"A lad ready to rock"-Stephen Mangongo on Mark Vermeulen

[Detective RDS]

Link: http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx ... 178&cat=18

The Sunday Mail
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Sport

‘A lad ready to rock’

By Makomborero Mutimukulu

ZIMBABWE A coach Steven Mangongo tips batsman Mark Vermuleun, who is making a return to big time cricket after a brush with the law, to come to the party during the tour of Namibia and the visit of Canada.

Vermuleun was named in the Zimbabwe A side that left Harare for Namibia last week for three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 match after hitting a purple patch in the national domestic league.

And Mangongo has been impressed with what he has seen of the top order batsman in the nets.

"Mark has been working hard and I am impressed with the way he is going about his business both in the domestic league and during training with the squad.

"He looks like a lad who is ready to rock and I believe it is only a matter of time before he is called into the senior national team," said Mangongo on the sidelines of Zimbabwe A’s workout at Harare Sports Club last week.

Mangongo’s charges broke camp on Friday to concentrate on the Faithwear one-day competition series which came to life yesterday.

They will regroup after the inter-provincial tournament before leaving for Namibia on March 11.

However, it is during the Faithwear series that Mangongo hopes to get a closer look at the players he has called into camp.

"The Faithwear inter-provincial competition could not have come at a better time. The players have been in camp for eight days and the competition gives them a chance to put what we have taught them into practice in a match situation.

"For guys like Mark Vermuleun the Faithwear series gives them a chance to improve on their fitness levels while for the young lads such as Natsai Mushangwe and Bothwell Chapunga the competition gives them a chance to build on the impressive form in the National League," said Mangongo.

Vermuleun is turning out for Westerns in the on-going Faithwear series.

Solid performances in Namibia will make it impossible for national team selectors to ignore Vermuleun, something the top order batsman seems to have uppermost in.

Mangongo and several Zimbabwe A players last week told a story of how Vermuleun was putting extra hours in the nets as he seeks to get his game where it once was.

"He is working hard and it rubs off on you when you have such a senior guy working so hard," said Mushangwe, a promising spinner who has been terrorising opponents in the domestic league.

"Mark is making it a point to come back into the nets to make use of the bowling machine as he seeks to get his strokes right," said Mangongo.

The Zimbabwe A coach has also challenged his lads to beat the Namibia national team, which is preparing for the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifiers, in their own backyard.

Mangongo reckons the only way promising lads like Mushangwe will make it into the senior side is to continuously raise the performance bar while on the park with the Zimbabwe A side.

"I have told the boys that they have to be the best at Zimbabwe A level to stand a chance of breaking into the national team.

"I am a results-oriented coach and I have told the guys to go out there and beat Namibia," he said.

Away from Zimbabwe A’s preparations for the Namibian tour, the Faithwear series continues this afternoon with Westerns taking on Centrals at Harare Sports Club while the CFX Academy plays host to the tie between Northerns and Easterns.

Faithwear Squads

Easterns

Hamilton Masakadza (capt), Stuart Matsikenyeri, Foster Mutizwa (wk), Johnson Maruma, Timycen Maruma, Prosper Utseya, Shingi Masakadza, Silent Mujaji, Steady Musoso, Philimon Kadzitye, Natsai Mushangwe, Douglas Hondo, Steven Nyamuzinga, Tendai Chatara, Bezer Sanyika, Donald Tiripano

Northerns

Tatenda Taibu, Brandon Taylor, Regis Chakabva (wk), Cephas Zhuwawo, Benard Mlambo, Sam Mwakayeni, Elton Chigumbura (c), Raymond Price, Admire Manyumwa, Trevor Garwe, Graeme Cremer, Tinabel Chimbambo, Patient Charumbira, Pete Moore, Clement Rizibhowa, Mohammad Bala, Tinotenda Mutombodzi

Centrals

Chamu Chibhabha (capt), Eric Chauluka, Richmond Mutumbami, Robert Chinyengetere, Bothwell Chapungu, Malcom Waller, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Tendai Chisoro, Mike Chinouya, Rememberence Nyathi, Solomon Mire, Tendai Chitongo, Simbarashe Gupo, Nathan Waller, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Friday Kasteni, Alester Maregwede (wk), Roger Kahiya

Westerns

Mark Vermeulen, Tafadzwa Ngulube (wk), Sean Williams, Charles Coventry, Keith Dabengwa (c), Mbekezeli Mabuza, Freedom Takarusenga, Romeo Kasawaya, Tawanda Mupariwa, Christopher Mpofu, John Nyumbu, Njabulo Ncube, Titus Chipare, Kendrick Moyo, Thabo Mboyi.

[zimfan1]

good work detective

its nice to see mangongo really backing vermulen as we all know the influence he has over the selection of the national side

also good to see the dedication the vermulen is putting into his practice and shows his desire to get back into the national side

[Detective RDS]

Ya...I think Vermeulen will score many runs when he will return to the national side.I am really waiting to see Mark back in international cricket action.