ZIMBABWE will go back to the drawing board ahead of the two-match Test series by taking on the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre squad in a warm-up match starting today.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The three-day contest which will be played from today to Saturday, will give Zimbabwe’s Test specialist players, who were not part of the limited team, an opportunity to acclimatise to the conditions in Barbados ahead of the first Test next week.
Middle order batsman Sean Williams, spinners Ray Price, Graeme Cremer and allrounder Timycen Maruma, who were not in the one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 (T20) squads joined the team early this week and the warm-up match will give them their first chance of competitive action in the Caribbean. The four are all expected to feature for Zimbabwe in the warm-up match.
According to reports from the Caribbean, the warm-up match will be played at the Desmond Haynes Oval at the Carlton Cricket Club complex and will be a minimum of 90 overs per day.
The teams will be allowed to use 13 players per side with 11 allowed to bat.
West Indies will use the warm-up match to give key batsman Marlon Samuels and pace bowler Kemar Roach some game time ahead of the Test matches.
Samuels is making a comeback after missing the limited overs leg of the tour because of the facial injury he suffered at the Big Bash League in Australia after being struck in the face while facing Lasith Malinga.
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Meanwhile Charles Coventry, the explosive batsman for national cricket team batsman has signed to play for Dutch side, Dosti Cricket Club in the Netherland’s domestic T20 cricket competition.
The 29-year-old middle order batsman, who recently helped Matabeleland Tuskers win their third consecutive Logan Cup title, will join his new club towards the end of April.
Dosti Cricket Club, who were runner-ups in the same competition last year, confirmed Coventry’s move yesterday.
Coventry’s move comes after a successful stint in the Bangladesh Premier League where he was one of key players with Duronto Rajshahi.
Zimbabwe’s Test squad: Brendan Taylor, Tino Mawoyo, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Regis Chakabva, Malcolm Waller, Kyle Jarvis, Keegan Meth, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Raymond Price, Graeme Cremer Upcoming matches: March 12-16: First Test — West Indies v Zimbabwe (Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados) March 20-24: Second Test — West Indies v Zimbabwe (Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica)
