Last week the names of 18 students for the 2002 CFX Academy intake were released. Unfortunately Academy coach Dave Houghton, who was deeply involved in the selection process, has gone on leave until the New Year, so I had to browse through the Academy files to find information about the successful applicants.

Three of the 2002 intake will need no introduction. Mluleki Nkala was a member of the Academy in 2000, but was fast-tracked into the international side immediately, and in fact was able to spend very little time at the Academy. His struggles in international cricket have made it evident that he would benefit from a full course at the Academy, so he has been readmitted for 2002.

Hamilton Masakadza and Tatenda Taibu have also played Test cricket, both while still at school, and are regarded as outstanding players in the making. I understand that the inclusion of both depends on their acceptance or otherwise for university in South Africa.

One of last year's students, Nyasha Chari, is to spend a further year at the Academy. Charles Coventry, who merited a full-length biography earlier this season, is also included in the 2002 in the 2002 intake. The other students will be:

Glen Frederick Barrett - born 31 March 1979. Glen Barrett is a Zimbabwean who has just completed three years at the University of Cape Town. He attended Falcon College in Matabeleland from 1993 to 1997, and St John's College in Harare in 1998. He is primarily a bowler who can bat, and represented Zimbabwe Under-19 in rugby as well as cricket. He also has a good athletics record in the field events, being the Western Province decathlon champion in 2001, and was a nomination for the Zimbabwe Junior Sportsman of the Year in 1997.

Allan Mwayenga - born 28 June 1982. Allan Mwayenga is a left-arm bowler of genuine pace and a tail-end right-hand bat. He is playing for the Country Club team in the third league, where his talents are wasted. He is currently coach at St John's Preparatory School in Harare.

Innocent Murambiwa Chinyoka - born 21 June 1982. Innocent Chinyoka has played for Uprising Cricket Club for the past three years as an attacking opening batsman and an effective strike bowler, as well as being a superb fielder. He recently scored 121 against Sunrise in a reserve league match, and during 2000/01 scored 902 runs for Uprising at an average of 60, together with 31 wickets at an average of 11. He attended Allan Wilson High School in Harare from 1995 to 1998 and has also spent two years in England, where he played for Wayfarers Sports Club in Bournemouth.

Vusimuzi Sibanda - born 10 October 1983. Vusi Sibanda is a product of the ZCU Scholarship Scheme, playing for Churchill School and Mashonaland Under-19. He is an attacking opening batsman for Takashinga.

Sherezad Shah - born 1 August 1983. Shezzy Shah is the nephew of former Test player and current convener of selectors Ali Shah and plays for Universals alongside his uncle, who has been threatening retirement for years but never got round to it. He is a pace bowler and useful lower-order batsman. He has just finished his schooling at Prince Edward in Harare.

Arnold Rushambwa - born 1 March 1982. Arnold Rushambwa is a promising all-rounder, with the potential to blossom into a genuine fast bowler. He attended Churchill School in Harare and plays for Takashinga.

Harry Peter Rinke - born 5 November 1981. `Piet' Rinke, from Eaglesvale School, has played for Mashonaland Under-19 and is a member of Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare. He has played for Duncombe Park in North Yorkshire and worked with several top English coaches. He is primarily a bowler, and also representated his school at bhockey and tennis.

Jordane Stanley Nicolle - born 20 December 1982. Dane Nicolle finished at Falcon College in 2000, having played also for Matabeleland Under-19 and Matabeleland Country Districts. He studied at Stellenbosch University in South Africa during 2001. He is primarily a pace bowler, having as yet shown little batting talent.

Andre Pierre Hoffman - born 23 April 1978. Andre Hoffman plays for Harare Sports Club and has representative Mashonaland in the Logan Cup. He attended St George's College in Harare until 1995, and is a medium-pace bowler who bowls predominantly away-swingers, as well as a useful middle-order batsman. He has played for several clubs in the United Kingdom.

Glenn Charles Goosen - born 29 April 1982. Glenn Goosen, who likes to be known as `Goose', is the son of international umpire Quentin Goosen. He attended Lomagundi College and has been a prolific batsman, representing Zimbabwe at all age-group levels at cricket, and also in hockey at Under-19 level.

Neeten Chouhan - born 3 April 1983. Neeten Chouhan, nicknamed `Chewy', attended Prince Edward School and has one Logan Cup appearance for Mashonaland A behind him. Captain of his school team in 2001, he was a prolific run-scorer who also bowled leg-spinners. His father Nick is a long-standing administrator in the Mashonaland Cricket Association.

Conan Brewer - born 30 September 1982. Conan Brewer, nicknamed `Kojak', is a top-order batsman at Old Hararians and a past captain of Prince Edward School. As a batsman he has represented Zimbabwe age-group teams from Under-15 level.

Stuart Matsikenyeri - born 3 May 1983. Stuart Matsikenyeri is a contemporary of Masakadza and Taibu at Churchill School, a talented middle-order batsman and occasional off-spinner whom many believe will also become a successful test player shortly. He has played two seasons for Manicaland in the Logan Cup.

One notable player missing is Andrew Durham, of Zimbabwe Under-19s and lately Peterhouse, about whom we carried an article by Tristan Holme in issue number 9. He applied for the Academy, but it transpires that he currently holds a South African passport. The policy in operation is that only Zimbabwean passport-holders should be considered, and so it was not possible to offer him a place. Should he decide to take out full Zimbabwean citizenship during the coming year, he will certainly be considered for the Academy in 2003.

Only Zimbabwean passport holders are permitted to play for the national side (although apparently this does not apply at age-group levels), so this makes Durham's future in Zimbabwean cricket uncertain. In the current political situation, it takes an act of faith and courage for a white man to renounce foreign citizenship for Zimbabwean citizenship, although it is encouraging to see how many are actually doing so.

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