Sundaymail Editor
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
CHEVRONS captain Craig Ervine has expressed shock at Brendan Taylor’s decision to retire from international cricket, the impact of which has already been felt during Zimbabwe’s struggles against Scotland.
Ervine yesterday said the former captain’s decision to call time on his international career had stunned the Chevrons.
“BT’s retirement came as a shock to all of us. We were all expecting him to carry on to at least the next 50-overs World Cup.
“The World Cup is huge for Zimbabwe and making sure we qualify is a priority.
“However, everybody gets to a point where they decide that they have come to the end of their careers.
“For him, I think he figured that time was now,” he said.
“However, his contributions to Zimbabwe have been phenomenal and if you look at the statistics, he is up there with the best.
“He is up there with the likes of Andy, Grant (Flower).
“The legacy he leaves behind is massive.
“There are so many kids, not just back home, but around the world, that idolise him and watched him play.
“That is just testament to the kind of player he is and the things he achieved throughout his career.”
Taylor announced his decision after the Ireland leg of Zimbabwe’s tour.
In his colourful career, he has played 34 Tests, 205 ODIs and 45 Twenty20 matches.
In the process, he scored 2 320 Test runs, and 6 684 and 934 runs in the ODI and T20, respectively.
The Chevrons camp has not had time to fully digest Taylor’s retirement, as there was a short turnover between the Ireland and Scotland legs of the tour.
Now, Zimbabwe are expected to wrap up the whirlwind tour of Europe today, and what better way to do so than with a decider against Scotland?
The Chevrons face Scotland in the third and final Twenty20 with the three-match series tied at a win apiece.
While results having not gone their way, Ervine believes the team can draw some positive lessons about their own game from the tour, particularly in the Twenty20 arena, and the pressure of today’s decider comes with the territory.
“Looking back at both tours (Ireland and Scotland), particularly in the T20 games, I think it shows that we are still looking to find the right combinations, and it’s definitely something that is going to have to be experimented with a little.
“The biggest concern for us has been up at the top and the opening partnerships.
“If you are batting first, it sets the tone for the game.
“If you are chasing, it gives you the required starts and takes a bit of pressure off the guys coming in after,” he said.
Going into today’s game, Ervine hopes the team will try to stop losing early wickets at the top of the innings, as it puts pressure on the middle order and sees the Chevrons lose out on crucial moments in the middle overs where batters could accelerate.
“There is always pressure when a series is level and you are going into the decider – it comes with the territory.
“What you need to do is stick to your processes, stick to what you are good at and what you are strong at doing.
“That will be the case tomorrow (today); there is always going to be pressure that we haven’t won a series in quite a while and things like that.
“We just have to put those things aside and just concentrate on the game of cricket.
“We have to try to take each ball as it comes, try to make the best decisions for that particular ball and not worry about the end result.
“If we do the processes right to the end, the result will take care of itself.”
Online Reporter