15-man Zimbabwe A squad announced

After holding a week of trials Zimbabwe Cricket has announced a 15-man A side, led by Mluleki Nkala, to keep the senior team on their toes ahead of their return to Test cricket later this year.

The World Cup squad contained just one surprise: the inclusion of Friday Kasteni at the expense of Hamilton Masakadza who, unsurprisingly, features in the A squad. The side will play the national team on Thursday and Friday but otherwise have no formal playing programme.

Zimbabwe's return to Test cricket in November ought to provide the players an incentive to continue playing, following fears of a player exodus after the World Cup next month.

Meanwhile Mark Vermeulen has made a comeback to domestic cricket owing to relaxed bail conditions conditioned by William Bhila, the Harare provincial magistrate, which allows him to play at other venues outside the Harare Sports Club. Vermeulan was charged last year with two counts of arson after trying to torch the association's boardroom at the Harare in late October, before burning down the pavilion at the training academy the following day.

He scored 39 for his club, Old Hararians, in a league match at the weekend.

Zimbabwe A squad
Mluleki Nkala (capt), Eric Chauluka, Piet Rinke, Tinashe Hove, Hamilton Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Alester Maregwede, Tino Mawoyo, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Timycen Maruma, Prince Masvaure, Prosper Tsvanhu, Admire Manyumwa, Ryan Butterworth, Trevor Garwe