Vusi Sibanda quits Mountaineers to play for Cleethorpes CC
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:09 am
UK: CLEETHORPES Cricket Club have moved quickly to secure a replacement for Roshen Silva as their overseas player for 2017 – with a vastly experienced international player heading to Chichester Road.
Terms have now been agreed with 33-year-old Vusi Sibanda, an opening batsman from Zimbabwe who has played in 127 ODIs after hitting a half-century against West Indies on debut as a teenager.
A committee headed by Paul Hewstone followed up a recommendation and completed the process inside a few days.
Sibander, described by the Zimbabwe Herald as a batsman with a positive and aggressive style, has hit two ODI centuries for his country – an achievement that could have been more impressive if he had not been dismissed in the 90s on four different occasions.
He has also made 26 appearances in T20 matches for his country, and in the 2014 World T20 competition he smashed a final ball six to clinch a dramatic victory against the Netherlands.
Although a one-day specialist, he has played in 14 Test Matches, with a personal best score of 93 which he made against New Zealand.
In 2007, he went to Australia with the intention of playing Grade Cricket.
urning out for Strathfield Cricket Club in the Shires Competition, Sibanda hit consecutive centuries before being dismissed for 96 in his third game.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in April 2007 that NSW Chief Executive Dave Gilbert – the former Australia and Lincolnshire opening bowler – was intrigued at having a young international cricketer in his playing ranks.
He was soon snapped up by Eastern Suburbs and sampled Sydney Grade Cricket, playing alongside Test stars Brad Haddin and David Warner, in what is considered one of the strongest leagues in the world.
At that time Sibanda said: "I can feed off these players and gain a lot of experience to better my game."
Returning to Zimbabwe, he soon became a regular member of their one-day side, and collected three man of the match awards before being judged Man of the Series against Bangladesh in 2013.
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He completed his last Test in 2014 and played his last ODI in June last year when he was his side's top scorer with 38 against India.
He has played against England just once, and scored 28 before being dismissed by Freddie Flintoff.
In that game at Edgbaston in 2004, he claimed one of his three international wickets when he dismissed Vikram Solanki.
Aside from internationals, Sibanda has hit 18 centuries while accumulating 7,467 first class runs with a top score of 217, and has claimed 38 wickets – he is also a highly qualified coach with captaincy experience in the first class game.
This, coupled with his playing ability, could prove to be a great asset for the young Cleethorpes side
Terms have now been agreed with 33-year-old Vusi Sibanda, an opening batsman from Zimbabwe who has played in 127 ODIs after hitting a half-century against West Indies on debut as a teenager.
A committee headed by Paul Hewstone followed up a recommendation and completed the process inside a few days.
Sibander, described by the Zimbabwe Herald as a batsman with a positive and aggressive style, has hit two ODI centuries for his country – an achievement that could have been more impressive if he had not been dismissed in the 90s on four different occasions.
He has also made 26 appearances in T20 matches for his country, and in the 2014 World T20 competition he smashed a final ball six to clinch a dramatic victory against the Netherlands.
Although a one-day specialist, he has played in 14 Test Matches, with a personal best score of 93 which he made against New Zealand.
In 2007, he went to Australia with the intention of playing Grade Cricket.
urning out for Strathfield Cricket Club in the Shires Competition, Sibanda hit consecutive centuries before being dismissed for 96 in his third game.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in April 2007 that NSW Chief Executive Dave Gilbert – the former Australia and Lincolnshire opening bowler – was intrigued at having a young international cricketer in his playing ranks.
He was soon snapped up by Eastern Suburbs and sampled Sydney Grade Cricket, playing alongside Test stars Brad Haddin and David Warner, in what is considered one of the strongest leagues in the world.
At that time Sibanda said: "I can feed off these players and gain a lot of experience to better my game."
Returning to Zimbabwe, he soon became a regular member of their one-day side, and collected three man of the match awards before being judged Man of the Series against Bangladesh in 2013.
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He completed his last Test in 2014 and played his last ODI in June last year when he was his side's top scorer with 38 against India.
He has played against England just once, and scored 28 before being dismissed by Freddie Flintoff.
In that game at Edgbaston in 2004, he claimed one of his three international wickets when he dismissed Vikram Solanki.
Aside from internationals, Sibanda has hit 18 centuries while accumulating 7,467 first class runs with a top score of 217, and has claimed 38 wickets – he is also a highly qualified coach with captaincy experience in the first class game.
This, coupled with his playing ability, could prove to be a great asset for the young Cleethorpes side