adminThe team’s preparations for the coming tour of Bangladesh suffered a setback when players downed tools at the weekend asking for a redress of their financial plight.
The team was supposed to play two warm-up games to assess the players but they have scrapped plans for the three-day game that was supposed to take place last Sunday since most of the players did not pitch up.
Only centrally contracted players turned up for training as they are employed by Zimbabwe Cricket, while the rest stayed away as their contracts with their franchises elapsed on March 31 after the end of the domestic season.
But caretaker coach Steve Mangongo was relieved yesterday when some of the players showed up for practice and is now looking to assess them in the two-day game starting today.
“It’s good to see that the guys who had issues with Zimbabwe Cricket have joined us in practice. Our preparations had not stopped despite the disturbance and today (yesterday) we had all the contracted players in attendance.
“Later we were joined by the rest of the players around 2:30pm and they had a good workout in the nets. We also had a Mashonaland Eagles select helping us in the preparations.
“The national team did most of the batting and I am glad that guys like Brendan Taylor are doing well because he batted two sessions and Graeme Cremer batted one session,” said Mangongo.
Zimbabwe are scheduled to host Bangladesh for two Tests, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20s in a month-long tour which starts on April 17 with the opening Test at Harare Sports Club.
Both Tests will be played in Harare before the teams head for Bulawayo to engage in the ODI and T20 series. Zimbabwe are coming from a disappointing tour of the West Indies where they lost all matches.
Squad:
Brendan Taylor, Tino Mawoyo, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Regis Chakabva, Malcolm Waller, Kyle Jarvis, Keegan Meth, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Raymond Price, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Richmond Mutumbami, Brian Chari, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tawanda Mpariwa, Richard Muzhange, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Natsai Mushangwe, Greg Lamb, Michael Chinouya, Ed Rainsford, Brian Vitori, Elton Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza
Online Reporter