Zimbabwe Cricket

After a 2-1 series victory in the one-day internationals for New Zealand, their tour of Zimbabwe continues with a one-off Twenty20 international in Harare.

Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare

Date: Sunday, August 9

Start time: 9 a.m. local time, 8 a.m. BST

Live on: Ten Sports

Weather: According to Weather.com, Harare will be sunny, with temperatures peaking at around 25 degrees Celsius.

Overview

New Zealand come into this game on the back of a 2-1 series victory in the ODIs, having won the third and final match by 38 runs.

The Black Caps batted first and reached 273-6 from their 50 overs, thanks to 90 from Kane Williamson, 42 from Martin Guptill and late cameos from Grant Elliott and Jimmy Neesham.

For Zimbabwe, Graeme Cremer impressed with three wickets, while John Nyumbu chipped in with two.

In reply, the hosts looked good as Hamilton Masakadza made 57 and Sean Williams made 63, but their response fell away and they were bowled out for 235.

Mitchell McClenaghan was the star for the Black Caps with 3-36, while Ish Sodhi played a good supporting role with two of his own.

Attention now shifts to the one-off T20I, the last game of New Zealand’s tour of Zimbabwe before they head to South Africa.

The visitors have again named a strong squad, while Zimbabwe have kept largely the same players, including star batsman Craig Ervine.

It will certainly be an interesting game, and one the hosts will be hopeful of winning, especially given the short format.

Team News

Zimbabwe (from): Elton Chigumbura (capt), Sikandar Raza Butt, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller.

New Zealand (from): Kane Williamson (capt), Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker.

Key Players

Hamilton Masakadza

Last time out, Hamilton Masakadza again looked decent with the bat for Zimbabwe as he scored 57 from 71 balls.

He will need to do more of the same if the home side are to be victorious, and he needs to shrug off some of the inconsistency that has dogged him in the past.

Kane Williamson

He remains one of the best batsmen in the world in all forms of the game, and if Kane Williamson can maintain his form, New Zealand will be hopeful of victory.

Williamson scored 90 last time out to anchor the Black Caps’ innings, and he proved once again why he is one of the best No. 3 batsmen around.

Zimbabwe face New Zealand in the second of three one-day internationals in Harare, with the hosts coming into the game on the back of a win in the first match.

Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare

Date: Tuesday, August 4

Start time: 9 a.m. local time, 8 a.m. BST

Live on: Ten Sports

Weather: According to Weather.com, Harare promises to be sunny, with temperatures peaking at 24 degrees Celsius.

Overview

Last time out, Zimbabwe took a superb victory by eight wickets over the Black Caps, led by a brilliant 130 not out from Craig Ervine.

The away side batted first and reached 303-4 from their 50 overs, led by 112 not out from Ross Taylor and 97 from captain Kane Williamson.

Tinashe Panyangara led the way for Zimbabwe, as he took two wickets, but it was otherwise a difficult time for the hosts with the ball.

In reply, though, Hamilton Masakadza got his side off to a great start with 84 at the top of the order, then Ervine took over.

The No. 3 finished with 130 not out from 108 balls, as Zimbabwe eased to victory by eight wickets with one over remaining.

With the home side now 1-0 up in the three-match series, the onus is on New Zealand to recover and show their superiority.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe have the chance to secure a rare series victory against one of the best ODI teams in the world.

Team News

Zimbabwe (from): Elton Chigumbura (capt), Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Regis Chakabva, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Tinashe Panyangara, Christopher Mpofu, John Nyumbu, Vusi Sibanda, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva.
 
New Zealand (from): Kane Williamson (captain), Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wicketkeeper), Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler, George Worker.

Key Players

Craig Ervine

In Zimbabwe’s victory,  Ervine was the key, as he scored 130 not out and led the hosts to the win.

If Ervine can maintain such form, the home side will feel infinitely capable of repeating their exploits from the first ODI.

Ross Taylor

In New Zealand’s defeat, Ross Taylor looked in very good touch, as he scored 112 not out from 122 balls.

He will be disappointed to have not helped his side take victory, but his personal performance will give him heart ahead of the second ODI.

Zimbabwe and India wrap up their one-day international series with the third and final game in Harare, with the visitors having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe

Date: Tuesday, July 14

Start time: 9 a.m. local time, 8 a.m. BST

Live on: Super Sports (Zimbabwe), Ten Sports (India)

Weather: According to Weather.com, Harare is set to be warm and sunny, with temperatures peaking at 24 degrees Celsius.

Overview

The final ODI match of the series presents the final opportunity for these two teams to test themselves against one another in the 50-over format before two Twenty20 Internationals.

They come into this third game with India ahead 2-0, having won by 62 runs in the second match in what was a solid performance.

The away side batted first and made 271-8 from their 50 overs, led by 63 from captain and opener Ajinkya Rahane and 72 from his fellow opener Murali Vijay.

For Zimbabwe, Neville Madziva impressed with 4-49 in just his sixth ODI appearance.

In response, the hosts struggled as only Chamu Chibhabha passed 50, while only four others reached double figures.

When Chibhabha was dismissed for 72, there was little resistance from the Zimbabweans as they were all out for 209 and defeated by 62 runs.

This third match represents the last opportunity for India’s second string to assert themselves, while Zimbabwe may well see this as a golden chance to take a morale-boosting victory.

Team News

Zimbabwe (from)

Elton Chigumbura (capt), Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.

 
India (from)

Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa, Murali Vijay.

Key Players

Neville Madziva

Last time out, Zimbabwe seamer Neville Madziva did well as he took 4-49 in 10 overs in what was just his sixth ODI.

It showed what he is capable of and should give the Zimbabweans plenty of heart as they look to bolster their pace-bowling resources.

Ambati Rayudu

Indian batsman Ambati Rayudu has been in good form at No. 3, having made a century in the first game and then 41 in the second.

The 29-year-old is still relatively inexperienced in ODI cricket, but if he can maintain this good run, he may well force his way into the reckoning on a more regular basis.

After some initial worries about whether it would be cancelled, India begin their tour of Zimbabwe with the first of three one-day internationals in Harare.

Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare

Date: Friday, July 10

Start time: 9 a.m. local time, 8 a.m. BST

Live on: Super Sports (Zimbabwe), Ten Sports (India)

Weather: According to Weather.com, Harare will be sunny, with temperatures peaking around 23 degrees Celsius.

Overview

It was only a few weeks ago that India’s tour of Zimbabwe looked unlikely to go ahead due to a dispute between the Indian cricket board and Ten Sports, the broadcaster.

For a time, it looked as though the Board of Control for Cricket in India might have asked to push the series back a year due to ongoing court issues.

However, things were ironed out between the two parties so the tour could go ahead, albeit with India selecting a second-string squad in an unrelated move.

The visitors will be led by Ajinkya Rahane in the captaincy role, with the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and others all rested.

There will still be some experienced players in the squad, however, including Harbhajan Singh, who has enjoyed something of a revival on the international stage.

Meanwhile, at the time of writing, Zimbabwe had named only a training squad for this series, but there are plenty of solid performers in there.

With filled stadiums expected, even in the country’s winter, it will be a welcome boost for the country’s cricketing coffers, and is an opportunity for some victories, too.

Team News

Zimbabwe (from): Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.
 
India (from): Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Sandeep Sharma, Karn Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa, Murali Vijay.

Key Players

Elton Chigumbura

Zimbabwe allrounder Elton Chigumbura is a key part of the home side’s batting and bowling and is one of their more senior players.

If the hosts are to be successful, they may well need him to contribute in a big way.

Robin Uthappa

Brought in to keep wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni rested, Robin Uthappa will have plenty of eyes on him in this game.

Uthappa had a decent season in the Indian Premier League and will want to carry that on and show he is a capable successor to the superstar Dhoni.

The United Arab Emirates threatened to cause another surprise in Nelson before eventually succumbing to Zimbabwe in Thursday's solitary World Cup fixture.

At the same Saxton Oval where Ireland saw off West Indies earlier in the tournament, UAE managed to put a competitive score on the board in their opening Group B fixture.

Shaiman Anwar top-scored with 67, while Khurram Khan contributed 45 as the International Cricket Council Associate Nation—appearing in a World Cup for the first time since 1996—made 285 for seven.

They then reduced their opponents to 167 for five, only for Sean Williams and Craig Ervine to share in an 83-run stand that got Zimbabwe back on course in their chase.

Williams finished up unbeaten on 76 from 65 balls, seeing his side home with four wickets and 12 balls to spare.

Shot of the Day

There was no shame in losing for Shaiman; he played superbly to record his second one-day 50 in international action.

The 35-year-old hit nine fours and a six in his 50-ball innings, and it is his maximum that wins our award for the best shot.

He had already hit Tinashe Panyangara's previous delivery for four to move to 44 when he opted to go after the Zimbabwe seamer again.

Shaiman seized on the chance to hit a good-length delivery down the ground, giving himself a little room as he allowed his bottom hand to take over and smash a straight six.

It was a stunning way for the right-hander to go through to his half-century, a milestone he reached in just 37 balls.

Delivery of the Day

Hamilton Masakadza had been in fine touch with the bat in Zimbabwe's opening game at the World Cup, making 80 from 74 deliveries in a losing cause against South Africa.

The right-hander managed to prosper against the seam trio of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, yet found one of UAE's pace bowlers too much to handle on Thursday.

