Online Reporter
Zimbabwe’s senior cricket team, the Chevrons, will this morning embark on the third and final leg of their series across all formats against visiting Ireland, who they play in the first of Twenty20 International matches at Harare Sports Club.
It has been a lively and exciting fortnight for local cricket enthusiasts and many neutrals, with the Irish tour having started off with the Test match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The tour has since moved to Harare Sports Club for One Day Internationals (ODIs) and the T20 Series.
In terms of the spoils, they are somewhat even at the moment, with Ireland winning the Test match while Zimbabwe claimed the ODIs via a 2-1 win in the three-match series.
From this morning, the two sides will begin another three-match T20 series with a lot of expectations being placed on the Chevrons to emerge winners again.
Another victory will complete a fine period for the country’s biggest sport after football.
Despite the worrying lack of consistency by the Chevrons, who have developed a penchant for blowing hot and cold, captains Craige Ervine and Sikandar Raza have found a way to charm cricket fans and general sporting enthusiast who have been going to Queens Sports Club and Harare Sports Club in their numbers to root for the team irrespective of, whatever, format they would be playing.
But for the Zimbabwe Cricket board, the bigger picture lies on having more Test matches for the Chevrons.
Test cricket remains the ultimate level for the global game and with it also comes big financial rewards.
It is against this background that we welcome the significance that England, just like Zimbabwe, are equally placing on the Chevrons’ much awaited tour to the European country in May.
That there has been no Test match between England and Zimbabwe since 2003 underlines the challenges, which the Chevrons have endured in securing games against the sport’s big boys.
As we reported in yesterday’s edition, the British government is also looking at the Chevrons’ upcoming tour in more ways than just cricket.
British Ambassador Pete Vowles told the ZC leadership and the players that he believes that the upcoming visit to his country by the Chevrons will be more than just about the Test match and will help strengthen the bi-lateral relations that exist between the two nations.
Test matches by virtue of their length are also a good opportunity for sport tourism and given the big numbers of Zimbabweans in England the one-off encounter at Trent Bridge should attract a decent crowd if not a full house.
Similarly, a reciprocal tour of Zimbabwe by the English Three Lions would no doubt attract a full house at either Queens or Harare Sports Clubs.
Ambassador Vowles also underscored the importance of using the power of sport to break down some barriers that may be hindering improved relations between Harare and London and feels the famed, ‘gentlemen’s game’’ that cricket is could be the best platform.
“It is super exciting to be here as British Ambassador to Zimbabwe,’’
“Ultimately, my job is to strengthen the relationship between Britain and Zimbabwe, between British people and Zimbabwean people, and what better way to do it than through sports — and what better way to do it than through cricket,’’ Ambassador Vowles said.
But England must not only be the big Test nation the Chevrons are accorded an opportunity to play.
In fact, there is already an outcry that countries like Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland are being given a raw deal when it comes to Test action and pressure has been building on the International Cricket Council to have a re-look into the matter.
Zimbabwe have not played any of the so-called Big Three teams in Test cricket since September 2005 when they had hosted India for two Tests.
Last year, they ended a 19-year drought of touring Australia other than for a World Cup, for a series which was part of the Super League, and where they famously won the third ODI, although their push for a one-off Test was rebuffed by Cricket Australia.
Just two years ago ZC chairman Tawengwa Mukuhlani also emphasised the need for more Tests when he revealed that discussions were ongoing over Zimbabwe hosting India for a white-ball series later in the year after the countries played a three-match ODI series last August in Harare.
Thus, it is refreshing the huge efforts put into healing the strained relationship between England and Zimbabwe has yielded the May 2025 tour.
Coach Justin Sammons would have to ensure his Chevrons match the efforts that are being made by the administration by playing with greater consistency and stake a huge claim for more Tests.
ZC have also insisted that playing the big boys of cricket would no doubt have a positive financial impact on the union’s coffers which resources can be channelled to strengthen development in the youth and women’s structures.
“England for us is big money — the second biggest behind India,” Mukuhlani said.
“We want England to tour us. It’s a conversation we’ve had for many years’’.
Zimbabwe have played a very limited number of Tests but the scope is for nations to accommodate them in their schedules and we believe the Chevrons have the pedigree to strengthen their case starting with the rare English tour.
