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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Test captain Sean Williams is excited he has fully recovered from a back injury that sidelined him from the early part of the domestic cricket season.

The all-rounder is set to complete his rehabilitation after spending about over a month on the treatment table. He was not available for selection when his domestic franchise side Tuskers began their campaign in the four-day Logan Cup competition last month.

“It was quite a bad injury but luckily I ended up missing only two Logan Cup games. It’s always tough for a player to miss games because of injury.

“As the national test captain, it was always going to be good to be involved with my club in those four-day games. But I had a lot of discomfort and restrictions in movement. Bowling was difficult.

“But I feel I am now ready to play again. Everything is back in the tracks, just one more final assessment and hopefully the physiotherapists will give me the green light to start playing again.”

Williams picked up the injury during the training camp for the Pakistan tour. He was however, able to play in five of the six matches on Zimbabwe’s visit to the Asian country between October and November last year.

The all-rounder did not travel to Harare to play for his team Tuskers in the opening two rounds of the Logan Cup competition held in a bio-secure bubble in Harare last month. He was also set to miss the domestic T20 competition which was supposed to start last week.

However, the tournament was postponed following the suspension of all sports activities under the Government’s lockdown measures to curb the recent spike of coronavirus cases.

The Zimbabwe Test captain said he had a narrowed disc in his lower back which caused him a lot of pain and discomfort.

He had challenges when it came to bending forward and back. This restricted his movement and the left-arm spinner was not able to bowl.

He has been undergoing treatment for the injury and is due to complete his rehabilitation with a physiotherapist in Bulawayo most probably today.

Williams’ recovery is just on time for the Chevrons’ planned tour of Afghanistan.

“I have been training all this time and I have also had some time in the gym. I am sure I should have started playing this month. Unfortunately, the lockdown has kicked in again.

“Remember we have a tour of Afghanistan that has been scheduled for next month, and we all hope it will go ahead. So we have been training at home. We receive stuff from the fitness trainer that we work on every day at home to keep fit,” said Williams.

Zimbabwe are set to play two Tests and three T20 Internationals against Afghanistan next month.

The tour is likely to take place in Oman. ZC are looking forward to get exemptions from the Sports and Recreation Commission to take up the tour after Government recently banned all forms of sporting activities as part of the measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.