Chevrons Wrap-up Preps as NZ Arrive
By Perkins-Tino Bare
New Zealand`s cricket team the Black Caps arrived for the
series against the Chevrons which will see the two sides playing 3 ODI`s and
one T20.
Zimbabwe`s Chevrons wrapped up their preparations as they
were focusing on aspects such as fielding. Tinashe Panyangara however looks
doubtful for the tour as he is still recovering from a side strain.
Kenyon Ziehl will get to have a go as an it will be his
first series as the convenor of selectors. The biggest disappointment however
to the fans is that he is expected to maintain the squad as it is and retain
the same old players in spite of a poor outing against India. Zimbabwe Cricket
has been heavily criticised for rotating the same players for the past 10 years
which has seen them not building for the future and hence struggling whenever a
big name departs the game.
This could be a chance for Ziehl to defy all odds and give
the young guys such as John Nyumbu and Neville Madziva a chance to stamp their
places in the team. What is surprising is that right now we are crying over
Panyangara failing to recover in time for the series against New Zealand but
these guys have been around for a long time and they have failed to maintain
Zimbabwe Cricket as the successful brand it was and also the fact that come
England and Wales 2019 we`ll be looking at this younger breed of players.
The series is a chance for the Chevrons to redeem themselves
after a whitewash from a 2nd string Indian side left the cricketing
fraternity in an uproar. The tour should also be a chance for the Chevrons to
improve on their ODI rankings as we look set to avoid the qualification phase
in the upcoming World Cup.
New Zealand will however play as Aotearoa for the 1st
ODI in a move set to celebrate Maori language week, Aotearoa is the Maori name
for New Zealand whilst Zimbabwe is derived from Dzimba Dzemahwe which means ‘house
of stone’ which is best resembled by the stone ruins of Great Zimbabwe.
The Chevrons know a determined side is coming for them and
we are going to be up against it even though there isn`t much they can do for
it is something they cannot give as well. They have not been playing with so
much determination and when they do they`re quick to drop their heads even when
in a good position to still fight their way back into the series.
New Zealand are however coming on guard as they are still
fresh from that 3-2 defeat from England but by now they`ll would be expecting
to have fully recovered from it. New Zealand will be without four of their best
players including Brendan McCullum and Kane Williamson.
The Black Caps are weary of how quick they are going to
adapt given the tour is short in its very nature and also the fact that the
Chevrons have been playing on it and building well in terms of form and all
that.
Elliot was quick to air his fears as he is weary of playing
away from home, “They`re quite tough to beat at home, they know their
conditions well so it’ll be adapting as quickly as we can. The humble approach
being employed by the Black Caps should not however fool the lads and we need
to win the first match and get off to a good start as we saw in the past series
against India.
Zimbabwe is well known to carry through a series in the
manner they would have started for it is they seem to be unable to wrestle back
the momentum if they lose the 1st match. It is therefore vital to
get off to a good start and we may not necessarily have to win it as such but
if the 1st match is able to motivate the lads and make them believe
that we can surely do this then we`ll be in with a chance.
Aug 2 1st ODI
Aug 4 2nd ODI
Aug 7 3rd ODI
Aug 9 Only T20
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