dyton mupawaenda
Lawrence Moyo-Head Zimpapers Sports
SIKANDAR Raza returns to captain the Chevrons in the three-match one-day international cricket series against Ireland starting at Harare Sports Club this morning.
Two more matches will follow on Friday and Sunday.
Raza was banned for the remaining two matches of the three-match T20I series, which Ireland won 2-1 after capitalising on his absence to win the weekend matches and secure their first ever series victory at an ICC full member country.
The all-rounder had virtually single-handedly led the Chevrons to victory in the opening T20I under floodlights last Thursday but breached the ICC Code of Conduct in the match, resulting in the two match ban.
With captain Craig Ervine injured, Raza takes over the armband and is one of only two players aged over 30 years, the other being Innocent Kaia, in the new-look squad announced yesterday.
The renewal process for the senior national cricket team has started with several changes being made to the Chevrons ahead of a three-match one-day international series against Ireland at Harare Sports Club starting this morning.
Seven players who have been included in the squad for the short series against Ireland were not part of the Chevrons who missed out on qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in the qualifiers hosted in June-July.
Today the Chevrons resume ODI action with a new-look squad following the axing of Tendai Chatara, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani while Ervine, all-rounder Sean Williams and Brad Evans are sidelined by injury.
In comes Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Tanaka Chivanga, Faraz Akram, Brandon Mavuta, Milton Shumba and Tony Munyonga, who have done well in the domestic leagues this year.
However, cricket fans were yesterday unanimous in calling for the inclusion of Nick Welch, Jonathan Campbell and Brian Bennett on the strength of their domestic form.
While the Chevrons have now moved to the 50-over matches, the recent T20 internationals have proved costly to the players who have been axed, including Chatara, Madhevere and Marumani.
Chatara’s biggest undoing was conceding 20 runs in the 18th over against Uganda when the required run rate was just under eight runs an over, resulting in a humiliating five-wicket loss that cost the Chevrons a place at next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
He was excluded from the remaining matches of the qualifiers, the three-match series against Ireland and might be on his way out of the Chevrons completely.
Chatara was the third best bowler for the Chevrons at the 50-over World Cup qualifiers as he took nine wickets in five games but he was again the fall guy in the must-win game against Scotland as he conceded 15 runs in the 49th over as the Scots moved from 179/7 after 45 overs to 234/8 after 50 overs.
The total proved too much for Zimbabwe who were then bowled out for 203 in 41 overs to exit the race for the World Cup finals in India.
Madhevere, who had so much potential as a member of the Under-19 squad, has performed below par despite the numerous opportunities given while Marumani has also disappointed at the top of the order in recent T20I matches.
He only played one match during the 50-over World Cup qualifiers and was unbeaten on 18 runs but struggled in the T20s, including one run in two matches against Ireland. He was how-ever, the third highest scorer at the T20 World Cup qualifiers with 122 runs in six innings in Namibia.
Zimbabwe squad
Raza Sikandar (captain), Akram Faraz, Burl Ryan, Chivanga Tanaka, Gumbie Joylord, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Kaitano Takudzwanashe, Kamunhukamwe Tinashe, Madande Clive, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Munyonga Tony, Muzarabani Blessing, Ngarava Richard, Shumba Milton
Online Reporter