/ 23 March 2009

SA to join India in Zimbabwe cricket series

South Africa will be the third side in a tri-series in Zimbabwe in July involving the hosts and India, said the Board of Cricket Control in India.

South Africa will be the third side in a tri-series in Zimbabwe in July involving the hosts and India, the Board of Cricket Control in India has revealed.

Last month Zimbabwe Cricket announced that India would fill the void left by New Zealand’s decision to cancel a tour to Zimbabwe in July, although it was initially announced Kenya would likely be the third team in the tri-series.

”After the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, the Indian team will play four one-day internationals in the West Indies after which, the team will tour Zimbabwe for a tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) has allowed Zimbabwe Cricket to send its national team coach Walter Chawaguta as an observer during Australia’s ODI series with Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from April 20 to May 4.

Chawaguta will work with Australia coach Tim Nielsen during the tour.

”Zimbabwe Cricket is very grateful for all the assistance and cooperation we are getting from CA,” ZC managing director Ozias Bvute said in a statement. ”We believe that Walter will benefit immensely from this exposure and will return to impart the knowledge he gains from Nielsen to his fellow coaches and the players.”

It will be the second time that Chawaguta has been on the CA-ZC Education Programme. Last year, he spent five weeks at the CA Centre of Excellence in Brisbane together with Zimbabwe under-19 coach Shepherd Makunura. — Sapa-AP