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Sports Reporter

THE Resort Associate province of Matabeleland North are confident that the coming on board of the National Premier League (NPL) will open doors for sponsorship just as it boosts players’ mindset. 

Masvingo’s Great Zimbabwe Patriots won the last NPL tournament last year.

Chairperson of the province, Fiona Ndlovu said the premier domestic club cricket competition has come with immense benefits for her region.

She is eager to grab the opportunity of playing in this year’s edition of the NPL and beyond and take the province on an elevated cricket pedestal.

“It’s a great move because the unseen talent will be now exposed and the widening player base for the national technical team to select the squad will be realised. It will now also give Associate Provinces higher targets, broad action plans and effective structures,” Ndlovu said.

“It will also boost players’ mindset (taking their cricket to a higher level and believing in their careers since they now have a higher level to play for thus NPL). It will also help Associate Boards in marketing and spreading cricket deep.” Ndlovu added that playing in the NPL will see development cascading down to grassroots level.

“Effective structures are brought into action such as effecting competitive programs will be promoted by the new development, starting from the Provincial schools’ cricket to age-groups and club cricket,” she said.

To be or not to be in this year’s edition remains the question as Matabeleland North have to negotiate their way via playoffs against a team from Bulawayo Metro.

“We are happy with the set up…we want to prove that we can play the game, even if we do not qualify, this exercise will give our players the exposure they desperately need. Also, our players need to know that they have to work hard for them to play at such a level,” Ndlovu said.

“We have four affiliated clubs, two in Victoria Falls and two in Hwange. As for my province we would rather work with the current number of clubs then target getting proper playing facilities for both Hwange and Victoria Falls, once that is achieved, we might then consider expanding our league.

“Our chances of playing in the NPL are 6/10 Like any other team our expectations to qualify are high as we are going in as underdogs. It will change the mood of cricket from players, Mat North Community and our stakeholders.”

The 2023/24 edition of the NPL will be a grand affair featuring 14 teams following a decision by Zimbabwe Cricket to add four more participants in order to open up the top-flight club cricket competition to men’s teams from all the 10 provinces in the country.

The new qualification pathway will see nine teams qualify directly on sporting merit through their top provincial club championships, while the other five spots will be filled up through playoffs.

Harare Metropolitan will have four teams securing their places directly in the NPL, followed by Bulawayo Metropolitan with two guaranteed berths.

Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands will each have one spot through direct qualification.

The best teams from Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South will have to go through NPL playoffs against clubs from the top provinces.

In the first playoff match played at Kadoma Sports Club on Sunday, Kadoma Sports Club beat Kwekwe Sports Club by 220 runs to book their place in the main tournament.

Four other playoff matches are scheduled to take place this weekend at venues across the country.