ZIMBABWE Cricket will embark on an audacious programme aimed at developing women's cricket after successfully hosting a coaching clinic for 60 girls at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Women's Day.

Senior women's national team players will be dispatched to train girls at primary and secondary schools in Bulawayo.

Renowned developmental coach Trevor Phiri will head the training programme in Bulawayo under the Tuskers' franchise.

Last Sunday, 60 Bulawayo girls between the ages of eight and 16 years attended the coaching clinic, which is part of the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s "100% Cricket" initiative.

The initiative is designed to showcase the skill, athletic brilliance, passion and intensity of women players and bring everything fans love about the sport to life.

Nicholas Singo, Tuskers' general manager, said the coaching teams are ready to hit the ground running and await schools to give them suitable dates to roll out the programme.

"It's a good developmental initiative that will start in schools, with national women's team players who are based in Bulawayo being dispatched to coach kids around schools. We believe this will excite more girls to play cricket. Thereafter, we intend to have a development centre for girls, similar to the one we have for boys at Emakhandeni Cricket Club where the best players identified will receive extra training," said Singo.

Through the 100% Cricket programme, the ICC is pushing to lure one million new women and girls to the game in the next 12 months.

Senior women's national team players, who included captain Mary-Anne Musonda, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Precious Marange, Tasmeen Granger, Nomvelo Sibanda, Modester Mupachikwa and Christabel Chatonzwa, showed the girls how to grip the ball, position the fingers, rotate the ball and release it, among other techniques.

They also taught the enthusiastic girls run-ups and delivery stride stability during batting drills as well as how to properly grip the bat and hit the ball.

Musonda hailed the 100% Cricket initiative, which she believes will accelerate the growth of the women's game. "Cricket has meant life to me. I fell in love with cricket at a very tender age at some event similar to this one. Ever since then I have committed to playing cricket. It has helped me on and off the field. It has developed my character and given me a future," said Musonda.

"We all aspire to be at the World Cup and I'm glad that we are giving back to the roots. This is where cricket starts. Going forward, we hope that this programme will continue, as we have already spotted a couple of girls that could make the national team in a few years' time." - @ZililoR