Brian Strang leaves for South Africa as Olonga recovers

Bryan Strang, who left Zimbabwe cricket at the beginning of the year, discouraged at selection policy, is working in Johannesburg and is now a South African citizen. He will be attending trials for the provincial team Easterns.

His brother Paul has been playing for Wallasey, a top club in the Liverpool and District league. He intends to return to Zimbabwe later in September and make himself available for all classes of cricket. He has been scoring well with the bat, but further injury has persuaded him to give up his leg-spinners and revert to seam bowling instead. With injury a regular problem, his leg-spinning days may well be over, but he still has much to offer in other areas.

A calf injury has ruled Henry Olonga out of the ICC Champions Trophy. The injury-prone Olonga is feeling despondent about his continued problems, but at the age of 26 he still has the ability to become Zimbabwe's main shock bowler, as the odd spell of genuine pace last season proved. Many are writing him off through frustration, but don't do that yet.