Zim pick three real strikers for SA tour

Like everything in Zimbabwe‚ cricket strays as far from trouble as a leopard does from its spots.

But the team that should be thrown out of the world game for representing a despotic regime had something to celebrate on Thursday. Brendan Taylor‚ Sean Williams and Craig Ervine were named in the squad to play three oneday internationals in SA starting at the end of the month.

Taylor and Williams last played for Zimbabwe in March and Ervine in May, citing unpaid salaries for their decision to‚ effectively‚ go on strike.

In June, the relationship between Zimbabwe Cricket and its players became strained enough for the suits to appoint the straightest talker in cricket‚ Vince van der Bijl‚ as a consultant.

But even his powers of per- suasion did not get Taylor‚ Williams and Ervine back into Zimbabwe shirts.

In July, they missed a home T20 triangular against Australia and Pakistan and five ODIs in Pakistan.

Zimbabwe lost all nine of those matches‚ and if they have any chance of putting up a credible performance in SA they will need the skill and experience of the three returning players.

It is a measure of just how far Zimbabwe have dwindled from a once-plucky side that they lost to the United Arab Emirates in the World Cup qualifiers in March. –