Van Choga, Zambian crew in collabo
ENERGETIC dancehall chanter Van Choga has collaborated with Zambian outfit Urban Hype in a song titled Vhengedzera.
Born Valentine Simbarashe Choga, the artiste said he was trying to establish himself beyond borders.
This comes as a second international collaboration after working with Ghana’s Ay Poyoo.
In an interview, one of his associates, Boss Kawara said:
“The song by Choga featuring Urban Hype, a group of three, Ajay (rapper), Badman Shapi (singer) And F Jay (singer)is now ready.
“Collaborations are meant for boosting profiles and it is our aim to create friendship with the Zambian big artiste, sharing fans and also exchanging Zimdanchall notes.
“We are excited for this second international collabo and it’s a great achievement to collaborate with big artistes from other countries because many big artistes in Zimbabwe are failing to spread their music in surrounding countries,” he said.
Boss Kawara added:
“The song is a multi-genre Afro beats afro pop and dancehall, and the song is about showing happiness to the fullest.
“In these difficult times, when you play music, play to the last, that’s what it means Kuvhengedzera. “They will use their own language to make it blend.
“He is also working on a second collabo with Ay Poyoo and this time on a Zimdancehall riddim coming title Zimquality produced by Boss Kawara from Artworld.”
Van Choga collaborated with Ay Poo in a song last year.
KYLE MAYERS is determined not to become a onehit wonder after a double century on his test debut guided West Indies to an improbable Test win over Bangladesh.
Playing his first Test for West Indies at the age of 28, Mayers became only the sixth cricketer to hit a double hundred in his premiere innings.
His unbeaten 210, with 20 fours and seven sixes, was crucial in the three-wicket win after West Indies reached 395-7 with just nine balls left on Sunday’s final day.
Mayers said he was still a cricket “student” learning the tricks.
Selected because eight established stars refused to join the tour over coronavirus fears, Mayers said he would “take the positives” from his starring role.
“I will try to learn as much from this innings and take it to the next game where I start from zero,” he said.
“I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. I want to be successful and consistent for the duration of my career.”
Mayers was one of three players getting a first chance because of the big name absentees.
Fellow debutant Nkrumah Bonner made 86 and the pair added 216 for the fourth wicket.
The Barbados-born Mayers said he had been given hope by an “inspirational” letter sent by former captain Clive Lloyd to the makeshift team.
“He just let us know that representing West Indies is a lot. He said don’t go to Bangladesh thinking you are a second string team,” he said.
“Give your all, put up a fight, and make sure you represent yourself and family. It was a very strong letter.”
West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took three wickets at the start of Bangladesh’s second innings to leave the hosts reduced to 33-3 at one stage.
They recovered to declare at 223-8, but the West Indies players had confidence they could reach the huge target.
“To be honest, the spirit in the dressing room was always positive from the day we came out to bowl in the second innings after Shannon Gabriel gave us that inspirational spell,” said Mayers.
“After we got back inside the dressing room after taking a couple of wickets in the evening, the coach and captain said that the game is wide open and up for grabs.
“We always had the belief that we could do well,” he added.
The second and final Test starts in Dhaka on 11 February.
TIMO WERNER is confident the ‘goals will come’ as his Chelsea barren stretched to one in his last 19 matches.
The £47.5million summer arrival, a deal that could rise to £53m, from RB Leipzig was involved in both of the Blues’ goals in Sunday night’s 2-1 win at Sheffield United.
Despite being forced off through injury, the German star impressed in his display under new boss Thomas Tuchel.
And he has vowed to ‘keep going’ and working hard to end the worst run in front of goal of his career so far.
Werner, 24, said: “It was a good win for us. It was very difficult the whole game against a very good Sheffield United defending high.
“For myself, again no goal but it is good to see that I can help the team with other things at the moment. I keep going.
“I am happy when we win. When I can make two assists like today it is also good but as a striker you want to score.
“It is a long time now for me, the longest in my career. You have to keep going and the goals will come.”
Meanwhile, the forward revealed that he suffered a dead leg while winning the penalty that allowed Chelsea to seal the points.
Werner was brought down by Blades stopper Aaron Ramsdale during the second half inside the box.
And that led to Jorginho converting from the spot to secure a third straight win under Tuchel.
The striker asked his manager to take him off towards the end of the clash and had heavy strapping on his leg.
He said: “It was the penalty. A dead leg, I think you call it. “The 10-15 minutes after was hard so I told the manager he should take me off because it was a tight game and it is better to have 11 fit players on the pitch than 10-and-a-half.”
Werner will be hoping he recovers in time to continue his impressive form this week.
And so will his manager, who hailed him for his latest display by saying:
“‘When he plays like this we are very happy. It is a big step forward. He won a penalty against Tottenham and again today so we are very happy.
“I could see the Tottenham game gave him a boost in confidence and he was unlucky in that game not to score, but he worked incredibly hard and was disciplined.
“I feel he is stronger and stronger every day and he is more and more free. Today I could really feel him on the pitch, absolutely in the game mentally and physically.
“And he was decisive, and this is the most important because if he can continue like this the goals will come. I’m very sure.”
Chelsea face Barnsley in the FA Cup on Thursday before they battle Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday.