Zimbabwe short of spin as they prepare to face Australia

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union announced on 6 October the names of twelve players from whom the team to play Australia will be selected. The one-off Test match begins next week, on Thursday 14 October at Harare Sports Club.

The players are as follows, in probable batting order: Gavin Rennie, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (vice-captain), Alistair Campbell (captain), Neil Johnson, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak, Bryan Strang, David Mutendera, Andrew Whittall and Henry Olonga. Malcolm Jarvis and Dave Houghton are manager and coach respectively.

The new face is the 20-year-old pace bowler David Mutendera, who recently made his one-day international debut in the quadrangular tournament in Kenya, but without success. A tall, strongly-built young man, his stock delivery is the off-cutter and his main asset the amount of lift he can extract from the pitch with his height. He is also a capable batsman. He plays for Universals Sports Club in Harare and is also a member of the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy. He is the most likely candidate for twelfth man, although he may well play if Heath Streak, recovering from a knee operation, has any problems. But probably he selectors' main intention is to give him experience of the atmosphere at present.

Left-arm seamer Bryan Strang returns to the team after a long spell on the sidelines. He is also showing increasing ability with the bat, especially in a tight situation. The surprise omission is that of the accurate seamer Pommie Mbangwa, who played such a vital role as back-up for Streak and Henry Olonga in Zimbabwe's two Test victories last season.

The sole spinner is Andrew Whittall, and the emphasis has suddenly shifted in favour of pace in the Zimbabwe attack. Paul Strang, out of form and confidence with bat and ball, has been dropped, while Adam Huckle has withdrawn from cricket this season in favour of farming. Whittall's main role has been a constraining one in one-day cricket; he has taken only six wickets in nine Tests at an average of over 100, and it is hardly likely that the Harare Sports Club pitch will give any help to spinners with the presence of Shane Warne in the opposition. Suddenly Zimbabwe have found themselves very short in the spin bowling department. Grant Flower may perhaps also be called upon to use his left-arm spin more regularly in the present situation.

Streak and Olonga will play a crucial role in Zimbabwe's hopes, as there is not too much depth now. Neil Johnson is still hampered by niggling injuries and has not bowled very well so far this season, although Guy Whittall's nippy seamers have proved useful. With either Strang or Mutendera in the team, Zimbabwe do have five pace bowlers in their attack.

The batting is strong on paper, with Guy Whittall, who has a Test double-century to his credit, going in at number seven. Gavin Rennie is a natural choice as Grant Flower's opening partner, and he has shown good form this season. Not generally considered a one-day player, he did well when given a chance in the middle order in Kenya. But the one-day tournaments also included an alarming number of middle-order collapses, and Zimbabwe will need every batsman to play his part against the powerful Australian attack.

The Australians will have been sorely stung by their defeat in Sri Lanka and will doubtless be at their meanest against Zimbabwe. The home side faces a steep learning curve, but they have never yet been completely outclassed at home.

The squad for the ZCU President's XI to play the Australians in their three-day warm-up match, beginning at Queens Sports Club on Saturday 9 October, is as follows:

Eddo Brandes (captain), John Rennie (vice-captain), Trevor Gripper, Mark Vermeulen, Trevor Madondo, Douglas Marillier, Dirk Viljoen, Bruce Moore-Gordon, Raymond Price, Greg Lamb, Everton Matambanadzo and Ross Craig.