The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE coronavirus that started in China and is spreading to other parts of the world has resulted in the cancellation of a quadrangular cricket tournament where the Zimbabwe’s women’s team was meant to take part.
With the coronavirus giving health experts a headache the world over and Thailand being one of the countries affected, the series, where the Zimbabwean women were meant to face off with Ireland, Scotland and the host nation has since been cancelled.
Samkelisiwe Nkiwane, the Lady Chevrons team manager said an agreement was made by countries which were meant to take part in the quadrangular series that the health of the players should be put first.
“The quadrangular has been cancelled due to the fact that Thailand also experienced a few issues with the coronavirus so as the countries we thought that it was to the best of the athletes’ health that the tournament be cancelled,’’ Nkiwane said.
Seeing that teams need to get used to the conditions prior to the World Cup qualifiers, the quadrangular series will now take place in June in Sri Lanka.
“What has happened is that the tournament has been postponed to June, just before the qualifiers and it will be held at a neutral venue which we have agreed that its going to be Sri Lanka. We want to acclimatise in Sri Lanka,’’ said Nkiwane.
The Lady Chevrons are in camp in Bulawayo with plans for them to play against Scotland at home next month.
Meanwhile, English County Cricket Club, Derbyshire arrive in the country tomorrow for their preseason camp. Derbyshire are scheduled to play Zimbabwe Select in Twenty20 matches, 50 over contests as well three-day fixtures at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Former Zimbabwe captain and coach Dave Houghton is the head of cricket at Derbyshire.
Another English county team, Durham are arriving in the country on Friday. Durham, who toured Zimbabwe in the 1991/92 season, will play two three-day matches versus the Chairman’s XI at Harare Sports Club in the capital.
Both teams will visit the country’s number one resort, Victoria Falls and seeing that a cricket team usually travels with a minimum 15 players, that should boost the country’s tourism. Derbyshire are making a stop-over in Kwekwe and also touring Antelope Park in Gweru on their way to Bulawayo. The last English county team to officially tour Zimbabwe were Worcestershire who did so in March/April 1997. — @Mdawini_29
