Brian Vitori set for comeback against South Africa A

Zimbabwe’s left-arm seamer Brian Vitori will make a comeback to competitive cricket on Friday (July 15) against South Africa A. The selectors have named the pacer in a 16-man Zimbabwe A squad for the second unofficial Test.

Vitori, one of the most promising fast bowlers to emerge from Zimbabwe, was called for a suspect action in a match against Bangladesh at Khulna. He underwent tests in Chennai, where it was detected that his bowling arm surpassed the permissible 15-degree limit of flexion.He was retested in Pretoria in June and cleared.

Vitori will share the bowling attack with Shingirai Masakadza, Victor Nyauchi and Gerald Aliseni. The selectors have also included five other players; batsmen Sean Williams, Craig Ervine and Tarisai Musakanda, leg-spinner Natsai M’shangwe, and seamer Njabulo Ncube.

Senior batsmen Williams and Ervine have been included in order to give them game time before the New Zealand series begins later this month. John Nyumbu, Gerald Alisini and Richard Muzhange, who featured in the first unofficial Test, miss out.

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Vitori’s return will be crucial for Zimbabwe national team, who are scheduled to play two Tests against New Zealand and Sri Lanka in coming months. The first Test is scheduled to start from July 28 and the second from August 6. Zimbabwe will play Tests for the first time since 2014.

Zimbabwe A squad

Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Craig Ervine, Trevor Garwe, Joylord Gumbie, Timycen Maruma, Shingirai Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Tarisai Musakanda, Natsai M’shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Njabulo Ncube, Victor Nyauchi, Brian Vitori, Sean Williams