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Sports Reporter
Takashinga Sports Club have received another invitation from Uganda to tour the country again during next year’s Easter holidays after the side left a footprint on their recent visit to the ICC associate nation.

The Highfield-based cricket club had their maiden tour out of the country last week after receiving an invitation from the Uganda Cricket Association. The main purpose of the tour was to help the country’s national team in their preparations for the ICC Cricket League Division II qualifiers set to take place in Namibia next month.

The hosts were impressed by the competition they got from the Zimbabwean side and chairman of the Uganda Cricket Association chairman Richard Mwami said they are keen to have the club back in Kampala next year during the Easter holidays.

Mwami said their association was eager to establish strong cricket ties with the Zimbabweans to help them in their quest to scale heights in the game, which is still in its early stages of development.

“We are using the platform to learn by association. You can never improve unless you associate with the best in the game. It is my sincere hope that our boys, by associating with World Cup players, will also strive to get to the same level.

“Our neighbours Kenya used to give us great competition, but there is only so much that they can give us now. So, we would want to mark the visit by Takashinga as a tour that cements a long-going relationship with Zimbabwe Cricket.

“As an association, we would want to make this an annual event. We are inviting you for the Easter weekend. Bring us a strong team for the Easter weekend; come and give us four games,” said Mwami.

“We would like to visit you, but that is outside our control. It’s our wish to reciprocate that kind of partnership. As we develop the game of cricket, there are few areas that we are lacking.

“One is exposure of national team players. If there is an opportunity the association is willing to support such an initiative. For instance, to take some of our top brass to play in your higher leagues.”

Takashinga were in Uganda for one week and played five games against the Uganda national team and select sides, winning four and losing one. Takashinga president Stephen Mangongo said they are happy to help develop the game of cricket in Africa.

The Takashinga coaches and senior players also held a coaching clinic for school children during the tour.

“It’s good for Africa if we can have more teams from the continent at a competitive level and that would be better for us as Africa. There is genuine advantage in having numbers.

“We can improve the game and then we can compete against each other and produce a better quality product because competition is healthy; competition brings a better product,” said Mangongo.