HARARE - The Zimbabwe national cricket team yesterday got down to business with a trimmed squad reporting for training at Harare Sports Club as preparations begun for next month's ICC World Twenty20 competition.
The tournament will be held in Bangladesh where Zimbabwe are drawn in Group B against Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
BACK IN BUSINESS: Zimbabwe national team cricketers go through their paces a yesterday's morning training session at Harare Sports Club. Picture: Ndakaziva Majaka.
The locals have to negotiate their way past the first round against the associate nations if they are to proceed to the next round to meet fellow Test playing countries.
Seamers Richard Muzhange, Taurai Muzarabani, Trevor Garwe, Tawanda Mupariwa and Ed Rainsford were all dropped from the provisional squad.
T20 specialist batsman, Cephas Zhuwao and all-rounder Kevin Kasuza also got the chop while Tino Mawoyo and Richmond Mutumbami, who were not part of the initial squad have been drafted into the team.
The team was trimmed from 29 that were called into camp last year to the current 23 which national team coach Andy Waller believes is a manageable number.
Zimbabwe lost a lot of valuable preparation time as the cricketers boycotted training demanding their dues from Zimbabwe Cricket.
At yesterday's morning fielding training, 16 players attended the session while seamer Tendai Chatara was expected to arrive later in the day from Mutare.
The Bulawayo-based cricketers are reported to be working on their game from their region given the short notice they got.
The technical department was fully represented with head coach Waller and his two lieutenants Steve Mangongo (assistant) and Grant Flower all in attendance.
ZC last Friday assured the players that they will receive their dues by February 10, a move that prompted the 'troops' to end their boycott and resume preparations for the Bangladesh extravaganza.
With some of the players getting money for their fuel allocation at the end of the morning session yesterday, good times seem to beckon for the local game after two months of inactivity.
Waller said he was impressed with the players' attitude on the first day of training.
"I was pleasantly surprised; I think the majority of the guys have actually been doing some work over the last month or two,” he said.
“I had asked the guys to maintain their fitness and do as much work as they can and I think they have been doing that.
"Basically the plan is to get the guys together for the next four or five days hopefully to do pretty much the same we did today (yesterday) with the fielding session which incorporates fitness.
"But we might change it because I'm also thinking on the lines that guys probably need to be also doing some net practices with their franchises ... because I don't really want guys going to the T20 without having done any batting or bowling as well."
Zimbabwe Provisional Twenty20 Squad: Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Chamu Chibhabha, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Shingi Masakadza, Brian Vitori, Tendai Chatara, Prosper Utseya, Chris Mpofu, Foster Mutizwa, Tino Mawoyo, Timycen Maruma, Tino Mutombodzi, Natsai Mushangwe, Tinashe Panyangara, Richmond Mutumbami, Mike Chinouya, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Charles Coventry.