Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
NATIONAL cricket selectors are tomorrow expected to announce the Zimbabwe team for the Test against Bangladesh.
The national cricketers have been training in Harare and were given time off to spend time with their families before they return to camp tomorrow once the squad is announced.
A two-day four-day game has been arranged when the national team returns to camp, with the fixture lined up for Tuesday and Wednesday. Bangladesh arrive in the country on Tuesday and will play a two-day warm up match ahead of the only Test match lined up for Harare Sports Club on from 7 to 11 July.
Zimbabwe’s Test captain, Sean Williams has recovered from the hand injury which saw him miss the two matches against Pakistan last month.
All-rounder Sikandar Raza has been training by himself in the nets as he recovers from a bone marrow infection. Leg spinner Ryan Burl has not been to training since he suffered a finger injury.
After the Test, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh will collide in three One Day Internationals and same number of Twenty20 Internationals.
Meanwhile, up to 27 cricketers were part of the Zimbabwe Cricket group that was vaccinated against Covid-19 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare yesterday.
Among them were Zimbabwe senior men’s national team players Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chisoro, Richmond Mutumbami, Timycen Maruma, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Wesley Madhevere, Milton Shumba, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Carl Mumba, Charlton Tshuma, Tanaka Chivanga and Takudzwanashe Kaitano.
Zimbabwe women’s captain Mary-Anne Musonda and her teammates Precious Marange, Modester Mupachikwa and Esther Mbofana also got the coronavirus jab.
Apart from players, more than 20 other ZC employees, including technical and ground staff, also turned up for vaccination.
From those vaccinated, at least 35 of them were receiving their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, with the rest getting their second.
Speaking after yesterday group vaccination, ZC Covid-19 compliance officer Travor Wambe, who is also the national team physiotherapist, said nearly all cricketers playing at national or provincial level had now been vaccinated.
“We are trying to mitigate against the Covid-19 pandemic, so we are encouraging our players, officials and staff members to be vaccinated so that we minimise the risk of spreading it or getting sick in the event that they get infected,” he said.
In April, ZC became one of the first sporting organisations in the country to make arrangements for its players and staff to get inoculated after the Government opened up the vaccination programme to all citizens.
Since then dozens of other employees at the organisation have been vaccinated. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter