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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE captain Hamilton Masakadza believes a glimmer of hope is shining through the ageing national cricket team’s dressing room.

The Chevrons have had a difficult run this year, as they struggled to recover from the shock that followed the team’s failure to qualify for the ICC 2019 World Cup in a tournament they hosted.

But amid the gloom, Masakadza is excited about the future after seeing a host of young players queuing up to replace the ageing old guard.

Leg spinner Brendon Mavuta had the world in awe because of his energy and confidence after making his international debut across the three formats this year.

But the 21-year old, who was part of the success story in the short-lived Rising Stars Academy project founded by former national team captain Tatenda Taibu, is not the only one who has shown promise.

Top order batsman Tarisai Musakanda, Wellington Masakadza, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Carl Mumba, Richard Ngarava and Ryan Murray are among the prospects on the ZC conveyor belt to look forward to.

“The future is encouraging. You are only as strong as the next guys in line and you are only as good as what you produce as well (as the crop of players) that is going to replace the guys that are playing at the moment. So we have a lot of youngsters.

“(Apart from Brendon Mavuta and Wellington Masakadza), we also have Carl Mumba, who was out injured and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe.

“The list of the younger guys coming through is endless and I think the programme that ZC ran through the Rising Stars Academy last year was a really big platform to help bring some of those guys through. So just hopefully they will do that again next year and keep the academy programme running.

“I think it will get a few more youngsters through and as long as we keep getting those youngsters coming through, it will augur well for the team,” said Masakadza.

Mindful of the fact that over half the players in the current national team set up will be on the wrong side of the 30s by the time the Chevrons hope to return to the big stage at the 2023 ICC World Cup to be hosted by India, Zimbabwe Cricket need to have the future in mind.

From the squad that toured Bangladesh recently, nine players in the 16-member Test squad were over 30 years.

The list includes the likes of Chris Mpofu, Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Craig Ervive, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams and Donald Tiripano.

The Zimbabwe cricket team is ageing.

To put it into perspective, the Chevrons had an average age of 29,1 years against Bangladesh’s 24,5 years in the series that ended in 1-1 stalemate.

Bangladesh have been in constant progress over the years and are among the eight teams that had automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, failed to make it after going through an unsuccessful qualifier which they hosted in March this year.

They now have to wait for five more years before they hope to play at the World Cup.

Unfortunately, skipper Masakadza will have hit 40 years by that time, with most of the players around him that make the core of the current selection having ended or in the process of winding up their careers.

The positive development has been the exposure given to youthful players and ZC should continue to make use of their conveyor belt.

The players are set for the new domestic season which begins next week.

Unfortunately, the Rising Stars project, which churned out a host of young talents this year on their way to winning the 50-over championship, will not be able to defend their title after the team was disbanded because of financial challenges.