The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
VETERAN pace bowler, Christopher Mpofu has been called up to the Zimbabwe national cricket team for the two Tests against Bangladesh as a replacement for the injured left arm seamer Richard Ngarava.
The 20-year old Ngarava was in line to make his Test debut against Bangladesh but a groin injury sustained in the third and final One Day International against the Tigers in Chittagong has seen him ruled out. National team physiotherapist Anesu Mupotaringa said the extent of Ngarava’s injury means that no kind of treatment can get him ready to play in the two Tests.
“Ngarava sustained a groin injury and also complained of pain in the gluteal region after our last ODI. Even with aggressive treatment, he will not recover in time for the Test series,” Mupotaringa said.
Zimbabwe and Bangladesh meet in the first Test which is scheduled for 3-7 November in Sylhet while the second prolonged version fixture will run from 11 to 15 November in Dhaka.
National convener of selectors, Walter Chawaguta said Ngarava was part of a calculated ploy to introduce young players into the Chevrons.
“Ngarava is part of our plan to deliberately inject youth into the team and he has worked hard on this tour, on the sidelines, readying himself for an opportunity to play,” Chawaguta said.
The plan, according to Chawaguta is to rotate the pace bowlers by giving a break to those who played a big part in the tour to South Africa, which meant that Ngarava had a chance to play in the two Tests against Bangladesh.
“We had plans to possibly rotate our seamers and rest those who have played all matches since the tour of South Africa and this would have presented an opportunity for Ngarava,’’ he said.
The 32-year-old Mpofu has picked up 29 wickets in 15 Test matches since making his debut against Bangladesh in Chittagong in January 2005. Despite him picking 3/58 in South Africa’s first innings during the four-day Test in Port Elizabeth at the end of last year, Mpofu had been initially left out of Zimbabwe’s squad for the Bangladesh Tests. The lanky pace bowler was only called up for the three Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa early this month where he showed his experience with some excellent bowling against the Proteas.
As part of their preparations for the Test series, the Zimbabweans will take on Bangladesh A in a three-day warm match starting in Monday at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
After being clean swept a 3-0 in the ODI series, the Lachand Rajput coached Chevrons will be looking to make amends in the five-day game.
Zimbabwe Test Squad: Hamilton Masakadza (captain), Brian Chari, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Peter Moor, Regis Chakabva, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, John Nyumbu, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Christopher Mpofu
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