Zimbabwe cricket fills the headlines

Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on November 18, 2008

Sadly, Tafadzwa Madondo - a former First Class cricketer in Zimbabwe - passed away yesterday. He was killed in a motorbike accident in Bali, Indonesia. He was 27.

For the national team, Sean Williams has returned and is likely to make the squad for the upcoming ODI series. With Tatenda Taibu still in doubt, but still a likely inclusion, Williams will provide the top order with much needed experience. Although Chamu Chibhabha has not done badly at number three, Sean Williams has had much more success in the position.

Douglas Hondo will return to the national team in a new capacity. For this upcoming series, he will assist the team as bowling coach, although ZC has indicated they would like him to stay on board as a full time assistant coach.

Bangladesh has confirmed several tours, two of which include Zimbabwe. Bangladesh are due to host Sri Lanka for a Test series next month, after which Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will take part in a week long tri-series. Upon the conclusion of the tri-series, Bangladesh will battle it out with Zimbabwe in a three match one day series. It would seem likely that the tour will also include a First Class match, as Zimbabwe's last tour of Bangladesh did.

Brendan Taylor has indicated that he would like to resume playing for Zimbabwe, but still has unresolved issues with the administration. Coach Walter Chawaguta talked to both Williams and Taylor, it seems he still needs to convince the latter.

Malcolm Waller was a surprise inclusion in the Zimbabwe A side that played Sri Lanka yesterday. He took 3/46 and may well have secured his position in future A team matches. Ed Rainsford was most dangerous with 3/29 from 9.1 overs and would seem a likely replacement for Chris Mpofu who has struggled for consistency despite taking 6 wickets in a tri-series match in Kenya earlier this month. Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Zimbabwe's sixth choice spinner after Utseya, Price, Cremer, Maruma and Dabengwa was very economical, conceding 38 runs from his 10 overs. Sri Lanka was dismissed for 235 from 48.1 overs, and rain intervened, stepping in the way of a Zimbabwe A victory.