The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
ZIMBABWE’S loss to South Africa inside two days of what was meant to be a historic four-day, day/night pink ball cricket Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth dented what was otherwise a brilliant year for the sport in the country.
While Zimbabwe were not expected to beat South Africa, the second best Test team in the world after India, they should have at least competed by taking the game to the last day. The Heath Streak-coached lads were blown away for 68 in their first innings and when forced to follow on, they could only manage 121 to lose the match by an innings and 120 runs.
Streak is a disappointed man, describing the team’s performance as the lowest moment in his career as the national team head coach.
“It is a big blow for me, from a coaching perspective, in my time as head coach it’s probably the low ebb of my coaching career. You mustn’t forget the positive things that have happened, I think playing South Africa in terms of where they are ranked, in conditions that are very favourable to them was always going to be a challenge,’’ Streak said.
The former national team skipper said he anticipated that his boys would put up a fight against the Proteas but their first innings cost them dearly in the match.
“I thought we would put up more of a fight in this game, we wanted to try and play positively, I think we were blown away, that first innings in those conditions really blew us out. It’s just who we play, we have shown that we can compete against West Indies, we have shown that we can compete against Sri Lanka,’’ he said.
Graeme Cremer and the rest of the team have to quickly get over the disappointment of being beaten by South Africa and gear up for the One Day International triangular series in Bangladesh next month which will be followed by a limited overs contest against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates. This is all in preparation for the 2019 International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup qualifier to be staged in Zimbabwe in March.
It has been such a wonderful year for the game in 2017 with a number of achievements on and off the field of play with successes achieved through sound leadership provided by the Tavengwa Mukhuhlani led Zimbabwe Cricket board.
Former ICC chief financial officer Faisal Hasnain was appointed ZC managing director in April, taking over the position from Wilfred Mukondiwa who retired.
Zimbabwe won a five-match ODI series away from home for the first time ever when they defeated Sri Lanka 3-2 in their own backyard in July. It was Zimbabwe’s third bilateral series win away from home against a Test playing nation. The last time Zimbabwe won any away series was against Kenya in 2009, prior to which they had gotten the better of Bangladesh and New Zealand in successive series during the 2000/2001 season.
Zimbabwe also managed to put up a competitive show in the only Test against the Sri Lankans which was played in Colombo where the Chevrons posted scores of over 300 runs in both innings. Sri Lanka won that five-day contest by four wickets, which shows just how Zimbabwe pushed them.
In August, ICC president Shashank Manohar visited Zimbabwe where he met senior Government officials. With the country having submitted a bid to host the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, Manohar’s visit was crucial since the world cricket governing body sought to get assurances from the country’s political leadership.
At the ICC board meeting held in Auckland, New Zealand, Zimbabwe were announced as the host nation of the 10-team Qualifier. They saw off a joint bid by Ireland and Scotland as well as a single show of interest from the United Arab Emirates.
What makes the Qualifier crucial is that with the next World Cup to involve just 10 teams, two countries from the tournament in Zimbabwe will join the eight others who have already automatically qualified for the tournament to be held in England. With the tournament being held in Zimbabwe, the home team stands a great chance of booking a place in 2019.
There are also financial benefits to be accrued from hosting the tournament as the ICC is availing funding to enable ZC to adequately prepare and upgrade the playing infrastructure. Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Harare Sports Club, Old Hararians as well as Kwekwe Sports Club are the venues for the matches while Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare and the Old Mutual Heath Streak Academy in Bulawayo will be used as training facilities.
Zimbabwe also took on West Indies in two Tests in Bulawayo where they lost the first one but managed to secure a draw in the second.
The good show in 2017 saw the Chevrons being nominated for the Team of the Year gong at the Sports and Recreation run Annual Sports Awards while Streak was up for the Coach of the Year accolade. The country’s national sevens rugby team took the prize while Streak also lost out to Cheetahs coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba. — @Mdawini_29
