Vusi Sibanda: out of Africa ... for the first time

Vusi Sibanda, the youngest and least experienced of the Zimbabwean tourists, had never been out of Southern Africa before. Apart from his homeland, he has only visited South Africa and Zambia in the past.

It was no doubt to everyone else's surprise as well as his own that he was chosen to tour England this year with the national team. After all, in 20 innings he has only one first-class fifty to his name, but his natural timing of the ball indicates a player of great natural ability.

Vusi appears to have taken the new experience in his stride, confessing to few preconceived ideas about England and few surprises. "I was definitely expecting something different [from Zimbabwe]," he says. "The environment is totally different. But nothing surprised me, because I know from back home that England is a well-developed country and it's well-organised. We don't have facilities like they do." When pressed, he mentions 'the way it is built' as the most significant difference he has noted.

"On the cricket side, their grounds are very nice and well organised, from what I've seen so far," he continues. "We're quite used to hot weather in Zimbabwe, but here, one minute it's hot, the other it's cold, and then it's raining. It's very unpredictable."

He laughs, and admits his first introduction to the English weather was 'quite shocking'. "It was raining and it was very cold, four degrees! As we drove off from the airport, it was green all over, since it was wet."

The Zimbabwe team travelled to the Crown Plaza in London before leaving in the team coach for Birmingham, where they played their first match against the British Universities. As far as he was aware, none of the English cricket officials had yet met the Zimbabwe team.

So far, Vusi's cricket had been limited to net sessions, without even a middle-wicket practice. He did not play in the Universities match, and neither has he been selected for the second match, against Worcestershire. However, he did not anticipate any problems in coming to terms with English conditions.

"The wickets are slower than the ones in Zimbabwe and they're very grassy," he says. "You don't really need to change your game but just get used to the slower pitches and they don't bounce as much. These are wickets where you need to work very hard. In Zimbabwe they're harder. But it's not going to affect anything and I'll just take it normally for myself and show that I'm a man."

"I hope I'll have a very good tour," he adds. "I'm expecting to go back home knowing the team has done very well and that I've done well for my country as well - since I'm very proud to represent my country. Since it's my first tour and I'm the youngest in the side, I'm sure I'll learn from it."

Vusi is also a useful medium-pace bowler, but may well not get his hands on the ball very often with so many in the team who can bowl. He does not anticipate having to make any changes to his bowling approach in English conditions.

Vusi's selection was widely criticised in Zimbabwe, as he has so little by way of performance at first-class level to recommend him. But all those with the good of Zimbabwe cricket at heart will he hoping this tour will be the making of him.

He is on a steep learning curve, but he has the ability to succeed. This tour will test his mental approach and his ability to learn, a prerequisite for that success.