Ex-England Batter Gary Ballance In Zimbabwe Squad For Windies Tests

Former England batsman Gary Ballance was included on Tuesday in a 16-man Zimbabwe squad for a two-Test series against the West Indies.

Harare-born Ballance played 23 Tests and 16 one-day internationals for his adopted country during the last decade.

Under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules a player can switch from one full member nation to another after a three-year stand-down period, which the 33-year-old has served.

Ballance was released by English county Yorkshire last year after admitting he used racist language against former teammate Azeem Rafiq, and signed a two-year contract with Zimbabwe.

Revelations by Rafiq, who was born in Pakistan, of institutional racism triggered wholesale changes at Yorkshire.

Ballance debuted for Zimbabwe this month in a Twenty20 international against Ireland in Harare, scoring 30, but missed the other two due to concussion.

He then made 23 and top scored with 52 in two ODIs against the Irish before the series decider was washed out.

Star white-ball batter Sikandar Raza will miss the series, starting on Saturday in Bulawayo, as he is playing franchise cricket in the United Arab Emirates.

Ryan Burl, potentially highly effective both with bat and ball, also misses out as he is fulfilling franchise commitments in Bangladesh.

A fractured finger sidelines regular Test captain and all-rounder Sean Williams so white-ball skipper Craig Ervine stands in.

Pacemen Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani will be absent due to thigh injuries as Zimbabwe seek a first Test win over the West Indies after three draws and seven losses.

Squad

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Gary Ballance, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Tanaka Chivanga, Craig Ervine (capt), Brad Evans, Joylord Gumbie, Innocent Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Wellington Masakadza, Kudzai Maunze, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano, Tafadzwa Tsiga