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Cricket team ramps up preps

Sport
A SQUAD of 23 national cricket team players started serious preparations for the upcoming home tour against India.

A SQUAD of 23 national cricket team players started serious preparations for the upcoming home tour against India.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

The players will be camped in Bulawayo for a week, where they are expected to play two 50-over and one T-20 practice matches before they move their preparations to Harare ahead of the tour, which runs from June 11 to 23 at Harare Sports Club.

With Zimbabwe Cricket yet to appoint a new selection panel after the dismissal of Kenyon Ziehl, David Mutendera and Walter Chawaguta, the national team coaches Dav Whatmore and Makhaya Ntini picked the squad.

Initially, batsmen Vusi Sibanda and Malcolm Waller had been left out, but they received a late call to join the squad for the Bulawayo camp.

The India tour will feature three one-day international (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.

The 23 players in Bulawayo are under Whatmore, bowling coach Ntini and fitness trainer Sean Bell, while some of the players remained in Harare, where have a separate training programme.

Whatmore said the 23 are in camp in Bulawayo to freshen up stay away from the distraction of the of the tournament venue.

“The reason for being here is to get away from the tournament venue, spend time together, freshen up and get away from all the distraction. We will play against each other, work on all aspects so that we improve on variations,” he said.

Today and Thursday, the squad in Bulawayo will be divided into two teams to play 50-over matches practice matches and a T20 match on Saturday at Queens with the players in Harare working out under Zimbabwe A coach Douglas Hondo.

Squad: Sikandar Raza Butt, Ryan Burl, Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Peter Joseph Moor, Tapiwa Mufudza, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tarisai Musakanda, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Malcolm Waller and Sean Williams