Zimbabwe back in Test fold

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):

Zimbabwe will play their first Test match in six years starting tomorrow, with former captain Tatenda Taibu conceding that many of the problems that led to the team's voluntary withdrawal from the five-day game still persist.

A boycott by senior players following a dispute with the board prompted Zimbabwe to begin a self-imposed exile from the Test arena in 2005, and Taibu says the rifts remain.

"I don't think much has changed,'' Taibu told the Associated Press. "There are issues that the board is still in disagreement with the players. But I've learnt to accept that you cannot have things working perfectly.

"If you look all over the world, one thing that comes out clear is that the board and players don't get along. There were issues recently in Pakistan, there were issues in Australia, and there were issues in Sri Lanka. So really, it comes down to understanding that it's always going to be that way. Both parties have to find a common denominator, and that denominator is cricket.''

Taibu is one of the most experienced players in a 14-man squad for the one-off match against Ban-gladesh that includes six players who could make their Test debut. Brendan Taylor has been named captain at the Harare Sports Club.

Zimbabwe are then due to play Pakistan in September and New Zealand in October or November.

'It was bad'

Grant Flower ended his international career on 67 Tests following the dispute with the board, but has now joined a coaching team led by Englishman Alan Butcher and also including former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak.

"It was bad,'' Flower said of the dispute. "Everyone went their own way. Some of us have now gone back to work, and we are enjoying our work. I don't want to dwell on the past that much, it serves no purpose.''

Zimbabwe played two four-day matches against an Australia 'A' side in order to prepare for their return. They lost the first match by seven wickets and the second by an innings and 18 runs.

Bangladesh's preparation hasn't gone smoothly either. They played a Zimbabwe XI in a three-day match ending Monday - and surprisingly lost by four wickets.

Bangladesh coach Stuart Law said he expected the hosts to give his team stiff competition.

"Zimbabwe have been playing good one-day cricket,'' Law told The AP. "They are a tough team and blessed with individual skills in addition to some very good heads in their technical department, so we are not expecting them to be easy at all. No matter how long they have been out of Test cricket they always give us a good game and we are expecting a tough tour.''