Zimbabwe Declared Preliminary Squad for World Cup 2011

Zimbabwe Cricket Board declared preliminary 20-man squad for the upcoming World Cup. There is a lots of surprise in the team.  Hamilton Masakadza was left out from the team, while Sean Ervine return in the squad. Opening Batsman Masakadza scored 1,087 runs in ODIs in 2009. But in 2010 he scored poor performance in ODIs. His average score per innings only 19.00. He managed to score only 52 runs in last seven inning against Ireland, South Africa and Bangladesh.

On the other hand, Sean Ervine return to international cricket again by selecting him in the World Cup squad. Sean played his last match for Zimbabwe against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club in March 2004. He is now playing County cricket. Selectors think that Ervine's form will boost Zimbabwe's poor batting.


"We have come up with an intensive training structure so that we can try and help the guys improve their technique going into the World Cup," assistant coach Steven Mangongo told The Independent in Zimbabwe. 


Recently batting coach Grant Flower is working hard with the batsmen and the national coach Alan Butcher will soon join with team.


Zimbabwe will play against Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri lanka, Canada, Kenya in the preliminary round.


20-man squad: 


Elton Chigumbura (capt), Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams, Ray Price, Regis Chakabva, Chamu Chibhabha, Tinashe Panyangara, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Terry Duffin, Craig Ervine, Sean Ervine, Greg Lamb, Tino Mawoyo,  Shingirai Masakadza,   Ed Rainsford, Vusi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Chris Mpofu,.