LEICESTER: Zimbabwe’s men’s national cricket team has officially begun preparations in England ahead of their historic Test match against England, set to take place from 22–25 May at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
The squad held its first training session on Monday at the Uptonsteel County Ground in Leicester, their temporary base for the initial leg of the tour. This one-off Test marks Zimbabwe’s return to the red-ball format on English soil for the first time in over 20 years.
Warm-up match to fine-tune readiness
Zimbabwe will fine-tune their preparations with a four-day warm-up match against a First-Class Counties XI from 15–18 May in Leicester. The match is a key part of a 10-day preparation window leading up to the landmark Nottingham Test.
Head Coach Justin Sammons praised the team’s positive energy and sharpness during the opening session:
“Good day. Obviously, we had a long journey from Harare to Leicestershire. So, you know, Sunday was a day off in terms of our recovery — Curtly (Diesel, the strength and conditioning coach) had the guys switched on to that,” Sammons said.
“And then today was our first session out in the field and in the nets. I think it was excellent. Just a nice technical session. Guys are ticking their boxes there. So, yeah, happy with the way it went.”
Zimbabwe embraces the challenge of Test cricket in England
Sammons emphasized how the prestige of playing Test cricket in England is energizing the players:
“They’ve 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. So, you know, I think it’s just naturally energising the group, and they are super excited to get going.”
Following a 1-1 series draw against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe is rebuilding its red-ball programme with renewed purpose. Sammons sees this tour as a major benchmark:
“It’s why you play the game. You want to play against the best and, obviously, England are one of the best Test teams in the world. It really gives us a gauge as to where we are and what we need to do moving forward.”
“The guys have a real belief that they belong, and I’m looking forward to seeing them go out there with their chests puffed out and walking out there like they do belong in the space.”
Full build-up before Nottingham Test
With over a week of preparation ahead, Sammons is confident the team will be ready for the challenge:
“I think our preparation is excellent. We’ve got 10 days ahead of us of good prep. So, yeah, I don’t think we could ask for anything more than that. It’s great to get a warm-up game, which is exciting. And then, obviously, as we head into Nottingham, a couple more practices there.”
Zimbabwe to face South Africa after England Test
After the Nottingham Test, Zimbabwe will face South Africa in a four-day match from 3–6 June in Arundel. The fixture serves as vital preparation for the Proteas ahead of their ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord’s from 11–15 June.
