HARARE – Zimbabwe have revealed their secret weapon ahead of their historic Test match with England in Nottingham: Gary Ballance.

The former Zimbabwe and England international has been roped in as a coaching consultant for the one-off Test at Trent Bridge from 22-25 May.

The historic fixture marks Zimbabwe’s first Test appearance on English soil in more than two decades, the last such occasion having come in 2003.

Ballance’s deep knowledge of the local conditions, gained through years of playing top-tier cricket in England, is expected to be a huge asset to Zimbabwe’s preparations.

Born in Harare, the 35-year-old Ballance brings with him a wealth of experience from an international career that saw him represent both England (2013-2017) and Zimbabwe (2023).

A left-handed batter and leg break bowler, Ballance last played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, where he also began his professional journey after stints with Derbyshire and the Zimbabwe Under-19 side.

During a highly promising start to his Test career for England, Ballance amassed 1,017 runs in just 17 innings at an average of 67.93, second only to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman among batters with 1,000-plus runs and an average above 60.

He reached 1,000 Test runs faster than all but two England players, achieving the feat in April 2015 during a match against the West Indies.

Ballance was named the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2014 and was honoured as one of Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2015.

He retired from professional cricket in 2023 after a brief return to the international stage with Zimbabwe.

Welcoming Ballance to the national setup, Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni said: “We are thrilled to welcome Gary Ballance to our coaching set-up for this historic tour. 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.”

Following the Test against England, Zimbabwe will take on South Africa in a four-day encounter from 3-6 June at Arundel, a match that will serve as crucial preparation for the Proteas ahead of their ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, set to take place at Lord’s from 11-15 June.

 The Zimbabwe squad is set to depart for England this Friday to acclimatise ahead of the highly anticipated tour.