Carlisle leads Zimbabwe A

Stuart Carlisle has been named captain of Zimbabwe A for the visit of their Pakistan counterparts. The selectors have named a 15-man squad for the four-day matches and a 14-man squad of the one-day games that follow.

The squads include a number of Zimbabwean Test players including Brendan Taylor and Stuart Matsikenyeri, who both struggled against South Africa, and are given an opportunity to hone their skills. Graeme Cremer, the legspinner who came in for some fierce punishment at the hands of Jacques Kallis, will also face the less daunting prospect of Pakistan's second string.

Taylor will share the wicketkeeping duties with Charles Coventry after Tatenda Taibu was not considered for selection to allow him a rest. Macsood Ebrahim, the convenor of selectors, said: "We are going to select the teams on a rotational basis because we want each player in either squad to play at least one game."

The tour runs from May 6-23 with two four-day games at the CFX Academy and Harare, followed by three one-day matches.

Four-Day squad Stuart Carlisle (capt), Blessing Mahwire, Brendan Taylor, Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Sean Williams, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Tawanda Mupariwa, Graeme Cremer, Allan Mwayenga, Trevor Gripper, Neil Ferreira, Keith Dabengwa, Anthony Ireland, Charles Coventry.

One-Day squad Stuart Carlisle (capt), Blessing Mahwire, Keith Dabengwa, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Brendan Taylor, Mark Vermeulen, Douglas Marillier, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Sean Williams, Tawanda Mupariwa, Anthony Ireland, Ian Nicholson, Gavin Ewing, Charles Coventry.