BY GODFREY DUBE –
THE Zambia Cricket Union (ZCU) says it will hold trials to come up with a national under-17 team that will represent Zambia in the regional age group tournament to be hosted in Ndola in March.
ZCU president Reuben Chama said yesterday that the selection of player will be done through DevelopmentalOfficers across the country and that this was aimed at widen the selection base.
Chama said the regional tournament will give the Zambian youngsters the needed international exposure and experience to use in the cricket career.
“The tournament is slowly approaching and the organising committee hasalready started its works, this tournament is very important to us asZCU as it will give our players the much needed exposure andexperience,” Chama said.
He said each Development Officer will have to submit names of the preferred players tothe technical committee to come up with the list of players to take to the national trials.
“Since we have Development Officers who deal with schools, we havedecided that they select the players from different schools in the first phase after which only best players will be picked to represent thecountry, this is the best because everyone will have chance toprove themselves,” he said.
Chama said the technical bench should realise that trials will have a national connotation hence the need to recruit players with the rightskill and talent to play at an international level.
“We are talking about a national team here. Theselection process should be transparent hence we are saying thedevelopmental officers should do the selection first and submit to us for further scrutiny and go to the next phase,”Chama said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) mandated all member countriesin Africa to hold such tournaments from age groups to the seniorlevel.
“ICC sponsored tournaments are not many hence this initiative bymember countries to be having such tournaments. We are confident that hosting this tournament will help us build strong national teams ofdifferent age groups,” Chama said.
Chama also said ICC has asked Zambia to host the eight-nationunder-19 girls’ tournament slated for August.
“ICC has also asked us to draw the budget of hosting the eightnation’s tournament after assessing the works we have been doing. Theypledged their continued support and we are confident that we shall successfully host the prestigious tournament,” Chama said.