Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket have named the two squads that will play against Durham and Glamorgan, in a T20 series scheduled to get underway in Harare today.
The two Zimbabwean squads, Northerns and Southerns are made up of 14 and 15 players respectively each picked from various franchise teams around the country. A total of six matches will be played between the teams over three days at Harare Sports Club.
Southerns will take on Glamorgan in the first match of the series this morning before Northerns go up against Durham in the afternoon. Tomorrow, Southerns will face Durham in the first fixture, while Northerns will play Glamorgan in the second.
The last two T20 matches are scheduled for Friday, with Southerns and Glamorgan clashing first before Northerns meet Durham again. The two county teams, who are among the top first-class clubs within the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, are visiting Zimbabwe as part of their pre-season programmes.
ZC have selected youthful squads that will be boosted by the presence of a few experienced campaigners who have played at the highest level of the game.
Stuart Matsikenyeri is in charge of the Northerns side as head coach, with Eric Chauluka (assistant coach), Steve Kirby (bowling coach), Mufaro Chiturumani (analyst/manager) and Amato Machikicho (physiotherapist) completing the team’s technical set-up.
Walter Chawaguta is the coach of Southerns, his assistant is Douglas Hondo with the rest of the technical team being Njabulo Ncube (bowling coach/manager), Keith Kulinga (analyst) and Travor Wambe (physiotherapist).
Meanwhile, former Zimbabwe international cricketer, Peter Joseph Moor has been awarded a central contract by Cricket Ireland having last played for the Chevrons in 2019 before opting to switch allegiance over to the European nation.
Last month, the 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was named in Ireland’s Test team for the series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in April and last Thursday he was named in the list of players that are part of Cricket Ireland’s central contract holders for 2023.
Moor, who has an Irish passport last appeared for Zimbabwe in a Test match in November 2018. He is set to become the second Zimbabwean cricketer to play five-day cricket for two different countries after Gary Ballance who made his debut for the country of his birth last month having switched allegiance from England at the end of 2022.
His last international match was a T20 match when Zimbabwe played against Singapore in October 2019 in a tri-series. He was voted Player of the Match after a brilliant 92 runs not out coming off just 60 deliveries. The Chevrons won the match by eight wickets.
Squads
Northerns: Faraz Akram, Tawanda Dzikiti, Joylord Gumbie, Wessly Madhevere, Tanunurwa Makoni, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Shingirai Masakadza, Nyasha Mayavo, Nkosana Mpofu, Carl Mumba, Tony Munyonga, Ainsely Ndlovu, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi
Southerns: Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Tanaka Chivanga, Alex Falao, Keith Jaure, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Roy Kaia, Clive Madande, Ernest Masuku, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Richmond Mutumbami, Cephas Zhuwao. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter