Zimbabwe Need To Go Into The New Zealand Series With A Clear Head

The New Zealand series starts this coming Sunday and and based on the dismal form of the last couple of months Zimbabwe will seek a major improvement.

The win in the second T20 against India papered over a period which has seen some really awful results this year as the Chevrons have lost one match after the next, sometimes close and at other times quite far.

Zimbabwe players celebrate after taking a wicket PIC: Zimbabwe Cricket

What they will need to do in this series against the World Cup finalists is to clear their heads. They need to stop thinking and questioning themselves something you saw in the first match against the Indians recently.

Coach Dav Whatmore said this was a work in progress. True. But Zimbabwe’s cricket team has been a work in progress since the early 2000s and the public will be asking for that little more.

The return of Tinashe Panyangara and Chris Mpofu into the fold will be huge given the dearth in strike bowling talent in the game at the moment.

The improvement in fielding in the last match against the Indians will need to be replicated. You can have an average batting or bowling side but there is no excuse for being poor at fielding.

Key will be the form of Chamu Chibhabha and there will be a need for Elton Chigumbura to become more proactive than reactive in captaincy.

Going into this series has to be the belief that one can win it. And that requires a clear head. Much like best batsman forgets the last ball bowled which almost got him out and move on to the next one with a clear a head, Zimbabwe have to up the ante when it comes to their psychology and believe in their ability to put their game together in a game.

If they focus on that they can take those near-misses and turn them into victories.

Also helps that Brendon McCullum is not around…

The three ODIs are on 2,4 and 7 August and T20I on 9 August. All matches are at Harare Sports Club.