Battered Chevrons look ahead to SA tour

ZIMBABWE national cricket team players, still smarting from a comprehensive ODI series whitewash, are expected to start a training camp next week in preparation for the upcoming tour to South Africa.

ZC, who are currently in a standoff with a number of their senior players over unpaid dues, had a forgettable month of cricket against Pakistan and Australia.

The Chevrons lost all their matches in the T20I Triangular series against the world’s top two T20 nations before going down 0-5 to Pakistan in a heavily-lopsided ODI series that ended at the weekend.

Interim coach Lalchand Rajput gave his players a week off following the battering.

The former India international, who filled the void left by the departure of Heath Streak, has been handed the job on interim basis for three months.

The ZC board are expected to make pronouncements on the technical team after the tour of South Africa where Zimbabwe are scheduled to play three T20I matches and three ODIs against the Proteas.

Rapjput has indicated he wants more time with the players ahead of that tour.

ZC are confident the financial challenges they are going through will not affect the team’s next assignment against South Africa.

ZC had promised to pay the striking players by yesterday but failed to meet the deadline.

The organisation’s spokesperson Darlington Majonga yesterday said they still expect to resolve the matter by end of day after receiving assurances from the International Cricket Council.

“The South Africa tour is about two months away and by the time we go there I am sure everything will have been sorted out.

“They are definitely going to get their dues as promised. It’s only that the process was delayed after the ICC put in some certain requirements, of which we have done that and they are going through the documents.

“The players are expected to get back in camp next week to start a training camp. Of course, it will be a vigorous preparation.

“The coach will soon avail his plan. He has been working on it and I understand there are still some nitty –gritties that need to be put together,” said Majonga.

Zimbabwe suffered big losses without senior players like Graeme Cremer, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Malcom Waller and Sikandar Raza who excused themselves from selection.