The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER a 12 run triumph over Sri Lanka last Wednesday, which saw them continue with their newly found dominance over the Asians, Zimbabwe will be itching to pick up yet another win when the two teams meet for the second time in the Bangladesh One Day International cricket triangular series at Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka today.
Zimbabwe recovered from the eight wicket defeat they suffered at the hands of Bangladesh last Monday to see off Sri Lanka by 12 runs in their second match of the tri series. The victory was a huge morale booster for the Graeme Cremer led Chevrons as it was against a Sri Lankan team they beat 3-2 in their own backyard in July last year to record a historic series win.
Coach Heath Streak is well aware that the Sri Lankans who lost by 163 runs to Bangladesh last Friday to remain winless after two matches will certainly come out fighting as they have a point to prove. The key, Streak believes is for his team to continue playing positive cricket like they did last Wednesday.
“It is a great opportunity, we must expect them to fight hard as they will want to prove critics wrong. We know we have the resources to win and must continue playing positively,’’ Streak said.
Sikandar Raza was the star performer for Zimbabwe with an unbeaten 81 runs and also picked up one wicket, with his effort good enough to earn him the man of the match award. Veteran Hamilton Masakadza also made a valuable 73 at the top of the order. Pace bowler Tendai Chatara picked up four wickets with two each for Cremer, seamer Kyle Jarvis and one for Blessing Muzarabani.
While Zimbabwe were on top of the situation for most periods of the game, Sri Lankan all rounder Thisara Perera almost spoiled the day with his fightinng 64 runs. Streak would like to see a better start with the ball today.
“I thought we had a good all round match, I would like to see possibly a better start with the ball,’’ he said.
A win for Zimbabwe would almost guarantee them a place in the Saturday final where they are most likely to meet Bangladesh. Zimbabwe clash with the host nation on Tuesday before Bangladesh and Sri Lanka round things off on Thursday with the teams in the final getting just a day’s rest.
Streak also expressed his delight after the International Cricket cleared left arm fast bowler Brian Vitori to bowl in the international game. The ICC has announced that following remedial work and re-assessment at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria, South Africa, Vitori’s action has been found legal, which paves way for him to bowl in international cricket.
What makes Streak happy is that Vitori’s worst delivery during his assessment was nine degrees while the permissible allowance by the ICC is 15. He described Vitori as being a massive wicket taker upfront.
“It is fantastic news he is cleared. Even better is his worst ball in Test was nine degrees only. The majority were five to seven degrees which is well within the permissible 15 allowed by ICC,’’ Streak said.
The 27-year-old Vitori was originally suspended from bowling in January 2016, but he was re-assessed and permitted to resume bowling in June 2016.
He was again reported during the triangular ODI final between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka on 27 November 2016. He was subsequently suspended for 12 months in December 2016 after an independent assessment revealed he had employed an illegal bowling action.
Even after his clearance, the ICC said umpires are still at liberty to report Vitori in the future if they believe he is displaying a suspect action and not reproducing the legal action from the reassessment. To assist the umpires, the ICC will provide the match officials with images and video footage of the bowler’s significantly remodelled legal bowling action.
Vitori burst onto the international scene in 2011 with consecutive ODI five wicket hauls against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club. However, injuries and illegal bowling action issues have limited him to just four Tests, 20 ODIs and eleven Twenty20 Internationals.
It will come as no surprise if Vitori is recalled into the national team for the five ODIs and T20Is against Afghanistan to be played in the United Arab Emirates next month which are a build up to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be held in Zimbabwe in March.
Zimbabwe squad for triangular series in Bangladesh: Graeme Cremer (captain), Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Malcolm Waller, Ryan Murray, Peter Moor, Sikandar Raza, Solomon Mire, Christopher Mpofu, Brandon Mavuta, Tendai Chisoro, Ten-@Mdawini_29
