adminJUNE 14, 2022, appears to have marked a remarkable turnaround in Zimbabwe cricket fortunes.
Following insipid performances under the clueless Lalchand Rajput, since he took charge of the Chevrons in 2018, Zimbabwe Cricket finally took the bold step of removing him and replacing him with the legendary Dave Houghton.
It’s actually baffling that ZC took so long to remove Rajput because, under him, the Chevrons had wiped off the smiles of cricket fans.
During Rajput’s tenure at the helm, no one bothered to turn up at either Harare Sports Club or Queens, for the Chevrons’ games.
In June, the Chevrons were whitewashed in three one-day internationals and three T20 Internationals at home to Afghanistan.
Out went Rajput and in came Houghton.
Suddenly the sound of excitement, and the sound of winning, which had long departed our cricket stadia, returned.
The Chevrons clinched a spot in October’s ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
Not only did Zimbabwe lift the Qualifier, the Chevrons did it in style, with a 100 percent record, by winning all five matches they played.
We are back!
The Queens Sports Club’s energy crescendo was loud, genuine and notable each time the Chevrons’ batsmen hit boundaries, bowlers took wickets and fielders dried up opposing teams’ runs.
Could it be the Houghton effect that instantly turned around a team which has been on the losing end of blowouts, all too often, in recent years?
Houghton inherited the same players and made a couple of additions, but the attitude has changed.
Every player is putting in maximum effort, be it at the crease, bowling or fielding. In fact, players who had only been living on potential, have now raised the bar for themselves, individually, as well as for the team, has been set.
After the Qualifier, Zimbabwe took on Bangladesh, who are ranked above us.
After winning the first T20, Zimbabwe lost the second but snatched the third game, to take the series 2-1.
They have taken that touch into the ODI series.
After being set a huge total of 304 runs to chase, in the first game, the players collectively showed that they’re not going to go backwards.
Innocent Kaia and Sikandar Raza, in particular, delighted the crowd at Harare Sports Club with instinctive, swashbuckling displays with the bat.
Kaia scored a maiden century, in his spectacular 110 runs off 122 balls, while Raza knocked off an unbeaten 135.
The pair also added 192 for the fourth wicket to lead us to one of the greatest comebacks in Zimbabwe cricket.
Again yesterday, Raza was at his uncompromising best, scoring 117 not out, as Zimbabwe successfully chased 290 to win the second ODI by five wickets and wrap up the three-match series.
Stand-in skipper Regis Chakabva weighed in with 102.
Now, the vibrant noise, which had died down at cricket matches, is being heard again.
It’s louder and the fans are coming back in huge numbers.
This is good and Houghton and his boys should be encouraged to keep fighting for the badge.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter