Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput has welcomed the return of senior players to the national team as he prepares to take the side on away tours to South Africa and Bangladesh in the coming months. Former India international Rajput was announced as the permanent head coach of the side yesterday having previously held the role in a caretaker capacity.
During that period, he had to make do with a depleted squad in a 5-0 home one day international series whitewash by Pakistan last month. Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 67 in the third ODI and averaged only 151 runs with the bat in five completed innings in the series, having also been well beaten in a triangular involving Australia before that.
“To have a full squad will be excellent. They (senior players) will bring additional strength and confidence to the team. The likes of Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine — their coming back means a great deal,” Rajput said in a media release from Zimbabwe cricket. The players had made themselves unavailable for selection in a protest over unpaid salaries, but the International Cricket Council has since stepped in to help the stricken union meet its outstanding debts. “My aim is to build a stronger team and take Zimbabwe cricket to the next level and that is my biggest challenge,” Rajput added.
“I would like the team to play positive cricket, play hard and play to win. Hard work, team work, consistency, discipline and maintaining fitness levels would be my main focus areas.”
Zimbabwe will play three ODIs and three Twenty20 matches in South Africa starting on Sept. 30, before a further three ODIs in Bangladesh in October. “South Africa and Bangladesh are among the toughest tours,” Rajput added.
“But I think tough tours make you and the players even tougher. So with my experience I will make the players tough and to perform better in tough conditions. We have a two-month camp and one month is already gone, and we have really worked hard on our fitness. We have also worked hard on our skills — batting, bowling and fielding skills. That is the biggest challenge and I think we can make a difference in that. I am very excited to get on the road with this team.” 


Root, Buttler sign up to Big Bash with Sydney Thunder
England’s Test captain Joe Root and vice-captain Jos Buttler have agreed a deal to play for Sydney Thunder in the first half of the 2018-19 Big Bash League. Both players will be available for seven games that fall between England’s winter tours to Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Root went unsold in the lucrative Indian Premier League auction in January and has played just 12 T20 matches since England’s defeat by West Indies in the World T20 final in April 2016 due to a combination of his Test commitments and poor form.
By contrast, Buttler is one of most in demand players in the world in the short form of the game and is fresh from hitting his first Test century in England’s third test defeat to India. Buttler starred for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL this year and returns to Sydney Thunder after scoring 202 runs in six innings during last year’s Big Bash.


Final Ireland-Afghanistan 
T20 abandoned
The final Twenty20 international between Ireland and Afghanistan yesterday was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield.  Heavy overnight rain saturated the ground at Bready Cricket Club, near Belfast, and that led the umpires to call off the match before the toss was due to take place.
Afghanistan had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after wins by 16 runs and 81 runs on Monday and Wednesday respectively. The teams, now both full Test nations, will meet again in a three-match one-day international series in Belfast next week.