Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE stand on the cusp of something unprecedented when they take on Bangladesh in a one-off Test later this month.
The Chevrons are currently preparing to host Bangladesh in an all-format series and make their gallant return to international cricket with a one-off Test match against the Asians, slated for June 28-July 2.
The visit by Bangladesh will also involve three One Day Internationals (ODIs), schedule for July 6-11, and three T20 internationals slated for July 15-19.
Both the Test and ODIs will be held at Harare Sports Club while the T20s will be held at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
However, it appears to be the one-off Test that has dominated the Chevrons preparations as victory over Bangladesh will see Zimbabwe win their first back-to-back series Test win.
Zimbabwe’s last Test outing was back in October when the Chevrons thrashed Afghanistan by an innings and 73 runs at Harare Sports Club last year.
Now, Zimbabwe Chevrons coach Justin Sammons has openly declared that he wants his boys to go for it and put their names in the history books.
“Yes, it has come up in our team talks,” said Sammons.
“From the very beginning, we talked about it and we definitely want to go for the win.
“It’s a great motivating factor, and the lads have got a real opportunity to win it given they are playing at home and at Harare Sports Club in particular.
“So that is a really exciting prospect to think that we can go out there and try make history.
“It certainly is something that we really, really want to do,” he said.
Sammons is very optimistic of a good result and will be bouyed by the return of his senior trio of Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor and new Test and ODI skipper Richard Ngarava.
Evrine was last in any Chevrons jersey during the Afghanistan Test series after which he was sidelined by a calf injury.
The duo of Taylor and Ngarava had a subdued T20 World Cup campaign, earlier this year, which was disrupted by hamstring injury and back issues respectively.
However, all three have since reported for duty and have been part of the Chevrons extended training squad for the past six weeks, much to the delight of Sammons.
“They are quality players and you can’t take that away from them,” said Sammons.
“They were sorely missed when they were not available, so to have them with us is a huge plus.
“They add so much to the environment on and off the field and, like I said, the quality they bring from the actual playing you can’t take that for granted.
“With Richie (Ngarava), it’s a process with him, a day-to-day process that we are managing and monitoring.
“The injury has healed and it is now about slowly and gradually building him up again,” he said.
With the opening ball still weeks out, Sammons has opted to take his preparations one day at a time with the Chevrons training squad alternating their training schedule between Old Hararians Sports Club, Takashinga Cricket Club and inevitably Harare Sports Club.
“No nerves,” he said.
“It’s still too far out to have nerves.
“For now, it’s all about the preparations and we are taking it one day at a time.
“When day one of the Test arrives, then there will be nerves.
“We are just contend with staying in the present and making sure that we are controlling our preparations and creating the environment that allows the players to, obviously, be at their best through this period.
“This is week six of our preparations and we have started to ramp it up a little bit.
“It’s not changing in sort of approach. It’s now more time on the legs.
“We have now started doing both morning and afternoon sessions, so it’s longer days for the players and making sure that we are ticking all the boxes in terms of conditioning, the fundamentals and the upskilling side,” he said.
