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ZIMBABWE batting coach Andy “Bhundu” Waller says the Chevrons have become accustomed to losing so much that failing does not hurt them anymore.
Even on the occasions when they have a chance to write a special chapter. Waller said his team lacked the hunger to beat some of the big boys of international cricket and this was demonstrated by their failure to win the One Day International series against Pakistan.
Zimbabwe lost the final ODI, which was the decider, after a batting collapse despite a good opening stand from Richmond Mutumbani and Chamu Chibhabha.
“In a way I agree with you. My own real feeling is that I don’t see that we want it, we are not hungry enough, people might think it (that Zimbabwe are used to losing) but we just have to be hungrier than the opposition,” said Waller.
“When you play against a side like New Zealand or Pakistan, who are stronger than us, to me there are two ways we can beat them, one is to try and out-think them and the second is that we have to want it more than them.
“And, at the moment, to be honest, I don’t see that want, that hunger. At the time we don’t look like we want it as bad as we should and it’s a worry.” It’s the way that the Chevrons crumbled that worried Waller yesterday. They lost more than 19 wickets to spin bowlers in the series and the coach believes there was nothing special about the way the visitors turned the ball.
“Admittedly, the wicket was not good but that was no excuse. Spin has not been a problem for us until this series,” said Waller.
“We have played in Pakistan and at the World Cup, there was no excuse for us to lose wickets like that.
“If we look at the way guys got out it’s mainly really due to poor shot selection. It’s disappointing, it has not been a concern for us but, obviously, we have to look at how the guys got out and work on it, so for me it’s a big concern.”
Bilal Asif was the pick of the bowlers, the Pakistani finishing with figures of 5-25 in his 10 overs but Waller thinks it’s the case of the Zimbabweans gifting him with their wickets.
“And today again to the off spinners . . . yes but he (Asif) is not the kind of a spinner who can pick up five wickets, so that was really poor because guys kept on playing poor shots. We have spoken about it between games but they continue doing so and they have to look at themselves,” said Waller.
Hamilton Masakadza, one of the team’s most senior batsmen and has captained the team before, was dropped for this game.
Online Reporter