Mar 3, 2007, 14:31 GMT
New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Fourteen of the 15 players in Zimbabwe's World Cup cricket squad have never played in the biggest tournament and the only one who has -- Stuart Matsikenyeri - appeared in only one match.
Zimbabwe's most experienced World Cup players is their coach Kevin Curran, who played all 11 one-day internationals in the 1983 World Cup in England.
The 16-nation World Cup starts in the West Indies March 11.
Zimbabwe is one of the weakest teams, thanks to the political turmoil in the African country that has badly affected cricket administration too. Players' contracts with their board have been the cause of a big controversy, with allegations of racial bias thrown in.
All this has affected the national team, which has lost all the experienced players because of the contracts controversy. As a result, a weak Zimbabwe team has lost 15 of their last 16 one-day internationals - an extremely poor record to go into a World Cup.
Zimbabwe is expected to badly struggle to enter the second round from Group D as they will confront hosts West Indies, Pakistan and qualifiers Ireland.
Two top teams from each of the four groups advance to the second round called Super Eights.
Following are the pen-sketches of the 15 players (statistics include their last one-day international against Bangladesh in Harare Feb 10):
Prosper Utseya (captain)
Born: March 26, 1985, Harare
Style: Right-handed batsman and off-spinner
ODI record: Matches: 59, Runs: 326, Average: 10.19, Highest score: 31, Overs: 505.1, Wickets: 37, Average: 54.08, Best bowling: 3/35, Catches: 18
World Cup record: None
Gary Bazil Brent
Born: January 13, 1976, Chinhoyi, Mashonaland
Style: Right-hand batsman and medium-fast bowler
ODI record: Matches: 57, Runs: 260, Average: 10.00, Highest score: 24, Overs: 451.1, Wickets: 64, Average: 34.25, Best bowling: 4/22, Catches: 16
Chamunorwa Justice 'Chamu' Chibhabha
Born: September 6, 1986, Masvingo
Style: Right-handed batsman and medium pacer
ODI record: Matches: 22, Runs: 609, Average: 27.68, Highest score: 67, 50s: 4, Overs: 43, Wickets: 4, Average: 72.75, Best bowling: 2/39, Catches: 8
Elton Chigumbura
Born: March 14, 1986, Kwekwe, Midlands
ODI record: Matches: 53, Runs: 1,060, Average: 25.24, Highest score: 77 not out, 50s: 6, Overs: 125.3, Wickets: 15, Average: 56.00, Best bowling: 3/37, Catches: 17
Keith Mbusi Dabengwa
Born: August 17, 1980, Bulawayo
Style: Left-hand batsman and left-arm spinner
ODI record: Matches: 12, Runs: 146, Average: 24.33, Highest score: 32, Overs: 52.3, Wickets: 7, Average: 38.29, Best bowling: 3/19, Catches: 6
Terry Duffin
Born: March 20, 1982, Kwekwe, Midlands
Style: Left-handed batsman and medium pacer
ODI record: Matches: 22, Runs: 534, Average: 24.27, Highest score: 88, 50s: 3, Catches: 6
Anthony Ireland
Born: August 30, 1984, Masvingo
ODI record: Matches: 25, Runs: 30, Average: 3.75, Highest score: 8 not out, Overs: 214, Wickets: 37, Average: 29.11, Best bowling: 3/41, Catch: 1
Friday Kasteni
Born: March 25, 1988, Kadoma
Style: Left-hand batsman and wicket-keeper
ODI record: Match: 1, Runs: 9, Average: 9.00, Highest score: 9
Stuart Matsikenyeri
Born May 3, 1983, Harare
ODI record: Matches: 60, Runs: 1,046, Average: 19.37, Highest score: 89, 50s: 4, Overs: 125, Wickets: 13, Average: 50.38, Best bowling: 2/33, Catches: 18
World Cup record: Match 1, Run: 1, Average: NA, Highest score: 1, Overs: 2, Best bowling: 0/13
Christopher Bobby Mpofu
Born: November 27, 1985, Plumtree, Matabeleland
Style: Right-hand batsman and medium pacer
ODI record: Matches: 18, Runs: 17, Average: 3.40, Highest score: 4, Overs: 138.1, Wickets: 21, Average: 33.71, Best bowling: 4/42, Catches: 2
Tawanda Mupariwa
Born: April 16, 1985, Bulawayo
ODI record: Matches: 19, Runs: 149, Average: 13.55, Highest score: 33, Overs: 170.3, Wickets: 33, Average: 26.21, Best bowling: 4/61, Catches: 5
Edward Rainsford
Born: December 14, 1984, Kadoma, Mashonaland
Style: Right-handed batsman and fast medium bowler
ODI record: Matches: 23, Runs: 37, Average: 5.29, Highest score: 9 not out, Overs: 196, Wickets: 23, Average: 38.13, Best bowling: 3/16, Catches: 4
Vusimuzi Sibanda
Born: October 10, 1983, Highfields, Harare
ODI record: Matches: 46, Runs: 1,008, Average: 23.44, Highest score: 116, 100s: 1, 50s: 7, Overs: 15, Wickets: 2, Average: 43.50, Best bowling: 1/12, Catches: 18
Brendan Taylor
Born: February 6, 1986, Harare
Style: Right-handed batsman, wicket-keeper and off-spinner
ODI record: Matches: 60, Runs: 1,514, Average: 28.04, Highest score: 98, 50s: 10, Overs: 35, Wickets: 8, Average: 28.00, Best bowling: 3/54, Catches: 36 (includes 7 as fielder), Stumpings: 11
Sean Colin Williams
Born: September 26, 1986, Bulawayo
ODI record: Matches: 13, Runs: 261, Average: 23.73, Highest score: 68, 50s: 3, Overs: 68.3, Wickets: 5, Average: 61.60, Best bowling: 3/23, Catches: 7
Kevin Curran (coach)
Born: September 17, 1959, Rusape, Manicaland
Style: Right-handed batsman and fast bowler
ODI record: Matches: 11, Runs: 287, Highest score: 73, Average: 26.09, 50s: 2, Overs: 84.2, Wickets: 9, Average: 44.22, Best bowling: 3/65, Catch: 1
World Cup record: Same as above
© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service
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