adminThe Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in discussion with Zimbabwe Cricket to cut one Test from the bilateral series to be held in January next year. Naimur Rahman, BCB cricket operations committee chairman, said the proposed reduction was due to Bangladesh’s preparations for the Asia Cup T20 and World T20 tournaments following the Zimbabwe series.
The tour was originally scheduled to have three Tests, five one-day internationals (ODIs) and three T20s. Now it is likely to have two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s with Zimbabwe landing in Dhaka on January 11, and the tour ending on February 18.
ESPNcricinfo has learned that the Bangladesh team management was consulted before the matter was discussed in a meeting of board directors and officials yesterday. Naimur said the team management wanted to reduce the number of ODIs to two, but it will still remain a three-match series. However, it was learned that there has been some consensus between the two boards about the number of ODIs to be reduced to three from five.
Naimur said the BCB is waiting for ZC to give its view on the tour composition, after which it will be placed in the board meeting for approval.
“We’re still in talks with Zimbabwe. We’ve proposed to reduce one Test,” Naimur said. “They said they’ll let us know after discussing among themselves. We’ve to consider the cricketers’ rest and recovery, at the same time we’re committed to playing ODIs and T20s after the Tests. So we’ve to prepare accordingly. That’s why we’re reducing the number of Tests so that we can prepare for T20s.”
The concern is also about the fitness levels of Bangladesh’s fast bowlers in Tests. “Our frontline pace bowlers are already suffering from injuries. We’ve to think of their recovery. I always want to play. We had more Tests but we also have other commitments. I later saw that it wouldn’t be possible to play more Tests realistically.”
In an unrelated development, Malcolm Waller has been named captain of the Zimbabwe President’s XI team to compete in the Africa T20 Cup tournament to be held in South Africa from September 4 to October 4.
The 15-man squad announced by the selectors includes a mixture of players who have had a taste of international cricket and youngsters that have excelled at age-group level.
“We’ve gone with a combination of youth and experience, and the idea is to give an opportunity to fringe players to put their hands up in light of the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 tournament early next year,” said convener of selectors Kenyon Ziehl.
Kenya and Namibia will also participate in the tournament, which will include 12 Cricket South Africa affiliates as well as associate member KwaZulu-Natal Inland.
The tournament will consist of four pools of four teams each, with the winners of each pool advancing to the semi-finals on October 3 and the final being on the following day.
Zimbabwe is in pool A alongside Western Province, Northerns and Easterns. All the games in Pool A will be played at Sahara Park Willowmoore in Benoni on the East Rand.
There will be at least two Under-21 players in each team to help them develop their talent by playing with seniors.
CSA announced the appointment of former South African bowler Makhaya Ntini as the Africa T20 Cup ambassador.
Zim Africa T20 Cup 2015 Squad
Malcolm Waller (Captain), Keith Jaure, Luke Jongwe , Roy Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Neville Madziva, Wellington Masakadza, Peter Moor, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami (W/keeper), Taurai Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, John Nyumbu, Kudzai Sauramba, Donald Tiripano. — ESPNCricinfo/ZC.
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