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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO’S budding top order batsman Brian Chari has been touted among players in the Zimbabwe A national cricket team with a bright international future to represent the country against the elite.
Chari, 22, a key member of Matabeleland Tuskers Cricket Franchise, is in a 20-man squad which began camp at Harare Sports Club yesterday to prepare for the end of month tour to Bangladesh where they will play two Four-Dayers and three One Day matches.
In a telephone interview from the capital yesterday, Zimbabwe A manager Nicholas Singo, said the technical team is happy with the fitness levels of all the players in camp and challenged rookies to grab the opportunity for the Bangladesh tour so that they can be considered for national team assignments.
“The Zimbabwe A tour of Bangladesh is very important to the players because this is an opportunity for the up-and-coming guys to showcase their talents and convince the selectors that they are ready to be picked for senior national team assignments.
“We have quite a number of guys like Chari of Bulawayo, the national Under-19 duo of Luke Jongwe and Joylord Gumbi that we are looking at who we believe are the future of Zimbabwe cricket.
“Obviously if they perform, they will be considered for the senior team’s tour of Bangladesh between November and January,” Nsingo said.
Bangladesh will next year play host to the ICC 50-over World Cup.
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe A squad had a work out on the nets and will continue with their programmme until Saturday.
Zimbabwe A will leave the country on June 28 to play the longer version of the game and five of the members of the team will be replaced before the start of the One Day games.
Another Matabeleland Tuskers player in camp is John Nyumbu who will only be in the Four-Dayers’ series before being replaced by Tafadzwa Kamungodzi for the One Day matches.
The other players considered to be future stars in the One Day games are Mashonaland Eagles and fringe national team batsman Sikander Raza, Gumbi, Neville Madziva and Forster Mutizwa.
Seasoned players also making it for both teams are wicketkeeper Raymond Mutumbami from the now defunct Southern Rocks, Mark Vermeulen, Shingirai Masakadza and Tinotenda Mawoyo.
Team for Four-Dayer: Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Michael Chinouya, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Timycen Maruma, Shingirai Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Brighton Mugochi, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Raymond Mutumbami, John Nyumbu, Donald Tiripano, Mark Vermeulen, Malcom Waller.
Replacements for One Day Games: Sikander Raza for Vermeulen, Joylord Gumbie for Kaia, Tafadzwa Kamungodzi for Nyumbu, Neville Madziva for Chinouya, Forster Mutizwa for Waller.
Technical team: Nicholas Singo (team manager), Walter Chawaguta (coach), Wayne James (assistant coach/selector), Stanley Chioza (team analyst), Anesu Mupotaringa (physiotherapist).
Online Reporter