"just in case" but due to a mix-up a Matabele player failed to arrive on time and Coventry was told he would be playing. He went in to bat at five, with Matabeleland on 66/3 chasing Mashonaland's total of 243. Coventry immediately got hit by Andy Blignaut, and was facing three other international bowlers in the shape of Eddo Brandes, Paul Strang and Everton Matambanadzo. He admitted to John Ward that the pacemen were far quicker than any he had faced before, but he stuck in, scoring 33, the third highest score of the innings, off 121 before being run out. Coventry paid credit to Guy Whittall for helping him through his innings, telling him to concentrate and revealing the strengths of the bowlers. Since his debut, Coventry has been a Matabele regular, opening the innings. In 2002 Coventry applied to and was accepted by the CFX Academy, doing well there before returning to Matabeleland. At this time he also represented Zimbabwe at Under-19 level and played in eight Youth One Day Internationals during the 2001–02 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. When the rebellion struck in 2005 Coventry initially joined it but returned along with Gavin Ewing and Barney Rogers. He did not play for Zimbabwe in Bangladesh or South Africa, but continued good domestic form saw him picked as Zimbabwe A's wicket-keeper for the series against Pakistan A. Coventry did not play in either of the four-day "Tests", with first Neil Ferreira and then Brendan Taylor being preferred but he did play in the two "ODIs". In the first match he scored 6, as Zimbabwe lost, but in the second he produced a fine innings that catapulted him into national contention. Zimbabwe, under the captaincy of Stuart Carlisle, had been put in to bat and fine spells from Najaf Shah and Mohammad Khalil had left Zimbabwe A reeling on 54/4. Coventry proceeded to launch an inspired counter-attack, first with Stuart Matsikenyeri, who scored a gritty 55 at the top of the order, in a partnership of 68, then Blessing Mahwire dug in with Coventry too, Mahwire scoring 41 in a hundred-run stand for the seventh wicket. Coventry finished on 102* off 143 balls. The innings proved to be the match-winning contribution as Pakistan A subsided to 181a/o, well short of Zimbabwe A's 232. Coventry currently plays for Matabeleland Tuskers in the Zimbabwean domestic competition. So far his form