Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
THE Zimbabwe Sables have had the chance to review the game tape from last weekend’s win over Zambia and the consensus pretty much remains the same.
While not perfect, skipper Hilton Mudariki believes that the Sables played well and the noise sounding the so-called sub-par performance can probably be chalked up to unrealistic expectations.
After all, this was Zimbabwe’s first competitive game in nine months and over five players were making their debuts for the Sables.
“I think it was a solid performance with good intent in key areas, but we know we have got another level to go to,” said Mudariki.
“There were moments where we executed well, but consistency is something we are still working on,” he said.
The Zimbabwe skipper admitted that there are key areas that need polishing but believes that the positives here outweigh the negatives.
“Positives for us were the debutants,” he said.
“A lot of the guys who came on, did their job and fitted in well, which was really encouraging.
“We also did well to take some of the chances we created.
“On the negative side, I think we could have matched their physicality a bit better and stepped up more to that challenge.
“There were also a few opportunities we didn’t convert, and our discipline towards the end is something we will need to clean up going forward,” he said.
Mudariki singled out David Hayes as one of the standout debutants and he appears impressed with the way the youngster is quickly fitting into the system and team culture.
“He has settled in well, worked hard, and the group has backed him,” added Mudariki.
“You can see he is adapting rather quickly and contributing to the team environment.
The Sables are expected to leave for Bulawayo today as they continue their preparations for the second match against Zambia at Hartsfield this weekend.
The team has managed to squeeze in a couple of training sessions and should wrap up their preparations tomorrow during the captain’s run at the match venue.
The team has, however, been hit with a few withdrawals as the duo of Michael Kumbirai and Deane Makoni have returned to their clubs in France and South Africa, respectively.
“Preparations have been good,” said Mudariki.
“The boys understand what is at stake, and there has been a lot of attention to detail this week.
“We know the Zambians will come hard at us, but we are working towards matching that.
“ The good news is that we have a clean bill of health aside from the usual bumps and bruises.
“Nothing major.
“The medical team is managing things well, and we should have a strong squad available,” he said.
Their opponents on Saturday, Zambia, have been assimilating themselves to the Zimbabwe culture.
Their goal is to familiarise themselves with the local fanbase, thereby eliminating the 16th man- the fans.
Zambia recently stoked the flames, calling Saturday’s game a must-win for them.
“That’s part of the game,” said Mudariki, in reference to Zambia’s confidence.
“We expect a tough contest.
“However, for us, it’s about staying focused on the job at hand and controlling what we can control.
“We respect them, but we are backing ourselves to win again.
“For us, it’s about fine-tuning our skills, recovery, and making sure we are mentally and physically ready.
“Come Saturday, it then becomes about delivering a complete performance,” he said
