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Heath Streak

Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE cricket team coach, Heath Streak, is pleased with his side’s batting form which he believes will play a crucial role in their whirlwind tour of Europe, which will end up in the sub-continent with a Test match against Sri Lanka in the next six weeks.

The Chevrons leave the country on Sunday evening for Glasgow where they are scheduled to play two one-day international matches against Scotland before heading for Netherlands for three more ODIs.

Zimbabwe are then expected to tour Sri Lanka for five ODIs and a Test match in July.

Streak yesterday began the final leg of the preparations with his locally-based players following the completion of the Pro-50 Championships won by Matabeleland Metropolitan Tuskers.

The other squad members – Ryan Burl, Tarisai Musakanda, Richard Ngarava and Carl Mumba – will join the squad from England where they are part of the Zimbabwe academy training and playing under Stuart Matsikenyeri and Tatenda Taibu.

However, Streak said he was impressed by the runs scored by his top batsmen in the domestic league as well as in the preparatory games after they were drafted in the Zimbabwe A side that played Canada and Namibia recently.

Zimbabwe are short of international cricket and have had to arrange measures to fill in the gaps on the calendar to keep the players active.

“I am quite pleased by our batting line-up. We have seen recently a couple of hundreds and good knocks from such players as Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Sean Williams, Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine.

“Also these guys have been involved in a lot of domestic cricket of late and the amount of time they have had playing cricket is encouraging as compared to the other times when we go out during the off-season. The bowling department is coming up.

“It’s good to see Sikander Raza is batting and bowling as well,” said Streak

Masakadza and Williams had tons to lead the rout in Zimbabwe A’s 3-0 whitewash over Canada while Chibhabha also had a century against Namibia.

There have been also tons in the domestic game from players such as Ervine and Mire.

Led by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer, Zimbabwe will be looking to get the much needed game time on the international scene since their last assignment against Afghanistan four months ago.

They will visit Scotland first for two one-day international matches on June 15 and June 17 before going to the Netherlands for three other 50-over matches scheduled for the June 21, 23 and 25.

After the European leg of their tour, Zimbabwe will proceed to Sri Lanka for five ODI matches and one Test match between June 30 and July 14 when they begin the Test match.

Zimbabwe ODI Squad:

Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza Butt, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Christopher Mpofu, Tarisai Musakanda, Richard Ngarava, Donald Tiripano, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.