ext month.
His club has agreed to release Williams for the duration of the Bangladesh matches and Zimbabwe Cricket are paying for his flights.
Williams, who bats in the middle order and bowls left-arm spin, reportedly turned down a contract offer from Zimbabwe Cricket in March as he sought a career abroad, but it seems the prospect of playing at the World Cup persuaded him to change his mind.
Cricinfo reports that his father Colin is angry that his son has decided to return and play for Zimbabwe. The senior Williams has always been critical of the ZC leadership andcame close to pulling his son out of Zimbabwe team for the Under-19 World
Cup held in Sri Lanka in February this year.
Curran is understood to have approached a number of players who have turned their backs on Zimbabwe in recent times with the view of bolstering his squad ahead of the Champions Trophy set for India in October and next year’s World Cup in the Caribbean.
He is currently in England to meet with a number of former players who prematurely retired from international cricket in protest against the Chingoka-led administration. His targets are believed to include former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, all-rounder Gavin Ewing, and former Zimbabwe U-19 allrounder Colin De Grandhomme. – Sports reporter
Pacemen hit the headlines
BY JOHN HUGHES
LONDON – Zaheer Abbas led the way as four pace bowlers hit the headlines in the latest round of County Championship matches. Worcestershire’s Pakistan ace ripped out the first nine wickets as Essex crashed to a nine-wicket defeat at Chelmsford. Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman, scored 0 and 5 for Essex.
Nottinghamshire’s Charlie Shreck, the Cornishman who missed last season through injury, returned remarkable figures of 8-31 as Middlesex were shot out for 49 and beaten by an innings and 33 runs at Nottingham. And Matt Nicholson, Northants’ Australian paceman, took 6-23 as Glamorgan were skittled for 56 to be beaten by 168 runs at Northampton.
But Steve Kirby, the Gloucestershire strike bowler, was ordered out of the attack by umpire Neil Mallender after hitting Andy Gray, the Derbyshire tailender, on the chest with a beamer. But Derbyshire, coached by ex-Zimbabwe captain Dave Houghton, held on for a draw.
In the C&G Trophy, Callum Thorp claimed 6-17 to keep alive Durham’s dream of meeting Sussex, the Southern section champions, in the final at Lord’s on August 26. Durham beat Scotland by five wickets in Edinburgh and are now joint top of the Northern section with Lancashire going into the final qualifying matches this Sunday. Durham are away to Derbyshire, while Lancashire visit Warwickshire.
Meanwhile, Somerset were pipped by three runs by Middlesex at Bath, James Benning’s unbeaten 189 was in vain as Surrey went down by two runs to Gloucestershire at Bristol and Derbyshire were squeezed out by one run at Northampton after losing two wickets off the last two balls in a frantic finish.