adminAlagappan Muthu
ZIMBABWE batting coach Lance Klusener has called for patience from the fans as the Chevrons plunge into a second ODI contest against India at Harare Sports Club today. The South African said he was confident of playing a part in transforming the team. “There’s no doubting the talent there. We might just have to feel our way into the next week or so but I am sure we will settle in as soon as we can,” he said.
Cricket at the Harare Sports Club is often a throwback.
The ball swings, almost through the day.
The outfield is large enough that mis-hits do not turn a profit for the batsman. And if you want to buy runs, you have to spend time.
That Zimbabwe could only put up 168 — a total considerably short of their own expectations, let alone the par score at the ground — was because only four of their XI could last more than half an hour at the crease on Saturday.
Another deficiency that needs addressing is their strategy. After 299 balls, Zimbabwe could round up only 82 singles.
They did, however, go on a spree looking for dots and found 197 of them. Early morning starts in the winter ensure considerable sideways movement. Why tackle that on your own when you can tag in your partner at the other end?
India did that to perfection through KL Rahul (108 balls) and Ambati Rayudu (120 balls), who shared strike almost evenly to record the best second-wicket partnership ever (162 runs) at this ground.
Although 50-over cricket does provide batsmen with the luxury of time, it is preferable to avoid stagnation.
That way the opposition has to worry about things beyond simply putting the ball on a good length and hitting repeat. Zimbabwe’s think-tank is aware of this, judging from Klusener’s comments at the post-match press conference:
Online Reporter