WHEN Givemore Makoni, now Managing Director of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), walks through the iconic Takashinga Cricket Club ground in Highfield and lets his mind drift back to 1990, the year a handful of young men from the high‑density suburbs of Highfield decided that the sport they loved deserved a home of its own.
Makoni vividly remembers the faint thud of a leather ball on a makeshift pitch and the murmur of a crowd that had never before seen a black‑run cricket club in the capital.
It was a simple question that set the wheels in motion: “What inspired you to found Takashinga Cricket Club and what were the initial goals for the team?”
Makoni’s answer is as clear today as it was thirty‑five years ago.
“Back then there were only two black clubs that mattered,” he recalled.
“There was Bionics, a club of senior players who had already carved a name for themselves, and there was Glen Strugglers, run by the indefatigable Mr Lazarus Zizhou . Glen Strugglers drew its players from Glen Norah, Glenview and Highfield and we played in the third league of the Vigne Cup.”
Both clubs, however, were fragile seedlings in a harsh cricketing landscape. When Bionics changed its name to Hungwe and began to fold, and Glen Strugglers lost its sponsorship from Wheelers, the black cricket scene in Harare took a nosedive.
“That’s when we – myself, (Stephen) Mangongo, Walter Chawaguta, Nick Munyurwa, Shepherd Makunura and a few others decided to take matters into our own hands,” Makoni said.
The first step was pragmatic: to enter the Vigne Cup a club needed a home ground. The only viable option was Churchill School, where Peter Sharples, the school Sports Master and Dawson Mutsekwa, the Headmaster offered the use of the school’s facilities on one condition – the team adopt the name Old Winstonians.
“We didn’t mind,” Makoni laughed.
“We just wanted a place to play.”
For a while the fledgling side existed under the borrowed banner of Old Winstonians, training on the dusty outfields of Chengu Primary school and Chipembere in Highfield, and later on the well‑kept grass of Churchill.
The arrangement was temporary, a means to an end, but it gave the young cricketers a foothold in a league that had, for decades, been the preserve of white clubs, Indian and Pakistani sides, and a few token black players.
The desire for an identity that reflected their roots, struggles, and aspirations grew louder with each match. When the club finally secured a permanent home in Highfield and began constructing its own pavilion, the members gathered to choose a name that would encapsulate their journey.
“We decided to go with Takashinga,” Makoni explains, his eyes lighting up.
“In English, it means ‘we are brave, we fight all the way’. It also carries the sense of perseverance. It’s a name that identifies with the underprivileged, with the people from the ghetto who have to fight for every inch of progress.”
The name was adopted unanimously by the Takashinga Executive, and from that moment the club ceased to be a borrowed side and became a symbol of hope for the community.
No story of Takashinga would be complete without mentioning the men who stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Makoni in those early days. Their lives, like the club’s, have followed a winding path that mirrors the evolution of Zimbabwean cricket.
Stephen Mangongoa gifted grassroots Development Coach is now in charge of the National High-Performance Centre headquartered in Bulawayo. Walter Chawaguta is now the senior national women’s cricket team Head Coach. Nick Munyurwa now works as a Development Coach in South Africa, but longs find an opportunity back home to mentor youngsters at the academy. Shepherd Makunura was a hardworking coach whose passion for the game earned him the senior men’s national team Fielding Coach coaching role before his untimely passing; his legacy lives on.
Beyond these, a younger cohort of “founding players” emerged: Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Eric Chauluka, and many others many of whom would later wear the national jersey with pride.
If the lack of a ground was the first obstacle, funding was the relentless adversary that tested the club’s resolve.
“When you start a club, you have to buy mesh posts, you have to pay for transport, you have to keep the ground in shape,” Makoni recounted.
“During that time there was nothing you could get from Zimbabwe Cricket. If you needed mesh posts, you bought them yourself. Sponsorship was a distant dream.”
The solution was a communal effort that bordered on the heroic. Members pooled their modest salaries, and even contributed from their own pockets to cover the cost of a set of mesh posts. Meals for travelling players were prepared by the wives and mothers of the club, turning a simple lunch into a communal feast that reinforced the sense of family.
“We learned to be inventive, to be resourceful, and most importantly, to rely on each other,” said Makoni.
While trophies and victories are the most visible markers of Takashinga’s success, the club’s true legacy lies in the lives it has transformed. From the narrow lanes of Highfield to the bustling streets of Mbare, the club’s catchment area stretches far and wide, drawing in children who might otherwise have found themselves on the wrong side of the streets.
“We keep kids off the streets, give them an alternative,” Makoni says, his voice softening.
