Craig Ervine to lead Zimbabwe on tours of Ireland, Scotland

Veteran batsman Craig Ervine will captain Zimbabwe for the limited-overs series in Ireland and Scotland. While Sean Williams is the substantive Test skipper, Zimbabwe Cricket has been rotating the captaincy in the shorter formats of the game, with Chamu Chibhabha, Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza and Williams himself taking turns to lead the team in recent one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 international (T201) series.

Zimbabwe Cricket announced that Ervine, who has played 96 ODIs. 26 T20ls and 18 Tests, will lead the team for the series against Ireland and Scotland. The limited-overs captaincy has been on a rotation basis, with “Chamu Chibhabha, Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza and Williams himself taking turns to lead the team in recent one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 international (T20I) series.”

Zimbabwe and Ireland will lock horns in five T20i matches scheduled for 27 and 29 August at Clontarf and 1, 2 and 4 September at Bready.

The two sides will then face off at Stormont on 8 10 and 13 September in a three-match ODI series that is part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, where Zimbabwe are at the bottom of the table with just one win from six games. From there, Zimbabwe will proceed Edinburgh to take on Scotland in three T201s pencilled in for 15, 17 and 19 September.

Ireland has also announced a squad for the series against Zimbabwe. Curtis Campher has received a maiden call-up for the shortest format in the Ireland squad.

Zimbabwe squad: Brendan Taylor, Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams

Ireland T20I squad: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Shane Getkate, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, William McClintock, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

Ireland ODI squad: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Graham Kennedy, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, William Porterfield, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young