TANUNURWA Makoni's diminutive stature belies his enormous presence on the cricket field.
The Tuskers batsman has been making waves in the domestic cricket scene, and his impressive performances have not gone unnoticed.
Makoni has been an exemplary figure in the Tuskers change room, earning applause from fellow players, coaches, and administrators alike.
His prowess with the bat in the premier domestic four-day competition, the Logan Cup, has seen him sit at number four on the most runs list with 479 in nine innings.
He is currently averaging 68.43, sitting above Eagles' Wessly Madhevere on 473 and behind Ben Curran of Rhinos, who is leading the pack on 655 runs.
Mountaineers duo of Nicholas Welch (559) and Alistar Frost (494) are in second and third place, respectively.
Makoni's impressive form has left his province shuddering at the thought of ever losing him to another local franchise.
However, Tuskers general manager Victor Mhlanga is confident that the young batsman will remain a vital cog in the team's machinery.
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Bulls to charge into Zimbabwe gold stocks
- Ndiraya concerned as goals dry up
- Letters: How solar power is transforming African farms
Keep Reading
"We run an academy for all our potential boys, with Chris Mpofu in charge," Mhlanga told The Standard Sport.
"When we have our house at our disposal, we have all our out-of-town boys in Bulawayo, and at the house for practice together."
Mhlanga emphasised the importance of managing Makoni's workload to prevent exhaustion.
"As of now, he needs a lot more matches. Remember, we have only played a few Logan Cup fixtures, and he needs more. As a province, we are going to make sure that we do not overuse him and control him getting over-exhausted."
The seasoned cricket administrator revealed plans to groom Makoni for future leadership roles.
"He is a potential team captain, and we are grooming him to be a future team leader. If not Tuskers, then begrudgingly, any other first-class province he might play for."
Mhlanga praised Makoni's leadership qualities, saying, "He has shown leadership qualities in him, and our coach Walter Chawaguta is doing a good job at grooming him."
At 25, Makoni has already amassed an impressive record, with four first-class hundreds and seven 50s.
He has also represented Zimbabwe in two Test matches, with 33 being his highest score.
Makoni made his debut for Zimbabwe against West Indies in Bulawayo in February 2023.
In a week filled with outstanding individual performances, Makoni's 147-run knock stood out, despite Tuskers' eight-wicket loss to Eagles. The Logan Cup matches saw several batsmen shine, including Will Fraine (149), Wessly Madhevere (150), Tadiwanashe Marumani (124), Alistar Frost (209*) and Ben Curran (116). The bowlers also made their mark, with Alex Falao's 12-wicket haul (5/7) being the pick of the performances. Other notable bowling displays came from Vincent Masekesa (6/137) and Brandon Mavuta (7/127).