“The biggest threat to our youth today is drugs, and sport is a powerful antidote.”
Countless alumni have gone on to become doctors, engineers, teachers and entrepreneurs, crediting the discipline, hard work and sense of belonging instilled at Takashinga for their success. The club’s alumni network reads like a who’s‑who of Zimbabwean society, proof of the principle that cricket can be a ticket out of poverty.
Takashinga’s silverware is impressive, but the milestones that truly resonate are the moments that speak to the club’s growth and its role in the nation’s cricketing fabric.
From multiple National League titles to dominating the domestic circuit during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the club established a reputation for competitive, hard‑fought cricket.
Securing the coveted Vigne Cup on several occasions, a feat that cemented the club’s status as a force to be reckoned with. Players like Tatenda Taibu, Hamilton Masakadza, Prosper Utseya, Elton Chigumbura, Regis Chakabva and Chamu Chibhabha have all led the national side, a source of immense pride for the club. State‑of‑the‑art facility – The recent opening of a modern Academy House and practicing nets.
Hosting the West Indies during their 2003 tour, with Brian Lara officiating the opening ceremony, an event that put Takashinga on the global map.
Each of these achievements is a thread in the larger tapestry of a club that has woven over 35 years, becoming synonymous with resilience and excellence.
When the West Indies toured Zimbabwe in 2003, Takashinga was in the final stages of completing its new pavilion. The club’s executive seized the opportunity and extended an invitation to the touring side’s captain, the legendary Brian Lara, to officiate the opening.
Lara’s acceptance was met with jubilation. On the day of the ceremony, the ground was packed with schoolchildren, local dignitaries and cricket enthusiasts from all corners of the city.
When the West Indies team arrived, and after a brief but heartfelt speech, Lara declared the pavilion open:
“Seeing a club like Takashinga, built by the community for the community, reminds us why we love this game. It is a privilege to be part of your journey.”
The West Indies then played a four‑day first‑class match at the venue, one of the first internationals ever held at Takashinga. The exposure was priceless. Though social media was still in its infancy, newspaper coverage and word‑of‑mouth spread the club’s name far beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.
“When Lara came, it went viral in the press,” Makoni recalled.
“It raised our profile locally and internationally, and it showed our youngsters that a black man can excel at the highest level.”
The visit sparked a lasting relationship with the West Indies cricketing fraternity, a bond that continues to this day.
As Managing Director of Zimbabwe Cricket, Makoni now sits at the helm of the sport’s national governance, but his heart remains firmly rooted in the Highfield grounds where it all began. He sees a future where cricket is no longer a sport confined to a few urban enclaves but a truly national pastime.
“Cricket is growing fast,” he asserted.
“Kids in Hauna, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mberengwa and all the remote parts of the country, through the rural Cricket Kumusha/Cricket Ekhaya programme – they’re picking up the bat and ball in numbers we never imagined. If we keep nurturing talent, we can become the nation’s premier sport.”
Key priorities for the national board include expanding the grassroots programme, increasing support for women’s cricket, and strengthening the domestic structure to produce a steady pipeline of talent for the national team. Takashinga, with its proven model of community‑driven development, sits at the forefront of this vision.
When asked what has been the most rewarding experience of his life, Makoni’s answer is immediate and unequivocal.
“Seeing a kid from a very under‑privileged background make it, change his family’s life, become a responsible citizen – that’s the reward that outweighs any trophy,” he said.
Makoni’s dual role is a study in compartmentalisation. While he oversees the strategic direction of Zimbabwe Cricket, he remains a proud member of the Takashinga family, attending matches, offering guidance, and championing the club’s cause at every opportunity.
“I separate the two roles,” he explained.
“At ZC, my job is to ensure we remain competitive on the world stage. At Takashinga, I am a founding father, a supporter, and a fan. The club’s success feeds directly into the national team’s success. It’s a virtuous cycle.”
His vision for the future is simple: “more clubs like Takashinga, more opportunities for young talent, and a cricketing ecosystem that leaves no child behind.”
From the cracked concrete of Chengu to the gleaming turf of its modern facility, Takashinga Cricket Club has travelled a long, winding road on a rickety commuter. It has weathered financial storms, battled entrenched prejudice, and emerged stronger, its name echoing the bravery of those who dared to dream.
In the words of its founder, “We are brave, we fight all the way.”
That bravery is evident in every boundary scored, every wicket taken, and every youngster who steps onto the pitch with hope in their eyes. Takashinga stand as a symbol of what can be achieved when a community comes together, fights for equality, and never, ever gives up.
The story of Takashinga is far from over; it is still being written, one brave swing at a time.
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