World Twenty20 team guide – Zimbabwe

The captain One of many Zimbabwean cricketers to have graduated from Chipembere Primary School, in the Harare township of Highfield, Prosper Utseya has captained the National side since 2006. Although he owed his original inclusion in the side to the withdrawal of several front-line players in 2004, Utseya has more than earned his rightful place in the side since. An economical bowler and a useful batsman, Utseya has 10 wickets in Twenty20 internationals. The coach The former Surrey and Glamorgan captain and opening batsman Alan Butcher was made Zimbabwe head coach in February. Butcher has enjoyed two coaching stints at Surrey but was sacked by the county in 2008 after they were relegated without a single win. Twenty20 International prowess Zimbabwe enter the World Twenty20 with a couple of good wins under their belts. Back in February they put the West Indies to the sword at Port of Spain, Vusi Sibanda helping to set them on their way with 95 runs. They continued their good form with a shock win against Australia, in a warm-up game this week, edging the Aussies out with a one-run victory. Best biffer Charles Coventry is a big-hitting right-handed batsman, who until recently held the record for the highest individual score in an ODI. He became Zimbabwe's youngest ever player when he made his debut for Matabeleland in 1998, at just 15 years and 303 days. To date Coventry has yet to appear for Zimbabwe in a full Twenty20 International but in 14 other Twenty20 matches, he has struck 228 runs, including 14 fours and 13 sixes. Best bowler The nephew of golfer Nick Price, Ray Price is aleft-arm spinner who uses guile rather than spin to beat opponents. In five Twenty20 appearances for Zimbabwe, Price has taken six wickets, the latest in their recent victory over the West Indies, with an economy of 3.50. The showman Northamptonshire's Elton Chigumbura is an ever important ingredient to Zimbabwean success. The all-rounder is a devastating middle-order batsman and struck 76 runs off just 35 balls in Zimbabwe's recent one-run triumph over Australia. Chigumbura is equally effective with the ball in hand, and is regarded as his country's leading paceman. Like his captain, Utseya, Chigumbara attended Chipembere Primary School and has since made more than 120 appearances for Zimbabwe in all forms of the game. Success depends on Butcher enjoying better luck than he did at Surrey. The slow Caribbean wickets will suit Zimbabwe's armoury of spinners and their performances will be key to Zimbabwean success. They have several big-hitters in their ranks and have a track record of surprising big teams. Squad Prosper Utseya (capt), Brendan Taylor, Charles Coventry, Andy Blignaut, Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu, Greg Lamb, Elton Chigumbura, Vusi Sibanda, Ray Price, Graeme Cremer, Chamu Chibhabha, Chris Mpofu, Timycen Maruma, Craig Ervine. Odds to win 150-1