel the way I felt so many years ago. It’s such a refreshing feeling to be excited about playing,” said Musonda.
After successfully launching GPCA on Friday, Musonda revealed the motivation behind the formation of the academy was to give young girls cricketing opportunities at a tender age.
“The motivation behind this project is to provide opportunities and platforms for girls that I wish I had when I was younger,” said Musonda.
I believe there is immense untapped potential in girls, and through cricket, I want to help them discover and develop that potential. I have had this dream since I was in university.
“Even when I was playing cricket, I think it was not as clear or as articulate in my head as it is today. It was just an idea.”
Online Reporter
