BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – Johnathan Campbell, Ali Hamid and Matt Welch lead a cast of six players hoping to finally propel themselves into international cricket through a Zimbabwe ‘A’ side named on Wednesday to play touring English county team Durham.
Durham are returning to the African country for yet another pre-season tour and will take on the second-string Zimbabwe side in two three-day matches, with the first one beginning Thursday in Harare. They will then play six T20 games against domestic sides to fine-tune for the new English season.
26-year-old Southern Rocks batsman Campbell, son of former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell, is one of six players in the Zimbabwe ‘A’ squad pushing hard for international call-ups.
Ali Hamid bats for Tuskers in the just-ended first-class season.
Matabeleland Tuskers’ Hamid and Welch of Mashonaland Eagles are also batsmen. Alongside Campbell, the talented batters have been included after impressing with a glut of runs in the just-ended Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s premier first-class competition.
Matt Welch was in top form for Mash Eagles in the Logan Cup.
Nkosana Mpofu, Takudzwa Chataira, and Cuthbert Musoko are the other non-internationals in the squad.
Meanwhile, veteran bowler Donald Tiripano will try to reclaim his national team place after he was also named in the ‘A’ side, the most experienced player in the 15-member group.
ZIMBABWE ‘A’ SQUAD
Ali Hamid, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Takudzwa Chataira, Roy Kaia, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Nkosana Mpofu, Tapiwa Mufudza, Cuthbert Musoko, Ainsley Ndlovu, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano, Matt Welch.
