In June 1996 John Hampshire's contract as Zimbabwe`s national cricket coach was terminated.Zimbabwe’s poor showing in the 1996 Wills World Cup brought to an end his four-year stint, although the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) had not yet decided on his successor. He was eventually replaced by Dave Houghton, who was to take the joint responsibility of player-coach.
Australia turned down an offer to play a Test series in Sri Lanka before the four-nation Singer one-day tournament due to the security situation, so the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka turned to Zimbabwe. They were unable to come before the Singer World Series because leadingplayers were already contracted to play in league cricket in England. Further, because of the short space of time before they would be undertaking a three-Test tour to Pakistan in October, it had to be for just two Tests with no side games involved.The Zimbabwe Cricket Union requested to play all their matches in Colombo for security reasons.
Andy Flower, who had borne the triple burden of captain, wicket-keeper and leading batsman, resigned the captaincy when his form began to suffer after the World Cup. Alistair Campbell was appointed to lead the tour of Sri Lanka, just before his 24th birthday.Unfortunately, he found himself up against Sri Lanka’s formidable captain Arjuna Ranatunga and suffered Zimbabwe's two worst defeats to date. Campbell said: “We were totally underprepared for this tour and we did not have any warm-up games before the Test matches but that's not really an excuse."
Campbell and Olonga were swept out to sea while swimming and had to be rescued by lifeguards.
Middle order batsmen:Mark Dekker, Craig Evans, Guy Whittall, Craig Wishart, Ali Shah
Wicket-keeper:Andy Flower, Wayne James
Fast bowlersEddo Brandes, Henry Olonga, Heath Streak, Bryan Strang.
Spin bowlers: Andy Whittall,Paul Strang.
A D R Campbell
Msh
23
LHB openercaptain
ODI
E A Brandes
Msh
33
RFM
ODI
M H Dekker
Mat
26
LHB
ODI
C N Evans
Msh
26
RHBRM
ODI
A Flower
Msh
28
LHB WKvice-captain
ODI
G W Flower
Msh
25
RHB openerSLA
ODI
W R James
Mat
31
WK
ODI
H K Olonga
Mat
20
RF
ODI
A H Omar Shah
Msh
37
LHB
ODI
B C Strang
Msh
24
LM
ODI
P A Strang
Msh
26
LBG
ODI
H H Streak
Mat
22
RHBRFM
ODI
A R Whittall
Mat
23
OB
ODI
G J Whittall
Mat
24
RHB
ODI
C B Wishart
Mat
22
RHB
ODI
District representation
MshMashonaland (8)
MatMatabeleland (7)
CDCountry Districts (0)
Average age of team at time of first Test match
(11 September 1996)
26 yrs5 m
ODI:Member of the squad forone-day internationals.
Key to type:
RHB Right-handed bat
RMRight arm medium-paced bowler
RFMRight-arm fast medium
OBOff break
WKWicket-keeper
Test Appearances made before the tour
Campbell 16, A Flower 16, G Flower 16, Streak 12, G Whittall 12, Dekker 9, Brandes 8, P Strang 7, B Strang 5, James 4, Olonga 2, Shah 2, Wishart 2, Evans 0, A Whittall 0.
Tour Officials
Denis H Streak
Team manager
Malcolm P Jarvis
Assistant manager and acting coach
Amato Machikicho
Physiotherapist
Zimbabwe were without a full-time coach in the absence of Houghton so the original choice as manager, Malcolm Jarvis, took that role.
Selectors
John Traicos (convenor), ………
Selection
Unavailable:Dave Houghton.He missed his first Test matches for Zimbabwe because the two in Sri Lanka coincided with his coaching duties at Worcestershire at the end of the English county season in 1996.
Eddo Brandes was expected to be unavailable through injury at first.
On 3 July 1996 Andy Flower resigned the captaincy.Owing to Dave Houghton's unavailability until the home series against England, Andy Waller, another experienced player, was expected to be appointed as caretaker captain, but the ZCU asked Alistair Campbell to take on the responsibility. Waller was again unavailable for business reasons (his farm in Centenary)
Tour Party Announced13 August 1996.
Ali Shah (Omarshah) returned to the side after nearly four years out of Test cricket. Two other ‘veterans’ were called up: Dekker and James.
Two players would join the touring group after the one-day internationals: Andy Whittall, cousin of Guy, was picked on his record playing for Cambridge University and had not yet appeared in a first-class match in Zimbabwe, but he arrived in time to play in the third ODI.
Mbangwa and Charlie Lock ???
Time between selection and departure from Zimbabwe
6 days
(13 August-19 August)
Travel
HarareQColombo
The team left Harare on Monday 19 August and arrived in the early hours of 21 August1996.Later that day they had fielding practice at Premadasa Stadium, and next day played a club side
Andy Flower played in a warm-up match for the World XI on 24 August.
Time spent in Sri Lanka
x days
(21 August - 23? September)
On-tour selection panel
Reinforcements
Eddo Brandes had to return urgently to his poultry farm in Ruwa arriving home on approx 5 September. There was no replacement and the team got by with the remaining 14 players.
Fixtures/Results
a
ϯColombo22 Aug
club side(limited overs)
- ?
b
§ Colombo (RPS)
Australia (1st ODI)
Lost 125 r
c
§ Colombo(SSC)
India (2nd ODI)
Lost 7 w
d
§ Colombo(SSC)
Sri Lanka (3rd ODI)
Lost 6 w
e
COLOMBO (RPS)
SRI LANKAFirst Test
LOST inns 77 r
f
COLOMBO(SSC)
SRI LANKASecond Test
LOST 10 w
RPSR Premadasa Stadium;SSC Sinhalese Sports Club
§ODImatches (Singer World Series Cup)
ϯ not first-class
.
Time spent in Sri Lanka before First Test:
21 days
(21 August-11 September)
Test appearances on tour
2-Campbell, Dekker, A Flower, GW Flower, Olonga, P Strang, AR Whittall, G Whittall, Wishart.
1 -Evans, Shah, Streak, B C Strang.
0-Brandes.
Match appearances
a
b
c
d
e
f
E A Brandes
o
ADR Campbell
o
o
o
T
T
M H Dekker
o
o
T
T
C N Evans
o
o
o
T
A Flower
o
o
o
T
T
G W Flower
o
o
o
T
T
W R James
o
H K Olonga
o
T
T
A H Omar Shah
o
o
T
B C Strang
o
T
P A Strang
o
o
o
T
T
H H Streak
o
o
o
T
A R Whittall
o
T
T
G J Whittall
o
o
o
T
T
C B Wishart
o
o
o
T
T
Highlights
•In the first Test at ColomboPaul Strang took five wickets for 106 runs.
•Ali Shah defied Sri Lanka with a maiden half century.
Tour Summary
P
W
L
D
Aban
Test Matches
2
0
2
0
-
Other first-class matches
-
-
-
-
-
ϯ Minor matches
-
-
-
-
-
§ One-day internationals
3
0
3
0
-
All Matches
5
0
5
0
-
Return to Zimbabwe
ColomboQHarare
Eddo Brandes returned home on 5 September.
The touring party arrived back in Harare on Tuesday 24 September.
Time away from Zimbabwe
36 days
(19 August-24 September)
Finances
Accounts of the tour
Postscript
The team was due to depart again for Pakistan on 7 October so the players had a very short period of time at home.