Kwekwe hosts A side warmer
Monday, 11 July 2011 10:54
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The Zimbabwe XI cricket team will host Australia ‘A’ in a two day warm-up match at Kwekwe Sports club on Monday. Australia ‘A’ were crowned the winners of the recent Coca Cola Triangular A series challenge in a final against South Africa ‘A’ at Harare Sports Club on Friday. The warm-up match is in preparation of the two four day matches the two teams will play in Harare.
Both nations have beefed up their line-ups with additional fast bowlers for the longer versions. Cricket Australia opted to promote Peter Siddle after James Faulkner (glandular fever) was ruled out of the trip to Zimbabwe. Siddle will be playing alongside fellow quick Ben Hilfenhaus and the two flew into the country last week, in time for the Kwekwe and Harare ties.
Zimbabwe is likely to use Tuskers’ Njabulo Ncube and Kyle Jarvis in the match. This also marks Jarvis’ campaign to the national team after a back injury in Zimbabwe’s 2009 tour of the West Indies. The 22 year old is one of the fastest bowlers in Zimbabwe’s national artillery and his return will be an added advantage as Zimbabwe marks its return to Test cricket in August.
“They (Australians) are class players and I have played against class players before. I just have to worry about what I do at my end not what they are going to do. So as long as I do what I do best then I will be fine, I am definitely excited about what’s coming up,” said Jarvis at a practise session at Kwekwe sports club on Sunday.
The right arm fast bowler was injured at taking ten one-day international wickets from nine matches. Over the last 14 months Jarvis has played local first league club cricket and moved to Essex, England, during Zimbabwe’s off season and was playing for a club called Burwell and the county of Essex under the mentorship of former Mash Eagles coach, Chris Silverhood.
“Honestly I am not going to just walk into the national team. I have to first get myself back in the team and I am going to do that by getting a few performances in.
I would like to say I am where I was and I would like to get faster than I was, plans are there to get me quicker over the next few months as well. I am much lighter and stronger than I was before now,” he said.
A-tours are very important especially for Test playing nations, players have a chance to face stiff opposition and it is the prime platform to get selected in national sides. The form shown by players in both teams is likely to determine a number of spots in their Test sides, thus imperative for players to place their best foot forward