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AS THE SMOKE THUNDERS . . . Zimbabwe cricketers (from left), Prosper Utseya, Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza join Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase as they pose with the ICC World Cup Trophy against the spectacular background of the Victoria Falls in the resort town yesterday. — (Picture by Robson Sharuko)

Robson Sharuko in VICTORIA FALLS
WITH the war cries of traditional Ndebele warriors providing a riveting soundtrack at the Victoria Falls International Airport, the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy arrived here yesterday as it began its Zimbabwean leg of a four-month global tour. The 60-centimetre trophy, whose main features are a golden globe held up by three silver columns shaped as stumps and bails, representing batting, bowling and fielding, arrived in Zimbabwe from South Africa where it has been on tour since last Thursday.

The trophy was brought by ICC marketing and promotions officer Gurjit Singh, who has been accompanying it on its global tour, and was received by Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase and three of his senior players — Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza and Prosper Utseya.

The mayor of Victoria Falls, Sifiso Mpofu, was also on hand to receive the trophy at a ceremony held at the resort town’s international airport that attracted scores of schoolchildren, targeted by the ZC authorities, because they represent the future of the game in the country.

The global trophy tour is being organised by the ICC as part of promotional activities lined up to boost the appeal of the 2015 Cricket World Cup which will be held in Australia and New Zealand from February next year.

All the participating nations in the 2015 Cricket World Cup will get a chance to host the trophy and Zimbabwe represented the 12th destination, of this global tour, since it got underway at the beginning of July.

Zimbabwe will get their 2015 Cricket World Cup campaign underway with a Southern African derby showdown against Big Brother South Africa in Hamilton, New Zealand, on February 15 next year.

But, yesterday, the Zimbabwe cricketers and their leadership were presented with a chance to hold the Cricket World Cup trophy and it brought a huge buzz, in the resort town, where ZC authorities intend to build a 10 000-seater cricket stadium with the ground-breaking ceremony expected to be done before the end of this year.

Former Zimbabwe skipper and veteran off-spinner, Utseya, described the occasion as a special one.
“It’s something special because you don’t get to hold the trophy more often,” Utseya told The Herald.

“The last time I held that trophy, it was in 2007, and I was still captain, but to have the trophy here, I think it’s something special for Zimbabwe and, also, to have it in Victoria Falls, which is a major tourist destination, it will help the country to boost its tourism.

“It inspires everyone (ahead of the World Cup) that we had an opportunity to hold this trophy, it will be nice coming back home with the World Cup trophy.
“Just looking at the experience that we have had today, imagine what would happen if we bring the World Cup to Zimbabwe, our lives would definitely change.”

Utseya said they now had a compact and confident team that wasn’t only going to the World Cup to fulfil matches but to try and make a big impact. “Quite honestly, we have a positive bunch now and judging from the game we played and won against Australia, I think there is a lot that we can do and going out there we just need to give it our best, looking to win our games, unlike in the past when we were just going there just to compete because it was a World Cup,” said Utseya.

“I think, to be honest, it’s quite tough for me to give you figures but what I think is that we can take it step by step, we look to get into the next round and then we take it from there, depending on who we play and where we play.

“That is the way I see it. I think we are a positive bunch, much more than we were before.”
Utseya said he was touched by the impact that they have made on the school children in Victoria Falls, who were able to identify the three Zimbabwe cricketers who came to receive the trophy. “I’m impressed, of course, we are role models. It shows that even people here in Victoria Falls know us and we have got a role to play as role models, leading from the front and being ambassadors, wherever we go out to play,” said Utseya.

“We have people always backing us and we have to represent not only us and our families but Zimbabwe as a whole.”
ZC boss Manase said his leadership had deliberately chosen Victoria Falls as the entrance point for the trophy into this country because they believed it was important to use the opportunity to parade the nation’s tourism package and none of its resorts had a bigger profile than the Victoria Falls.

“Thank you for coming to the Victoria Falls Airport to help Zimbabwe Cricket to welcome the International Cricket Council World Cup Trophy,” Manase said in his address to the people who converged at the airport. “This is as it should be because this is not a ZC event. It is not an ICC event. It is a Zimbabwe event, starting in Victoria Falls.
“And it starts here because we took the decision to bring the Cricket World Cup ion to another icon — the Victoria Falls.

“We did this so that we can help market the holiday resort and do our bit for the fiscus by helping generate revenue from tourism.
“Thank you Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor and Proper Utseya, for taking time off your valuable preparations, for the tour of Bangladesh, to come and receive the trophy. “It is your trophy, it is our trophy.”

Manase said although domestic cricket has had its fair share of challenges, he was charmed by the support he continues to get from many people around the country who believe that the game will continue to grow.

“Everywhere I go, I get assurances of support from Zimbabweans in all walks of life and so, against that background, there is no doubt that cricket in this country will continue to grow until we win the World Cup,” said Manase.

“Indeed, Your Worship, a people without a vision will perish and so you are right — one day we will all gather here again to welcome world stars to a tournament at the Victoria Falls Ground.

“At another forum, I will have the opportunity to extend our gratitude to you (for) that place at Pioneer Road at which occasion will be unveiled a world-class cricket facility in a world-class resort.

“Thank you to all the teachers for all the work you are doing promoting cricket in your schools here. And thank you for bringing the children here today to welcome the trophy and see their role models.

“Both experiences will help to keep the cricket passion burning in their chests.”
The ICC World Cup Trophy was later flown to Harare, arriving on the evening flight from Victoria Falls, and given a police escort ahead of its parade around the streets of the capital today.