Zimbabwe target composed performance
It was just two months ago that Zimbabwe recovered from 0 for 3 to stun West Indies in their own backyard during the one-off Twenty20, and captain Prosper Utseya believes that continued consistency would help the untouted side perform well in the World Twenty20.
Political issues restricted Zimbabwe's participation in the previous edition, but during the inaugural event in 2007 they stunned Australia. Utseya believes that Zimbabwe "need consistency and maturity as a team. We have to work as a unit and support the next man so that we can get positive results."
As a leading, economical spinner, the Zimbabwean skipper explained, “The spin department has done well for us in the past and it is a strength that we will rely on. When called to duty we are confident that the likes of Elton Chigumbura and Chris Mpofu will deliver.” Notably, the seamers were rarely called on during the recent tour to West Indies, where the earlier matches featured dry surfaces before the later ones were played on seaming tracks.
Coach Alan Butcher, a former England cricketer, explained that Zimbabwe's new franchise system had readied their team mentally and physically for the challenge, during which they are scheduled to face Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
"We could have been in a worse group I tell you . We have to try and match the standards of at least one of these two teams, if we do that we can make it. The nature of Twenty20 cricket however is that teams can be upset by a single heroic achievement. One catch, fifty or one good over can turn things around for any team; we have to take every half chance and catch we can get that’s all there is to it.”
He added, "Most of the players have been playing a lot of franchise cricket which is a positive step."
Though Zimbabwe lost the one-day series in West Indies 3-1, Butcher chuckled it off and explained that the loss had more to do with poor execution than the gameplan.
"We had a game plan in the last West Indies tour that would have really worked if we had batted better. I will work with a similar strategy. My overall strategy will unfold as we go through our four day match and two ODI’s and its details will become more refined after that, I will not give it away."
Both men reiterated the importance of playing as a team and, according to Butcher, the management was "working hard to make sure that there are enough good options and combinations to force people to get out there and bring the best out of themselves.”
Political issues restricted Zimbabwe's participation in the previous edition, but during the inaugural event in 2007 they stunned Australia. Utseya believes that Zimbabwe "need consistency and maturity as a team. We have to work as a unit and support the next man so that we can get positive results."
As a leading, economical spinner, the Zimbabwean skipper explained, “The spin department has done well for us in the past and it is a strength that we will rely on. When called to duty we are confident that the likes of Elton Chigumbura and Chris Mpofu will deliver.” Notably, the seamers were rarely called on during the recent tour to West Indies, where the earlier matches featured dry surfaces before the later ones were played on seaming tracks.
Coach Alan Butcher, a former England cricketer, explained that Zimbabwe's new franchise system had readied their team mentally and physically for the challenge, during which they are scheduled to face Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
"We could have been in a worse group I tell you . We have to try and match the standards of at least one of these two teams, if we do that we can make it. The nature of Twenty20 cricket however is that teams can be upset by a single heroic achievement. One catch, fifty or one good over can turn things around for any team; we have to take every half chance and catch we can get that’s all there is to it.”
He added, "Most of the players have been playing a lot of franchise cricket which is a positive step."
Though Zimbabwe lost the one-day series in West Indies 3-1, Butcher chuckled it off and explained that the loss had more to do with poor execution than the gameplan.
"We had a game plan in the last West Indies tour that would have really worked if we had batted better. I will work with a similar strategy. My overall strategy will unfold as we go through our four day match and two ODI’s and its details will become more refined after that, I will not give it away."
Both men reiterated the importance of playing as a team and, according to Butcher, the management was "working hard to make sure that there are enough good options and combinations to force people to get out there and bring the best out of themselves.”
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