Zimbabwe name strong A team

Zimbabwe have announced a strong A side to face New Zealand in the two-day warm-up match at the Bulawayo Athletic Club, which starts on October 28. All but one of the group have international experience, with seamer Mike Chinouya the only player not to have represented the national side.

Chinouya has, however, been picked twice for Zimbabwe A and played in one of the four-day matches against the visiting New Zealand A side in October last year. He picked up four wickets in the match and played against the likes of Martin Guptill, Dean Brownlie, Chris Martin and Graeme Aldridge, who are all in New Zealand's Test squad.

Tino Mawoyo will captain the Zimbabweans, and the match will allow several players likely to be included in the Test side with a valuable warm-up. It will also provide seamers Chinouya, Ed Rainsford, Njabulo Ncube and Shingirai Masakadza - who has not played for Zimbabwe since the World Cup in India - with a chance to push for selection.

Zimbabwe A squad Tinotenda Mawoyo (Capt), Elton Chigumbura, Mike Chinouya, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Natsai Mushangwe, Forster Mutizwa, Njabulo Ncube, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Malcolm Waller.