Australia Academy set to tour Zimbabwe

An Australian side will play in Zimbabwe for the first time since the farcical tour of 2004, with the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence squad leaving for a tour of southern Africa on Wednesday. The senior squad's controversial trip to Zimbabwe two years ago began with protests over the country's human rights record - Stuart MacGill refused to go on moral grounds - and descended further into chaos when the Test series was cancelled due to local player disputes.

While the New Zealand government refused to let Zimbabwe tour last December, Australia have maintained their playing commitments since the country was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002. Zimbabwe officials hope to regain their Test status in 2007 and the national side will host three matches against the Academy in preparation for the World Cup.

The squad will travel with a security guard and Tim Nielsen, the Academy coach who has been to Zimbabwe three times, said pre-tour reports had satisfied any safety concerns. "Politically it's not my place to say, I'm going there to play cricket under the ICC set-up," Nielsen said. "The only reason we wouldn't tour was if there was a safety issue. We're going there to play good cricket against their national teams as part of the ICC family. As long as we're safe and secure we're happy to help out."

When asked whether he had any worries over touring, the well-travelled fast bowler Brett Dorey said "not really". "I just want to go and play cricket," he said. "Shaun Marsh is one of my mates and his dad Geoff was a former coach of Zimbabwe. Apparently it's a beautiful country and it will be good to see it and play cricket against their national team."

The four-week tour begins in South Africa, where the squad will play a four-day game and two one-day matches against the host's academy, and will also include three limited-overs contests against Zimbabwe and Kenya. "You can't get a better opportunity for young players than to play against international teams," Nielsen said. "If these guys go on to play international cricket there in the future, it won't be the first time they've been there, so it's a positive."

Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger and Beau Casson were ruled out of the tour by injury and the bowlers Brendan Drew and Grant Sullivan were added to the 14-man squad. However, the outfit is still a strong one with Dorey, Marsh, Cullen Bailey and Ben Hilfenhaus gaining Australia A experience in last month's Top End Series.

Squad Cullen Bailey (SA), George Bailey (Tas), Adam Crosthwaite (Vic, wk), Daniel Doran (Qld), Brett Dorey (WA), Brendan Drew (Tas), Ben Edmonson (WA), Callum Ferguson (SA), Aaron Finch (Vic), Ben Hilfenhaus (Tas), Shaun Marsh (WA), Tim Paine (Tas, wk), Grant Sullivan (Qld), Adam Voges (WA). Tim Nielsen (coach), Brian McFadyen (assistant coach), Kevin Sims (physiotherapist).