Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket captain Simbarashe Mudzengerere was at a loss for words as the hosts went about their business unpacking the eight-wicket loss to England shortly after yesterday’s practice.
It was Zimbabwe’s first full training after the loss on Sunday and Mudzengerere believes there is enough blame to go around.
The Zimbabwe skipper believes that execution was the team’s biggest undoing during the loss to England, especially as Zimbabwe’s 208 for nine was a defendable total.
“Our score was defendable on that wicket,” he said.
“The wicket wasn’t bouncing much, and I think the bowlers could have bowled more wicket-to-wicket balls.
“If we had done that, then we could have succeeded more in getting wickets.
“Most of the bowlers were bowling down leg, and the England batters were waiting for that one ball to go for a six to the leg side.
“We didn’t execute the basics well and we should all take responsibility for that,” he said.
The England game was Zimbabwe’s first completed match of the tournament after their game against Scotland was abandoned due to a wet outfield last week.
And it saw the hosts blow the opportunity to put themselves in a position to qualify for the Super Six stage of the tournament.
However, England have been the surprise package of the group, being the only European team unbeaten after two rounds of action.
They currently top the group with a maximum four points from their opening two games. Pakistan yesterday beat Scotland by six wickets to leapfrog over Zimbabwe into second place with two points.
Zimbabwe and Scotland both have a point each in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Group C standings.
Both teams are separated only by net run-rate, with Zimbabwe at the bottom.
England and Scotland will be in action tomorrow with Zimbabwe playing Pakistan on Thursday to wrap up the preliminary rounds of the competition.
Once again Zimbabwe’s batting will be under the microscope as they meet a Pakistan side that has an explosive batting line-up and a potent bowling unit. There were, however, glimpses of Zimbabwe’s batting showing signs of improvement during the England match.
Mudzengerere was one of four batters that displayed pretty good starts with the skipper top-scoring with an unbeaten 45 runs off 63 balls. The trio of Kian Blignaut (33), Dhruv Patel (36) and Tatenda Chimugoro (30), unfortunately, failed to convert their starts into solid innings as Zimbabwe finished on 208 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.
On his innings, Mudzengerere said; “We were in a good position when I came in, and I just tried to just stay for as long as I could to give myself time to put a decent score up.
“I thought 208 was a decent and defendable score. “In the end, I think we were a little bit nervous, and that got in our way.
“We need to improve on our execution going forward,” he said. Pakistan is next and Mudzengerere believes that “batting” could be the key to success against the reigning Under-19 Asia Cup winners. The two have already played each with Pakistan taking their last meeting, an eight-wicket win in the Youth Under-19 One Day International (ODI) Tri-series final shortly before the start of the World Cup.
“If we win our game against Pakistan on Thursday, we will qualify for the Super 6,” he said.
