Greenfield nets Zimbabwe ace

CRICKET: 

Greenfield Cricket Club has swooped for a professional currently appearing for Zimbabwe in the Cricket World Cup.

Lively paceman Tinashe Panyangara will spearhead the bowling attack in the 2015 Saddleworth and District Cricket League season, which begins next month.

The 29 year old has played in all five of his country’s games in the World Cup so far and has taked the wickets of Hashim Amla (South Africa) and Dwayne Smith (West Indies).

He takes over from Chris Gill in the local club’s pro, while Gill will play as an amateur and the captain.

“It’s quite a coup,” said Greenfield secretary Mike Moore. “Hopefully we’ll see him in early April.

“He also bats at bit (number nine for Zimbabwe), so he should be good for a few runs.”

It won’t be Panyangara’s first taste of cricket in the UK. He played for Barkisland in the Huddersfield League in 2007 and 2008. It was the link with the Halifax side that saw the fast-medium bowler accept the pro role.

Greenfield have also signed Brendon Jacobs, born in South Africa but raised in Australia, as the overseas amateur. A top-order batsman and part-time leg spinner, he will be 18 and a day old when the Saddleworth league starts on April 19.