Fit-again Muzarabani returns to action in one-dayers against counties

Blessing Muzarabani is set to mark his return from a long injury layoff when he features in the one-day series between local regional teams and the visiting county sides Durham and Glamorgan in Harare.

The pace bowler has been sidelined since last November when he suffered a quadriceps muscle injury flare-up while playing for Zimbabwe at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

Muzarabani is now fit again and has been named in the Southerns squad that will take on Glamorgan at Harare Sports Club this Sunday.

With Zimbabwe’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series at home to the Netherlands just a few days away, several other national team players will also feature in the one-dayers against the counties in preparation for international duty.

Apart from Muzarabani, the Southerns squad also includes Gary Ballance, Tendai Chatara, Innocent Kaia, Chamu Chibhabha, Luke Jongwe and Brandon Mavuta.

On the other hand, Craig Ervine, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava and Victor Nyauchi are part of the Northerns side that will face Durham in the second 50-over match on Sunday across the capital at Old Hararians Sports Club.

Another one-day match between a local side and Durham pencilled in for Harare Sports Club on Tuesday will wrap up the tour by the county teams.

Durham and Glamorgan, who are among the top first-class clubs within the England and Wales domestic cricket set-up, are in Zimbabwe as part of their pre-season programmes.

Here are the squads selected by Zimbabwe Cricket to face the county teams in the one-day matches:

NORTHERNS: Akram Faraz, Burl Ryan, Ervine Craig, Evans Bradley, Gumbie Joylord, Madhevere Wessly, Makoni Tanunurwa, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mayavo Nyasha, Masuku Ernest, Munyonga Tony, Ngarava Richard, Nyauchi Victor

SOUTHERNS: Ballance Gary, Bennett Brian, Campbell Johnathan, Chatara Tendai, Chibhabha Chamunorwa, Chivanga Tanaka, Jaure Keith, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Mavuta Brandon, Mpofu Nkosana, Muzarabani Blessing, Ndlovu Ainsley