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Mehluli Sibanda in Harare
ZIMBABWE head into the second One Day International (ODI) against India this morning at Harare Sports Club determined to avoid an early series defeat in the three-match Killer Cup cricket contest. The Graeme Cremer captained Zimbabwe displayed an atrocious batting display in the opening game on Saturday after losing the toss and put in to bat.
A 65-ball 41 runs from former captain Elton Chigumbura, batting at number seven, was the highest individual knock for the home side, which was blown away for 168 runs in 49.5 overs. With nothing much to defend, the bowlers could do little to stop India cruising to victory in 42.3 overs for the loss of just one wicket.
Indian opener and debutant Lokesh Rahul led the Indian chase with an unbeaten 100 runs off 115 balls comprising seven fours and one six. The maximum he hit off the bowling of medium pacer Hamilton Masakadza saw the ball landing on the roof of the changing rooms. This was the first time a batsman had cleared the boundary in the match.
Rahul’s knock also catapulted him into the record books as the first Indian batsman to score a century on ODI debut by bettering the 86 runs made by Robin Uthappa in his first appearance for the Asian side against England in 2006. After the defeat, Zimbabwe’s batting coach Lance Klusener was still convinced there is enough talent to work with to achieve desired results.
“There’s a lot to work to do; it’s a matter of making sure we find a balance and how everybody fits and how we want to play. There’is no doubt in the talent there; finding a game plan, finding a niche for everybody to fit how they want to play. We might just feel our way into the next week or so, but I’m sure we will settle in as soon as we can. It’s about winning a cricket game; from a team point of view, we are not happy with how we played,” said Klusener.
The former South African all-rounder said he firmly believes Zimbabwe were about 80 runs short on a wicket that proved to be difficult to bat on and there are no excuses as they need to find the balance in the batting order. Cremer, whose tenure as skipper got off to a losing start, felt winning the toss would have made a difference. He was impressed by the way his seamers bowled.
Left-handed batsman Sean Williams missed the first ODI on Saturday for lack of fitness and was due to undergo a fitness test yesterday. Williams, a player with the ability to build an innings, will certainly add some stability in the team after they struggled with the bat.
The former Under-19 captain also brings in an extra factor with his left-arm spin. Interim coach Makhaya Ntini will look to Peter Moor, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Vusumuzi Sibanda and Chigumbura to put up an improved show with the bat.
Seamers Tendai Chatara, Taurai Muzarabani and Chibhabha bowled well, something Ntini will be hoping can be maintained today if they are to keep the Indian batsmen on their toes. India’s batting line up was never really put to the test, with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has 8918 runs in 276 ODIs, not even required to take to the crease. Dhoni, Rahul, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu and Manish Pandey make up a strong Indian batting line up.
Jasprit Bumrah was the chief destroyer with the ball for India with his accuracy and ability to bowl the occasional Yorker, which troubled the Zimbabwean batsmen.
He should be ably assisted by Barinder Sran, who also gave the Zimbabwean batsmen a torrid time with his ability of bringing the ball back in. Pace bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, left arm spinner Axar Patel and leg break Yuzvendra Chahal were the other bowlers used by Dhoni on Saturday and they did not disappoint.
A win for the Sanjay Bangar coached tourists today will seal the series, something the home team’s caretaker coach Ntini is surely looking to avoid if he wants to convince Zimbabwe Cricket to give him the job on a permanent basis. Ntini was elevated following the sacking of Davenell Whatmore last month.
Squads
Zimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (captain), Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Neville Madziva, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Taurai Muzarabani, Richmond Mutumbami (wicketkeeper), Peter Moor, Tawanda Mupariwa, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal.
derick.khumalo