Zimbabwe arrive in South Africa sans Grant Flower

Zimbabwe's national cricket team arrived in South Africa on Monday for a short tour of two twenty20 internationals and a three-match One-Day International series.

Speaking at the team's arrival press conference, captain Elton Chigumbura was keen to get the ball rolling, "We are looking forward to this tour, as the underdogs we have nothing to lose and we will be playing more aggressive cricket in comparison to our previous tours."

Coach Alan Butcher is looking forward to the lessons his team will take from the twenty20 internationals.

"Twenty20 cricket is about who is the better team on the day, the uncertainty of this format is what makes it so exciting. When a team plays Pro20 cricket, the outcome can never be set in stone as the margin for an upset becomes wider. The key is to focus for all twenty overs."

The tour of South Africa will be Chigumbura's biggest test as captain and he looks forward to the challenge.

"The coach and I have chosen to go in a more aggressive route with the team, we will no longer be playing just for the sake of playing a match, but we will be playing to win.

"The best way to build team confidence and to move Zimbabwe cricket forward is to win and that is our objective for this tour. We are concentrating on us and not so much on the opposition this time."

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe batting coach Grant Flower was denied permission to leave Harare airport on Monday because of paperwork problems as the team travelled to neighbours South Africa for a short tour.

"We are hoping to resolve the matter in the next 24 hours," Zimbabwe team manager Lovemore Banda told Reuters.

"Grant Flower had to travel on a temporary document because his passport is still in the embassy in London waiting for a visa application.

"Those temporary documents are usually accepted all over the world, but South Africa have recently changed their rules due to all their immigration problems."

Flower, the 39-year-old younger brother of England coach Andy, is set to combine his role as batting coach with making a playing return for Zimbabwe, six years after he last played international cricket.