Vermeulen set for comeback

[zimfan1]

Vermeulen set for comeback

By Mehluli Sibanda

TOP order batsman Mark Vermeulen could make his international comeback when Zimbabwe take on Bangladesh in five One-Day International cricket matches at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo next month.

Vermeulen is part of a national squad, which went into camp last Monday in Harare ahead of the series against the Tigers. The right-handed top order batsman was in terrific form during the last season’s ending Twenty20 provincial tournament.
Vermeulen was the tournament’s highest run scorer with 311 runs during the tournament, which saw him walk away with the best batsman’s award. A reliable source close to the national selection panel said it would be difficult for the national selectors to leave out Vermeulen after that terrific performance during the Twenty20 event.
If he makes it into the national team, it would be a remarkable comeback for the talented right-handed batsman. His international cricket career seemed over when he was arrested for allegedly setting the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy on fire in 2006. Vermeulen was subsequently cleared of the charges at the beginning of this year after his lawyers convinced the court that he had suffered a mental breakdown.
This saw him called up to the Zimbabwe A side that toured Namibia and also played against Ireland in South Africa in matches meant to help the two International Cricket Council Associate members prepare for the ICC World Cup qualifiers held in South Africa in April. Vermeulen was one of the consistent performers with the bat during the matches against Namibia and Ireland.
Another player who could make a comeback is Charles Coventry, another hard-hitting batsman who made his comeback last season, played for Zimbabwe A and Westerns in the Logan Cup as well as the Twenty20 tournament. Coventry made his ODI debut during the NatWest series against England in 2003.

[Detective RDS]

Good news!

Hope for the best of Vermeulen and Coventry.