Afghan release Zim tour schedule

[zimfan1]

Afghan release Zim tour schedule
June 25, 2014 in Cricket, Sport

THE Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) yesterday released the schedule for their maiden tour of Zimbabwe starting
on July 18.

DANIEL NHAKANISO

The series, which will mark the first, will be the first time Afghanistan are hosted by an ICC Full Member board for an international series, and will include four one-day internationals (ODIs) and two four-day matches against the Zimbabwe A side.

In a statement, ACB officials said the series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe was organised after long efforts
by the cricket board of Afghanistan.

“The Afghan team was also supposed to play a number of Twenty20 matches against Zimbabwe. However, the decision was later changed as ODI and four-day matches were considered vital in a bid to prepare for the ICC World Cup 2015,” the ACB officials
said in a statement released by an Afghan news agency Khaama Press.

“The ODI matches are scheduled to be organised on 18th, 20th, 21st and 24th of July, while the two ‘Test matches’ (four-day games) will be played on 27th July and 2nd August.”

The ACB chief executive Noor Mohammad Murad said the upcoming series against Zimbabwe was a major event for the Afghan team.

Murad said the series has been organised with the aim to prepare the Afghan team for the ICC World Cup 2015.

For Zimbabwe, the tour by Afghanistan is expected to go a long way in helping the Andy Waller-coached side which will play South Africa in a one-off Test match from August 9 before engaging the Proteas in three ODIs.

Australia, who will be travelling to Zimbabwe for the first time in a decade, will then join the hosts and South Africa for a one-day triangular series beginning on August 25.

In a bid to help the players prepare for the Proteas and the Aussies’ tour, Zimbabwe Cricket had lined up a tour for the Zimbabwe A side to travel to Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board, however, decided to cancel the tour which comprised two four-day games and three one-day matches, because it coincided with the monsoon season.

The sub-continent nation is currently experiencing heavy rains that make it impossible to play cricket matches.

https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/06/25/af ... -schedule/

[jaybro]

Finally we have some cricket !!!!!

if this goes ahead .....

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Do you reckon it's worth rotating the senior players (the Taylor's, Masakadza's, Chatara's, etc) through those two First Class matches against Afghanistan? Play a few of them in one, a few in the other.
Surely it would be useful for those guys to have a competitive FC hit out (or bowl) ahead of the Test against South Africa.

[Jemisi]

Yes it would, BRMT, and I really hope they are proper FC games of 11 a side and not rubbish 14 player matches

[CrimsonAvenger]

Definitely. Taylor for one, Hammie for another. Chigs for one, Chatara for the other.

But ZC just being themselves here, AFG board coming out with the schedule and hosts ZC not even having a press conference about it.

[zimfan1]

Bulawayo to host seven international cricket matches
June 27, 2014 Sport
Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO cricket enthusiasts will miss out on the much awaited return of giants Australia who will be involved in a Triangular Series with Zimbabwe and South Africa but will still watch seven international matches against Afghanistan and the Proteas.Afghanistan are coming next month for four One Day International matches which will all be played at Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of cricket – Queens Sports Club with South Africa set to be involved in three ODIs in August before the start of the Triangular Series.

Afghanistan are scheduled to play their first of the four One Day International games in Bulawayo on July 18 with the second encounter following in two days time. The Asians will then take on Zimbabwe in the third ODI on July 22 and wind up their stay in the City of Kings on July 24.

South Africa will arrive in Zimbabwe on August 5 for a month-long tour that will end with a Triangular One-Day International (ODI) Series including Australia.



The Proteas tour will start with a Test match against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on August 9 which will be followed by three ODI games at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on August 17, 19 and 21 before South Africa and Zimbabwe return to the capital for a Triangular ODI Series with Australia.

All the matches of the triangular series are at Harare Sports Club, with the first between Zimbabwe and Australia scheduled for 25 August.

Wilfred Mukondiwa, ZC managing director, said they were looking forward to their matches and called on fans to come in their numbers to watch great cricket.

“We are really excited to have the opportunity to host two strong sides like Australia and South Africa at the same time. Our players need the high-level competition the two teams will provide, and our fans will enjoy watching the matches,” Mukondiwa said.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Cricinfo have it now too: http://www.espncricinfo.com/zimbabwe/co ... 54363.html

July 13: 1st warm-up match, Bulawayo
July 15: 2nd warm-up match, Bulawayo
July 18: 1st ODI, Bulawayo
July 20: 2nd ODI, Bulawayo
July 22: 3rd ODI, Bulawayo
July 24: 4th ODI, Bulawayo
July 27-30: 1st four-day game, Harare
August 2-5: 2nd four-day game, Harare

Both FC games are to be played at the Country Club. A bit unusual not to have played at least one at HSC given they are going back to Harare for that leg anyway?

Hopefully one of the warm-up matches is a proper List A eleven-a-side affair against Matabeleland. What is the bet it will be two 15-a-side encounters against a board "XI" though

[jaybro]

I reckon the squad for warm up games will be from the Zim A team which was suppose to tour BD .....

I wonder if Nick Welch will feature at any point of this tour possibly in the warm up games ??

Even though the Afghanis are only amateur they have 3 pretty quick seamers so i think young nick would still struggle .....

[foreignfield]

Even though the Afghanis are only amateur

I think the Afghans are all full-time pros.

[jaybro]

Even though the Afghanis are only amateur

I think the Afghans are all full-time pros.

Yeah amateur is probably the wrong word, but the point I was trying to make is that it's unusual for 'Affiliate' nations to have quick bowlers .....