…as strike bowler suffers ankle injury
Zimbabwe has been dealt a major blow ahead of their two-Test series against New Zealand with fast bowler Tendai Chatara being ruled out of both games with an ankle injury.
Chatara is the second seamer to miss out after Tinashe Panyangara failed to recover from a back problem in time for the Tests and Michael Chinouya has been called up as a replacement.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Communications Manager Darlington Majonga confirmed the development and said the injury is a recurrence one as he has suffered the same problem in the past.
“Chatara sustained the injury, a recurrence of a prior problem, during the three-day warm-up game between Zimbabwe A and New Zealand.
“He did not participate any further in the match and received treatment and strapping on the ankle, but with no improvement in his condition, and Mike Chinouya has been roped in a replacement,” Majonga said.
Instead of looking to the members of the A side, who included the more experienced Shingirai Masakadza, Zimbabwe has opted for uncapped seamer Chinouya.
With 166 first-class wickets to his name from 65 matches, Chinouya has played more matches than other members of the A side such as Tatenda Mupunga who has 19 matches under his belt, Victor Nyauchi who has played 12matches and Gerald Aliseni who has only been capped five times and has not played any recognized cricket since February.
More worryingly, Chatara’s injury has robbed Zimbabwe of all experience in their seam attack. Njabulo Ncube and Donald Tiripano have only played a Test match each and Taurai Muzarabani, who replaced Panyangara, is uncapped in the longest format.
Zimbabwe could also have a problem at the other end of their line-up. Opening batsman Tino Mawoyo was also injured in the A game after being hit on the hand by Tim Southee.
Majonga said “Mawoyo had to retire hurt after facing four balls in the first innings and did not bat in the second. He went for an x-ray which showed no fracture, so he will travel to Bulawayo but will continue to be monitored by the national physiotherapist ahead of the first Test, which starts on July 28,”
Should Mawoyo not be available, Zimbabwe have Brian Chari and Prince Masvaure to open in their squad but may recall Vusi Sibanda, who was dropped for this series. The other potential opener, Nkosana Mpofu, who played the tour game, also hurt his knee against the New Zealanders, but he was able to bat again.
