He had attracted the attention of the Mashonaland County Districts cricket side, and he made his first-class debut in 1995/6, although only as an amateur.
Price began to impress the Zimbabwe selectors and, when an injury and form crisis robbed Zimbabwe of the first-choice spinner Paul Strang, Adam Huckle and Andy Whittall, they selected him for the third Test of the series against Sri Lanka in 1999/2000.
He became a marginal figure in the squad, sometimes he played and sometimes he did not, however in 2001/02 he began to put in some good performances for the national side, including 5–181, his first Test five-wicket haul, against South Africa at Bulawayo and 4–116 against Pakistan at the same ground.
[1] It was in that winter's tour of Australia, however, that Ray truly established himself as a world-class bowler, taking 6–121 in the second Test at Sydney.
He played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe's series win over Bangladesh that winter too, taking 8 wickets in two Tests.
He was becoming disaffected with the politicisation of Zimbabwean cricket however, and in 2004 he joined the player rebellion led by captain Heath Streak.
His clever left arm spin bamboozled Somerset that day as 'Ray's Barmy Army' went through a selection of pop hits based on the popular Zimbabwe international.
In 2006 Price revealed to the Press Association that he hoped to play international cricket again – for England after the required qualification period.