Chakabva, who made 850 runs captaining Bamawm Lockington United in GMC’s John McMahon Shield competition this season, was interviewed by John Moyle, who also wears the Echuca Cricket Club president’s cap these days.
Chakabva declared that the Bamawm Lockington United’s home ground and wicket at Bamawm was up there with the best he had experienced ‘’anywhere in the world.’’
Chakabva captained his home country Zimbabwe so has been around a bit.
So to make that lofty claim is certainly an unbelievable endorsement for the Bamawm oval’s curator, former country cricket great Graham Turner.
Now Graham’s not the type to dwell too much on what he has achieved in cricket — and it’s a pretty impressive resume — but he could be excused for pumping out his chest, which he won’t, with this lofty observation from an influential international cricketer.
Chakabva’s other interesting opinion in the interview was when he was asked who was the scariest bowler he had faced during his international career.
He plumped for the South Australian quick Shaun Tait, a sentiment that he doesn’t share alone.
Tait shot down a thunderbolt at 161.1km/h playing for Australia against England in 2010, only the second cricketer to breach the 100m/h barrier against England at Lord's in an ODI encounter.
Chakabva, who lives in Moama these days and teaches at St Joseph’s College in Echuca, indicated he’ll be around for a while yet which is great news for Goulburn Murray Cricket and the regional cricket scene.