HERENTALS Group of Colleges are set to launch a Cricket Academy on Friday at their Chitungwiza campus in honour of their student Zimbabwe Senior national team opener, Beloved Biza who has put the school on the cricket map.
Herentals who have a significant impact in football circles through of their men and women’s football teams are spreading their tentacles into cricket as they try to give a fighting chance to girls and boys who want to walk in Biza’s shoes one day.
Biza, a product of the St Aiden’s cricket manufacturing machine has lived in the shadows of another St Aiden’s alumni, Kelis Ndhlovhu but outplayed her fellow opener in the recently concluded Under-19 tour of Namibia.
Her exploits with both bat and ball in Namibia has won her a scholarship and won those coming after her an Academy that will further cement Chitungwiza as the new cricket hub of Zimbabwe.
Herentals Group of Colleges Regional Head, Zebediah Muronzi confirmed to Entersportnews that preparations were at an advanced stage for the unveiling of the cricket academy.
“I can confirm to you that preparations have gone on smoothly and we will unveil the Herentals Cricket Academy tomorrow (Friday) in honour of the history making child prodigy Beloved Biza who has done us proud,” said Muronzi.
“Beloved is a trailblazer and the little we can do as an academic and sporting institution is to create a pathway for all the players who have been inspired by her and make sure that we develop them along the right path for the benefit of Chitungwiza and Zimbabwe as a whole.
Biza is a product of cricket development stalwart, Malcolm Chikuhwa who is also credited with unearthing male cricketers playing for the senior men’s national team, the likes of Wessly Madhevere.
Muronzi said they have invited all key people from the Chitungwiza cricket fraternity as they are building on what is already there: “We are standing on shoulders of the giants, those that have been doing cricket development in the town and with the establishment of our Academy some of them will be our coaches. We have therefore invited them to grace this important occasion”
The Herentals administrator said the founder and Director of the schools, Innocent Benza has always advocated for the institution to produce a whole student who is proficient in the academics, sports and arts.
“In our early days there was a perception that we only concentrated on the academics side of things but true to the vision of Professor Benza of producing a balanced student’s, we changed that perception over time especially with the coming on board of Herentals Football Club,” he added.
“The cricket academy will be another turning point in our endeavor to produce students who can hold their own in both academics and sports which is now a big industry.”
