Cricket: Emburey's side face test of experience

JOHN EMBUREY, the England A coach, will forgive his inexperienced side for suffering from pre-Test nerves as they face up to Zimbabwe in Harare tomorrow.

Only Andy Flintoff has appeared in a senior international, so Emburey anticipates a few butterflies in the stomachs of his younger players ahead of the first unofficial Test.

"I think they will feel the pressures of playing in an international match," he said. "Obviously they're chuffed to get selected for the tour but, once it comes to that first match, there's a sense of nervousness which is quite nice."

Heavy rain yesterday is not expected to prevent the five-day match going ahead, despite cutting short the tourists' practice session at the Alexandra Sports Club yesterday.

Darren Thomas and Melvyn Betts will lead the attack. The Yorkshire pace bowler Paul Hutchison is returning home for treatment on his back injury, while Durham's Steve Harmison (sore shins) and Sussex bowler Jason Lewry (knee) are unlikely to be risked until fully recovered. Dean Cosker and Graeme Swann will provide a contrasting spin attack.

Zimbabwe's A side are coached by Warwickshire's Zimbabwe-born batsman, Trevor Penney, and will be led by the former Cambridge University captain Andy Whittall.