India touchdown in Bulawayo

Ricky Zililo,  Sports Reporter
THE India cricket team arrived in Bulawayo yesterday morning from Harare ahead of their two One Day International matches against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club.The Asians who have sealed the Celkon Mobile One Day International Series after winning their three matches in Harare will play their first ODI at Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of cricket on Thursday and wrap up their tour on Saturday.

Zimbabwe will be hoping to win at least one of the remaining games against an Indian side that brought along an inexperienced squad for the tour.
In an interview yesterday, Stanley Staddon the Matabeleland Tuskers Cricket Franchise chief executive officer said Bulawayo was ready to host the two ODIs and was hopeful that Zimbabwe will get a consolation win in the City of Kings.

“India arrived in the morning and they will have a training session at Queens Sports Club tomorrow (today). We have worked hard to make sure that the ODIs against the top ranked nation live up to the billing.

“Zimbabwe might have lost but I am sure that the games in Bulawayo won’t be dead rubbers and our boys are going to fight hard so that at least they lose the series with some dignity,” said Staddon.

India sealed the series on Sunday with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club.
Spin bowler Amit Mishra produced a match-winning performance taking four wickets and in the process helping India to bowl out Zimbabwe for 183 runs after 46 overs.

Zimbabwe lost the first match by six wickets last Wednesday before succumbing to a 58-run defeat in the second ODI two days later
In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe will have to work on their batting which has let them down and their leading batsmen Vusi Sibanda who went out with a run on Sunday and Sikander Raza who scored a disappointing one run are expected to put an improved show on Thursday.

Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor, Malcom Waller, hard-hitter Hamilton Masakadza, ex-captain Elton Chigumbura and Sean Williams are some of the players expected to carry through the hosts.