Seeing his first five overs go for 29 runs, Amjad Javed started his sixth by dismissing Masakadza for just one.

The batsman got himself in a bit of a tangle in trying to deal with a full ball that moved in the air a little.

With his bat failing to come down in a straight line and his front foot planted, he played all around the delivery to be trapped lbw.

It was not a tough decision for the umpire—in fact, the only real question was over how many stumps would have been disturbed had Masakadza's pad not been in the way.

Catch of the Day

Khurram had UAE's run rate soaring when he was at the crease, though you might expect as much from a man who works as a flight purser for an airline.

The 43-year-old (yes, that is correct) is the oldest man to hit an ODI century and had already been trending on Twitter before his side had played a game at the World Cup, per The National.

A milestone was within his reach against Zimbabwe as he eased to 45, only for his fun to be cut short by a fine catch from Williams at gully.

Khurram's eyes lit up when he spotted a short, wide delivery from seamer Tendai Chatara.

However, while he hit his cut shot cleanly, it was too close to Williams. The fielder plunged to his right to hang on to the sharp chance.

Olden but golden

Khurram used to be UAE's captain, and he was at the helm when they qualified for the 2015 World Cup.

However, the team wanted a more youthful approach for the tournament itself. They went for Mohammad Tauqir as skipper, a man who is all of 207 days younger than his predecessor in the job.

Tauqir, also 43, had success with the ball against Zimbabwe, picking up the wickets of Sikandar Raza and Regis Chakabva with his right-arm off-spin.

Chakabva could feel a little aggrieved at his dismissal, the opening batsman slipping in the crease and treading on his own stumps after working the ball towards deep square leg.

Friday at the World Cup

Having lost to Australia in their opening match, England now face New Zealand, the other co-hosts of the tournament, at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

The fixture list has not been kind to Eoin Morgan's team; they will take on a Kiwi side that has already recorded comfortable wins over Sri Lanka and Scotland in Group A.

It’s been a month in which no cricketer has managed to do anything exceedingly daft. That makes selecting Clown of the Month somewhat tricky.

The award is usually presented to somebody who does something silly, but this month’s award goes to the Zimbabwe cricket team for their horror tour to Bangladesh.

Winless in the Tests, warm-ups and one-day games played in November, the team aren't exactly "ha ha" funny. In fact, the situation's not funny at all, but clown can be defined in various ways.

Throughout the one-day games, Zimbabwe have always looked like they might claw their way back. But every single time, they have found a way to collapse and bring defeat after defeat upon themselves. It’s embarrassing, and being a Zimbabwe cricket fan must feel like hell at present.

While there were some positives to take from the Test series, the one-day series was sheer torture for Zim fans.

In the first ODI, Zim used eight different bowlers as Shakib Al Hasan hit 101 off 99 balls and the lower order put on 210 runs of the 281 total. Zimbabwe started off well, with Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor both scoring steadily. Then, the collapse happened. Zim went from 153-6 after 33.1 overs to 194 all out.

That theme repeated itself throughout the series, and Zimbabwe struggled to find excuses for their continuous failures.

After losing the third ODI by 124 runs, captain Elton Chigumbura didn't have much to say. He did, however, admit that his team kept on making the same mistakes. He was quoted by ESPN Cricinfo as saying:

It was another disappointment. Same old stuff, same old mistakes. I guess if we keep repeating the same thing we keep getting the same result. We changed the team, but we repeated the same mistakes. 

To add to their woes, Zimbabwe were also fined for a slow over rate during the fourth ODI, with Elton Chigumbura losing 20 per cent of his match fee, as per ESPN Cricinfo. While that wasn’t exactly disastrous, it was just another tick on the list of errors for the team.

With a World Cup just around the corner, Zimbabwe have reason to be seriously concerned. Stephen Mangongo was appointed as permanent coach earlier this year, just before South Africa toured the country. Since then, Zimbabwe have not won a match, which has caused much frustration for the fans.

Do they care? "@DavidColtart: Zim Cricket plumb new depths - all out for 128 in 5 ODI v @BCBtigers . Makoni and Mangongo must be dismissed."

— KB Mpofu (@KBMpofu) December 1, 2014

Some have even questioned whether the coach's appointment was based on reasons other than his ability. Only time will tell whether there is any truth to that. For now, what is clear is that Zimbabwe need a rethink very quickly.

They are fast becoming the laughing stock of the cricketing world. There are some good players in the team, but they have not been able to perform as a unit.

Time in the middle could solve some of their troubles, but Zimbabwe have no further cricket scheduled until the World Cup begins next year. With the horror tour now behind them, perhaps Zim’s players will be happy to just take a step back from everything for a little while.