England's choice of venue for their recent bonding week Windermere in the Lake District - seemed to have been an all too accurate foretaste of the conditions, Africa or not. Temperatures in gloomy Harare barely reached 18C.

Phil Neale, England's manager, and John Emburey, the coach, were presented with the early problem of heading off the onset of boredom among their eager players. After six weeks of rain, all the city's cricket grounds were waterlogged, reducing the chances of turf net practice to almost zero for the first two days.

England's opening game next Saturday, a one-dayer against Country Districts at the Harare South ground, was already in jeopardy, though the Zimbabwe Cricket Union said they would switch venues, if possible, to give Michael Vaughan's team some cricket.

England are to play four one-day internationals in Zimbabwe in February next year, but no Tests, after their South Africa tour.

Raymond Price, a left-arm spinner and nephew of the golfer Nick Price, has been named in Zimbabwe's preliminary World Cup squad of 30 players.