Mountaineers trio back on national duty

AS the world warms up to the return of sporting action, Mutare-based Chevrons trio of Tendai Chatara, Kevin Kasuza and Donald Tiripano officially begun training sessions on Monday at Mutare Sports Club under the watchful eye of Manicaland provincial coach Farai Chari.

After undergoing strength and conditioning sessions for the first three weeks, the players will move to cricket-specific skills training.

Zimbabwe Cricket revealed that all players and coaching staff had tested negative to coronavirus last week, giving the entire squad called up for training the green light to get down to serious business.

Zimbabwe is planning to host Afghanistan in July-August — subject to Government’s approval — hence a training squad of 37 that was called up to start preparing for the potential tour and had to first undergo Covid-19 tests as part of ZC’s efforts to guarantee the health of players and staff members as well as to curb spread of the respiratory disease.

In a statement, ZC said due to the national lockdown restrictions and also to ensure that social distancing is strictly observed, the training squad is split into small zonal groups that are practising within their own provinces.

The country’s cricket mother body said Bulawayo-based players got the ball rolling on Monday with a fitness test that was overseen by provincial coach, Njabulo Ncube at Queens Sports Club.

“On the same day, national fielding coach, Shepherd Makunura took Tendai Chisoro through his paces at Masvingo Sports Club. Harare has the largest number of players who have been split into two groups, with 14 of them training at Harare Sports Club and 11 at

Takashinga Cricket Club under the national team coaching staff of fitness trainer, Walter Karimanzira, batting coach, Stuart Matsikenyeri and bowling coach, Douglas Hondo.

“The Takashinga-based players held their fitness test on Tuesday morning, with the Harare Sports Club group following suit in the afternoon. National women’s team coach, Adam Chifo is taking care of Midlands players,” reads the ZC media statement.

Apart from the Covid-19 tests, ZC has also put in place other preventative and containment measures that will be strictly observed to ensure that risks associated with the cricket environment — field of play, training venue, changing rooms, equipment and management of the ball — have been mitigated.

ZIMBABWE TRAINING SQUAD — ZONAL PRACTICE: BULAWAYO: Brian Chari, Christopher

Mpofu, Ainsley Ndlovu, Charlton Tshuma, Sean Williams

HARARE (Harare Sports Club): Faraz Akram, Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza Butt, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Neville Madziva, William Mashinge, Peter Joseph Moor, Brian Mudzinganyama, Ryan Murray, Brendan Taylor

HARARE (Takashinga Cricket Club): Regis Chakabva, Luke Jongwe, Wessly Madhevere, Timycen Maruma, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Tapiwa Mufudza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi

MIDLANDS (Kadoma): Brandon Mavuta MIDLANDS (Kwekwe): Carl Mumba MASVINGO: Tendai Chisoro MANICALAND: Tendai Chatara, Kevin Kasuza, Donald Tiripano