Online Reporter
THE second cricket Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa ended inside three days at Queens Sports Club and it meant that yesterday became the first day without Test cricket since the start of Sri Lanka-Bangladesh series on June 17.
It remains a record for most consecutive days of Test cricket, but the run would have been longer given that India and England clash at Lord’s in a third Test starting this morning.
So one-sided was the match that it took a tenth-wicket stand between Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga to frustrate South Africa for nearly nine overs before the tourists cruised to an innings and 236 runs to complete a series whitewash.
The series had Zimbabwe suffering their heaviest defeat by runs.
More embarrassing for the Chevrons was that the stand-in Proteas captain, Wiaan Mulder alone scored only 23 runs lesser than what Zimbabwe’s entire line-up managed across two innings.
While Zimbabweans had been excited to host the newly crowned world Test champions, it has become clear that our guests never took the series seriously as seen by the squad picked for the tour.
And it got worse during the just-ended Test when Mulder chose not to overhaul West Indies legend, Brian Lara’s world-record 400 not out when he declared his innings at 367 not out on day two.
Mulder had all the time to try and set a new record but decided against chasing the record on the basis that it would have been meaningless achieving it against Zimbabwe, who were almost at full strength.
It suggests that Mulder felt that a record against Zimbabwe would not be treated the same way as Lara’s feat against England.
It’s not that we expected the Chevrons to win a Test match against South Africa, but we expected the hosts to put up a fight especially with the bat.
Unfortunately, there was no fight on the part of the hosts. It is sad that the meaningful contribution came from Sean Williams, who was walking wounded. Williams scored 257 runs in four innings while captain Craig Ervine followed on 151 in four innings.
To underline the batting crisis, low-order batsman Wellington Masakadza was actually the third best batsman for Zimbabwe with 81 runs.
That’s the embarrassing part.
Fans expected the Chevrons to get at least 300 runs in an inning at a flat Queens Sports Club deck but there was never an attempt on four occasions against South Africa, leaving followers frustrated.
The Chevrons must be competitive and that is the only way more quality opposition will be secured for future series.
That is the only way the Zimbabwe Cricket can secure lucrative deals to help promote the game on the domestic level.
derick.khumalo