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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
SO many questions will need answers today as the Zimbabwe national cricket team go out in search of a win at the Harare Sports Club to avoid a humiliation at the hands of visiting Netherlands.
The Chevrons, who are still smarting from a three-wicket defeat in the first game of the three-match World Cup Super League ODI series on Tuesday, will need solutions to the lack of runs at the top, the fielding which looked sloppy at times and will need to show some teeth in their bowling after they failed to defend 249 runs against the Associate side.
This is the full strength Zimbabwe side that is also looking to compete at the upcoming ICC World Cup Qualifier which they host in less than three months.
Skipper Craig Ervine was frank in the post-match assessment of the shortcomings exposed in the first game. Take complacency out, the team was just not up for the task on the day.
“The fielding certainly let us down,” Ervine said in his post-match analysis.
“We dropped a few catches which were important catches. We just have to come out on Thursday (today) with a lot more energy in the field and not look like we are sort of sluggish or feel like maybe there is a bit of complacency.
“We have got to make sure that we keep up those standards all the way through,” said Ervine.
The Chevrons had their pride in tatters following the latest defeat to the Associate side. The Netherlands have caused problems for Zimbabwe in the past few years. They appeared to just continue from where they left off when the teams last met in an ODI series in Deventer in 2019 which ended in 2-0 defeat for Zimbabwe.
The defeat on Tuesday meant the head-to-head statistics in ODIs now stand at 3-1 in favour of the Netherlands.
“I think a lot of Associate countries have really come up over the last few years and I think everybody is really competitive,” said Ervine.
“I just thought that the Netherlands utilised the early conditions well and put us under pressure. But having said that with us getting 250 on the board I felt like our bowling attack was definitely good enough to defend that.”
The Zimbabwe top order did not contribute much and the Chevrons found themselves with only 98 runs on the board and seven wickets down after facing only 21 overs.
Pressure was on the bottom five players to get the team to a respectable score and wicketkeeper/batsman Clive Madande (74) fought hard with his maiden half ton, batting at number seven.
Richard Ngarava, coming in at number 10, was the second highest scorer with 35 runs while Wellington Masakadza, also batting towards the end of the tail, weighed in with 34 runs.
The Zimbabwe bowlers got a couple of wickets early on but they could not keep the Dutch under check as the team turned up lethargic on the field. Ervine, however, is still hoping to build on the few positives ahead of the second game today.
“We didn’t play our best cricket but we still did exceptionally well in certain areas. To be 99 for seven and get to 250, I think that’s an outstanding effort.
“So there are definitely some positives but again I don’t think in a close game like this you can dissect it too much because otherwise I feel like it just becomes a little bit too complicated.
“I think that we just need to come out on Thursday (today), with a little bit more energy and put in a much better performance,” said Ervine.
“It is important to get runs and wickets in any series and after this series we do have quite a long break before we play some cricket again. But it’s always nice to be winning at home and have the crowd supporting you and keeping that feeling going, especially leading to the Qualifier.”
The Dutch are also using the series as preparations for the 10-team Qualifier which they will be part of in Zimbabwe, between June and July.
The Qualifier is meant to decide the final two participants for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to be held in India later in the year.
Teja Nidamanuru, whose unbeaten 110 runs was critical for the Dutch victory on Tuesday, said they are looking forward to winning the series in Zimbabwe.
“It comes back to the standards that we hold ourselves to and our standards are we want to play good, strong cricket,” he said.
“We are an international cricket side and there is a level of responsibility and pride that comes with it when you put that jersey on.
“So, we have expectations when we play. Winning a series is a big thing, especially when you are playing away from home.
“This is our first win here against Zimbabwe since 2014. So we don’t take this lightly and we are definitely hungry to keep doing well,” said Nidamanuru.
Online Reporter