Zim must take leading role — Houghton
FOLLOWING cricket’s extraordinary ascent throughout Africa, former Zimbabwe senior national cricket team coach Dave Houghton hopes the country will spearhead the sport’s regional advancement.
Houghton has been captivated by the growth of the game in Africa.
Africa has only two Test-playing nations — South Africa and Zimbabwe.
A former Chevrons skipper, Houghton feels Zimbabwe could have benefitted more from their proximity to cricket giants South Africa when the country got full ICC member status in 1992.
He believes it is now the duty of Zimbabwe to play a leading role in the development of the sport on the continent.
“I don’t know if it’s my coaching background that makes me think like this, but I will just tell you a little bit.
“When we (Zimbabwe) got Test status, I immediately thought South Africa would be our biggest friends and come in and give us so much cricket and so much help.
“They didn’t really do anything for us. It’s one of the reasons I’m not a South African cricket supporter.
“When I look at these other teams in Africa now, I think we have a duty to help them get better and to make African cricket stronger throughout the continent,” he said.
Houghton was the Chevrons coach when Zimbabwe was the only Test-playing side at the Africa T20 World Cup qualifier in Namibia last month.
The other participating teams were Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and the hosts.
Houghton contends the tournament in Namibia could be the starting point in coming up with an Africa Cup.
“I still advocate a yearly Africa Cup, where we all participate.
“If South Africa don’t want to participate, then it is fine.
“But I think we (Zimbabwe) should participate all the time.
“In Asia, when they play the Asia Cup, they invite Nepal and all these other small sides. These other sides gain from it.
“But also, the top sides put themselves under pressure because they have to win in these games all the time.
“So, there are benefits from both sides. I think we should be doing it. We should be playing that type of cricket all the time.”
As part of developing cricket, Houghton also suggests that Zimbabwe can set up a cricket academy in the country, which will accommodate upcoming talent from around the continent.
“I think, hopefully, we’ll get a national academy up and running at some time and invite players from Africa into our national academy.
“It would be a wise move financially, as well as anything else, and it shows that we are prepared to help the rest of the country and Africa as well
“I do like to see us fully involved in the African continent,” Houghton said.