Innocent Kaia back with Albury this season when Zimbabwe commitments allow

The 29-year-old has agreed a return to Albury, where he scored 702 runs in just 13 matches in 2019/20.

Kaia's batting exploits helped Albury make provincial finals for the first time in 13 years and they've since gone on to reach two prelims and a grand final.

His return to Billson Park will be a major boost as Albury bids to go one further.

But how much they see of Kaia depends on his international commitments with Zimbabwe, who have just qualified for the T20 World Cup.

That tournament is being played in Australia later this year, with Zimbabwe up against Ireland (October 17), Scotland (October 19) and the West Indies (October 21) for the right to feature in the Super 12 stage.

Kaia could also be part of the Zimbabwe squad heading to Townsville for a three-match One-Day International series against Australia in late August and early September.

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Albury are also in talks with another potential import, although captain Ross Dixon insists they won't be looking to make sweeping changes to the side which went so close in 2021/22.

"Shan Bhaiya is currently in India, he's got plans to get married and it looks like he will either be down in Melbourne playing or just playing with us for the second half of the year," Dixon said.

"But I don't see the need for a huge amount of change.

"I don't think we've seen the best of the group we recruited last year and there will be four or five players, the likes of Daniel Welsh, Todd Henderson, Connor Smith, Hamish Mackinlay and Corey McCarthy, who would really like to build on what they did last year, cement their place and go to the next level.

"I think all of them can be standout players in the comp.

"We can build the future of this club around guys like Corey, Hamish and Connor.

"We've got future coaches, future captains, future champion players, opening batters, opening bowlers and I would love to build the club around those three.

"They're our next leaders."

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