Story by ZBC Reporter
ZIMBABWE held their first training session in Leicester on Monday after arriving in England for a historic Test match against the hosts, scheduled to take place at Trent Bridge in Nottingham from May 22 to May 25.
The one-off fixture marks Zimbabwe’s return to the longest format of the game on English soil for the first time in over two decades, signalling a major milestone in the nation’s red-ball cricket revival.
In preparation for the encounter, Zimbabwe will play a four-day warm-up match against a First-Class Counties XI from the 15th to the 18th of May at the Uptonsteel County Ground in Leicester.
Zimbabwe Head Coach, Justin Sammons, confirmed that the players were in high spirits after their initial training session at the temporary base.
Despite the challenges posed by lengthy travel and unfamiliar English conditions, Sammons stated that the team is embracing the opportunity to compete on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.
“They have got great energy. The group is really excited. I mean, I don’t think you can get anything better than coming and playing Test cricket in England,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s return to England comes at a critical time, as the team intensifies efforts to rebuild its red-ball cricket credentials, following a closely contested one-all Test series draw against Bangladesh.
