adminBlessing Malinganiza
ZIMBABWE senior women’s cricket captain, Mary-Anne Musonda, joined the rest of the squad ahead of the first One Day International against Thailand in Bangkok scheduled for today.
Musonda had earlier landed in Asia where she was playing in the Fairbreak Invitational Tournament in Hong Kong.
Zimbabwe take on Thailand in three ODIs and four T20I.
The second and third ODIs are scheduled for Friday and Sunday.Coach Gary Brent confirmed the skipper’s availability.
“Mary-Anne has met up with the team. Good news is that all girls are fit and available for selection. “We are very excited to start the series.”It’s a very important engagement for us, certainly in terms of rankings. “We are number 11 and they are number 12 so, hopefully, if we can do well we can increase that gap.
“Obviously, they are hoping to overtake us so it’s quite important in a whole big scheme of things.”
Meanwhile, bowling coach Trevor Garwe steps in the big shoes of Sinikiwe Mpofu, the former Lady Chevrons assistant coach, who passed on in Masvingo in January. Her death came exactly three weeks after the passing on of her husband, Shepherd Makunura. Makunura was the senior men’s team fielding coach at the time of his death.
“It was a very sad day, a very tragic event with Sneeze passing away,” added Brent.
“The bowling coach, Trevor Garwe, has stepped up as the assistant coach and obviously he’s been around this group so he’s a great right hand man for me, the squad really enjoys having him and he gets on well with everybody so it’s quite an easy transition.”Thailand is certainly a very (very) strong side, the game has evolved and we were lucky enough to beat them in all three games in the UAE going up to the Qualifiers. “I hope we can keep that up but I know that they are a strong side, especially at home, so it’s gonna be a really tough assignment, so we will see how that goes.”
ZIMBABWE 14-MEMBER SQUAD IN THAILAND
Mary-Anne Musonda (Cpt), Josephine Nkomo, Kellies Ndlovu, Ashley Ndiraya, Sharne Mayers, Modester Mupachikwa, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Pellagia Mujaji, Precious Marange, Christsbel Chatonzwa, Nomvelo Sibanda, Francesca Chipare, Audrey Mazvishaya, Loreen Tshuma, Loryn Phiri.
Online Reporter