Gary Ballance to help Zimbabwe against England after joining backroom staff
Gary Ballance will emerge from the cricketing wilderness to be part of Zimbabwe's coaching team for their Test against England at Trent Bridge later this month, having once played for both nations.
Former England batsman Ballance, 35, has kept a low profile since retiring suddenly from cricket in 2023, just three months after relaunching his career in his native Zimbabwe following his involvement in the Yorkshire racism scandal. But he will act as a coaching consultant for the Zimbabwe squad when they meet England on May 22.
'We are thrilled to welcome Gary Ballance to our coaching set-up for this historic tour,' said Zimbabwe's managing director Givemore Makoni. 'His deep understanding of English conditions, gained over years of playing at the highest level, will be a valuable asset to our team's tactical preparation.'
Between 2014 and 2017, Ballance played 23 Tests for England, and even became the third-fastest England batsman to 1,000 Test runs (in 17 innings, after only Herbert Sutcliffe and Len Hutton).
Even after he was dropped, he remained a prolific domestic run-scorer for Yorkshire, where he was also club captain and a close friend of Joe Root. In 2021, his former friend and team-mate Azeem Rafiq accused him of using racist language at the club. Ahead of a Cricket Discipline Commission hearing in 2023, Ballance admitted his guilt.
At a similar time, he returned to play in Zimbabwe, where he was born and grew up before moving to England, where he was schooled at Harrow. He played just one Test for his homeland, scoring a century against West Indies in Bulawayo. He is one of just two players to score a Test hundred for two nations. He also played five ODIs for Zimbabwe, adding to the 16 he played for England. Upon his shock retirement, Ballance said: 'I have reached the stage where I no longer have the desire to dedicate myself to the rigours of professional sport'.
Zimbabwe depart for their Test meeting with England since 2003 this Friday, and have all-rounder star Sikandar Raza, who is in demand on the franchise circuit, in their touring party. After they face England, they will play a four-day match against South Africa at Arundel to help the Proteas prepare for their World Test Championship final meeting at Lord's.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Sun
Brentford next manager odds: New favourites revealed as Tottenham close in on Thomas Frank
JUSTIN COCHRANE is favourite for the Brentford job. That's according to the latest odds from talkSPORT BET, who've installed Cochrane at 4/7 to replace Thomas Frank at the Gtech Community Stadium. Frank, who took over at Brentford in 2018, looks increasingly likely to join Tottenham following their decision to sack Ange Postecoglou. The Dane, 51, guided Brentford into the Premier League, winning the Championship play-off final at Wembley in 2021. But reports suggest his seven-year stay is close to ending with Spurs set to make a formal approach in the coming days. Brentford would be entitled to compensation for Frank, with sources suggesting it will cost upwards of £10million to get him before his contract expires in 2027. With those inside Tottenham reportedly "positive" that a deal can be struck - Brentford will have to begin the task of searching for his replacement? But who are the leading candidates? talkSPORT BET have Cochrane as the early frontrunner at 4/7. Cochrane, 43, is currently an assistant coach at Brentford and was recently appointed to a dual role with England's senior men's team under Thomas Tuchel. A former player who retired in 2013, he began his coaching career at Tottenham, working with young talents like Noni Madueke and Kyle Walker-Peters. He later joined the FA, progressing from England U16s to U17s head coach. In 2021, he became Manchester United's head of player development, playing a key role in their FA Youth Cup win featuring future stars Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Cochrane joined Brentford in 2022. Kieran McKenna is next in the betting markets at 7/2, with a big jump to third-favourite Danny Rohl at 8/1. Michael Carrick is priced at 12/1 followed by several high-profile bosses including the likes of Steven Gerrard, Sean Dyche, Edin Terzic, Marco Rose and Gary O'Neil. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – GambleAware – For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. *18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. | Please gamble responsibly
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
England vs Senegal prediction: Three Lions to end international break with a win
England vs Senegal betting tips England take on Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground on Tuesday, as Thomas Tuchel's side look to improve on a disappointing performance against Andorra last time out. The Three Lions' 1-0 win over the team ranked 173rd in the world provoked plenty of questions after an insipid display despite fielding a strong team, and Tuchel will be hoping for a statement win this week as his World Cup preparations continue. England face a Senegal side that drew with Republic of Ireland last week, with the Lions of Teranga well-placed in their own World Cup qualifying group while also preparing for the 2025/26 African Cup of Nations. And Pape Thiaw's side won't be an easy opponent for England, with several top quality players including Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye, Ismaila Sarr and Nicolas Jackson. Nevertheless, the Three Lions are the strong favourites, with football betting sites pricing them at 9/20 to win versus 10/3 for a draw and 6/1 for a Senegal victory. England vs Senegal betting tips A disappointing display from Thomas Tuchel's side at the weekend does not stop England being touted as heavy favourites for this one, with the Three Lions having won all of their last five matches with a combined aggregate score of 14-0. While it didn't quite click in attack against Andorra, Senegal are less likely to completely sit back than Andorra, with Tuchel expected to experiment again at the City Ground. As for Senegal, they have won just two of their last five matches – against Liberia and Togo – and drew 1-1 with Ireland last Friday, though they have kept clean sheets in three of their last five. Recent draws to Sudan, Liberia and Ireland show that the Lions of Teranga can be weak at the back at times though, and their attack may struggle against a more stern England defence. As such, we're going for England to win to nil, which is offered by most betting sites at around 11/8. England vs Senegal prediction Many were surprised when former Brentford striker Ivan Toney was called up to Thomas Tuchel's squad, with the 29-year-old having plied his trade with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli since last summer. However, the striker has impressed during his time abroad and certainly brings a different dimension to the England attack, as shown at various points including during Euro 2024. With Kane having scored against Andorra and this match being a friendly, Toney could well be given a chance to lead the line as he aims to play his way into Tuchel's thinking ahead of the World Cup next year. Toney has 23 goals in 30 appearances for Al-Ahli this term, including four goals in the final five matches of the season, and he ended the season as an AFC Champions League Elite winner too. As well as having hit some form in the final few matches of the season, he'll be desperate to impress England's new manager as he returns to the country, and we think he'll have ample opportunity to do so. With that in mind, a wager on Ivan Toney to score anytime could offer value at 23/20 with William Hill. William Hill Responsible gambling If you're having a bet on England vs Senegal, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive. Please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies if you're using slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, betting apps, or any other gambling medium. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. It's particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
Tony Hudgell 'over the moon' with shirt from David Beckham
A 10-year-old boy who had both legs amputated after being abused as a baby has been gifted a signed football shirt by David Hudgell was given an Inter Miami shirt from Beckham, who co-owns the US club, with Tony's mother Paula saying the England legend had been "quietly following his journey".Mrs Hudgell, from West Malling in Kent, said the gesture was "really lovely" and Tony was "absolutely blown away" having received the added: "There was a little card as well which said 'keep doing what you are doing'". Mrs Hudgell said Tony was "absolutely over the moon" and described Beckham as "such a lovely guy and really generous".The Tony Hudgell Foundation said on X the gift had come after a "tough week" where the parole board confirmed Tony's birth mother Jody Simpson would be released from prison. Simpson was given a 10 year prison sentence in 2018 alongside Anthony Smith having been found guilty of causing Tony's near-fatal pair were found to have hurt him so badly at six-weeks-old that his legs had to be was later adopted by Paula and Mark Hudgell and has since raised millions of pounds for charity and received the British Empire Medal for services to the prevention of child 2024, he underwent surgery to be fitted for new prosthetics to allow him to walk without who is also a co-owner of Salford City, is set to be knighted in King Charles' birthday honours.
