Zim Cricket Level terms As Final Awaits

By Perkins-Tino Bare
Zimbabwe`s national cricket team, popularly known as the Chevrons levelled terms as they won the second ODI by 5 runs D/L method, levelling the 3 match series 1-1 ensuring that there is all to play for in the final to be played today at the Harare Sports Club.
If there was anything that won us the match on Saturday it has to be the partnerships which the boys strung up .Over the years the outcry has been the inability os setting up viable partnerships especially at the top of the pile but this time round they eventually got it right and managed to get a win as well. First there was Chamu Chibhabha and Brian Chari who got off to a brillaint staqrt with that partnership of 91 which just fell short of that well deserved century. Then there was a swecond one between Chamu again this time round with the skipper Elton Chigumbura of 59 which then created that aura that we could indeed go ahead and set up a big score for Pakistan to chase down. Finally there was the partnership at the end between the skipper and Sikander Raza of 59 and this then make sit three good partnerships in an innings and its no lie that this has been the missingt factor in terms of our batting. The team really has to be applauded for not only getting things right but also adressing the faults that lie within the team itself. Its one thing to be going around making public our weak points and its a totally different thiong altogether when the guys suit donw and start to address them.
The bowling on the other hand has been consistent throughout these series especially when it comes to sending Pakistan`s top-order back to the changing rooms for an early shower. On Saturday Pakistan found themselves in deep trouble at 76-6 after some good pieces of bowling fom Tinashe Panayangara and Luke Jongwe. The wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbam,i also has to be applauded for being alert in that run-out as it was vital in unsettling Pakistan. Right now Pakistan should be very worried witht heir top-order batsman who have not really done much so far in this series, yes they might have won in the T20`s but they left it all to that middle order and called on that middle order to rescue them. Even on Saturday when they were in deep trounle they only had Shoaib Malik at the crease fighting a lone battle as al;l the other guys were just departing. Resistance only started to be seen after the 6th wicket and that is just testament to the fact that they have failed to find a solution to the bowling attack of the Chevrons and as it stands the top-order is just crumbling whit every match. One then wonders who is going to fill the void left when their long-serving captain Misabah-Ul-Haq resigned for for a while he was that guy that held it all up when the wickets were crumbling and this time round they are strugling in those respects. IN the 2nd ODI they were almost bowled out and also this should be a good sign that the Chevrons are showinig some signs of improvement in terms of their death bowling hasnt been been so good in this series.
The Chevrons have that tendency of starting off strongly and right when teams are in deep trouble and its up to them to finish the job that is exactly when they let it slip right through their fingers. We need to show more discipline in terms of our deatgh bowling for the lads are quick to show frustration in their bowling. Sean Williams is one who was quick to show it as they kept looking for that wicket which would hopefully lead to the end of the match. Elton Chigumbura had to take matters into his own hands when he went back up to change his boots and get himself into the fix and the difference was evident as he showed his mental aptitude. Wahab Riaz`s run-out showed it clearly as even if after bowling the ball and seeing that there was no real chance of getting that wicket, he still followed up on it ensuring that he caught the bowler out of the crease.
The fieldiing as well is another area we might still need to look at in the match that is starting in a couple of hours time as the Chevrons dropped way too many catches on the day and could have wrapped it up early. As

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