Chevrons face defining week

Sports Reporter

CHEVRONS coach Dave Houghton is bullish ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers and believes the brand of cricket he has introduced should help Zimbabwe secure a berth at the global showpiece in Melbourne, Australia, later this year.

Zimbabwe are part of eight teams that will battle it out for the two World Cup slots that are available from the qualifiers, which roll into life at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo tomorrow.

Former captain Houghton described his return to coach Zimbabwe as a privilege and is upbeat about the host’s chances.

“It is an absolute privilege to be back coaching the national side. I last coached them around 2000, so it is a 22-year absence and I am delighted to be back with the guys,” he said.

“Our preparations have been fantastic for these qualifiers here in Bulawayo.

“We have had good practice at the Queens Sports Club, where we have particularly worked very hard. We rounded up our preparations on Saturday so that we will be energised come our match tomorrow.

“I am so hopeful that we have done all the work we needed to do, and I am pretty confident that our performance will get us through these qualifiers.”

The Chevrons lost three T20 series that were part of the team’s preparations leading to the qualifiers. However, their coach remains positive.

“I have come in and I have tried to encourage our players to play an exciting brand of cricket to unleash the noticeable talent. I think — to be quite honest — they have been a little afraid of failure and haven’t been playing according to their ability.”

Houghton is also hoping for an improvement in the batting department, which has been found wanting in both the limited overs and Test matches.

“I am hoping what we will produce in the next couple of days in these qualifiers will be a good brand of exciting and positive cricket, particularly from our batters, and I think that will be the way to get us through these qualifiers and help us qualify to the T20 World Cup.”

Given that the Chevrons blew a chance to automatically qualify for the ICC One-Day Internationals, as they lie 12th on the 13-team ICC Super League log table, all hopes are now pinned on atoning for the disappointment by qualifying for the T20 World Cup.

Despite having been sacked and replaced by Houghton, former coach Lalchand Rajput, who is now technical director of the men’s national team, believes the Chevrons have the pedigree to sail through.

“We stand better chances of qualifying for the World Cup. The players need to have the Zimbabwean badge at heart and play for the country.

“These qualifiers are not for the national team alone but are for the country as a whole, hence the players need to play for the national badge,” said Rajput.