Changed squad for Namibia and India tour announced
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:10 am
Link: http://www.zimcricket.org/faithwear/ind ... icleid=631
Zimbabwe teams for tour announced
FRESH from the successful domestic inter provincial tournament, Faithwear Series 2009, Zimbabwe senior national team and Zimbabwe A fly out Tuesday for Indian and Namibian tours respectively.
Zimbabwe national team captained by Prosper Utseya are headed for Cuttack just outside Mumbai to take part in the Deodhar Trophy tournament that runs until March 18 at which they will play South Zone and West Zone teams on March 14 and 16 respectively. The final is set for Wednesday week before returning home.
The 14-member squad coached by Walter Chawaguta with the assistance of Doug Hondo will miss the services of former captain Tatenda Taibu dropped from the side with prospective Zimbabwe A captain Regis Chakabva called to replace him on this Indian tour.
National team manager Givemore Makoni told the website that Taibu was dropped from the side because he does not have his playing kit. ?You are aware that Taibu left his kit in Bangladeshi during the tour last year and I am actually going to India via Dhaka to collect that kit before I join the boys in for tournament which is next door neighbour to India,? he said
Zimbabwe A coach Steven Mangongo revealed that he is sad to lose his top order batsman Chakabva to the senior team but is confident that his side will do well in Namibia during the tour that runs from Tuesday to Monday week in Windhoek.
?I would have loved to have Regis (Chakabva) in the side. In fact I have been grooming him for captaincy and this latest development, while it is not a bad one, pegged us back a bit in our efforts to build a strong Zim A team.
?However, we wish him well with the senior team and we believe he is a good player and needs such tours to develop as a player,? Mangongo told the website.
But Zimbabwe A remains strong with selection options still wide. They can rely on the services of returnees Charles Coventry, imperious in the just ended Faithwear series and Mark Vermuelen. Shingi Masakadza, Eric Chauluka and Tafadzwa Kamungozi are real faces of the side who give them identity and strength and Mangongo is happy for that.
Mangongo also revealed that Richmond Mutumbami, who had a good Faithwear series, was called up as replacement for Chakabva in the team. But it is the absence of Taibu who struggled during the series in which he failed to put a double figure score in the four matches he played for Northerns. Zimbabwe A
Zimbabwe A ? Eric Chauluka, Mark Vermuelen, Richmond Mutumbami, Mbekezeli Mabuza, Bothwell Chapungu, Charles Coventry, Shingi Masakadza, Trevor Garwe, Admire Manyumwa, Timycen Maruma, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Nathan Mushangwe, Tendai Chisoro, Cephas Zhuwawo
Zimbabwe National team ? Malcom Waller, Foster Mutizwa (wk), Stuart Matsikenyeri, Hamilton Masakadza, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya (capt), Keith Dabengwa, Graeme Cremer, Tawanda Mupariwa, Edward Rainsford, Christopher Mpofu, Regis Chakabva, Raymond Price