da bet sport： A humdrum one-day jamboree has already been lost, but Zimbabwe wouldwillingly trade that for a successful Test series
Charlie Austin20-Dec-2001A humdrum one-day jamboree has already been lost, but Zimbabwe wouldwillingly trade that for a successful Test series. But, to do so against aresurgent Sri Lankan side, the tourists quickly need to find their feet intheir solitary practice game before the first Test at P.SaravanamuttuStadium in Colombo on Friday.During the one-day series the Zimbabwean top order looked chronically shortof confidence. With Andy Flower’s batting form have dipped below itssuperhuman norm, the onus has fallen on the others, with some playerslooking out of their depth.Their failure so far in Sri Lanka (six games, five losses) makes the absenceof experienced players such as Alistair Campbell and Andy Whittallperplexing. Campbell may only average 26 in Test cricket, but such a modestaverage is not be scoffed at when the pool of talent is limited. Whittallhas scored two double centuries in Test cricket and suggestions that he istoo old at 29 are simply absurd.No, these are not easy days to be a Zimbabwean cricketer. Strangeselections, made worse by an informal but official racial quota system thatno matter how well meaning, is a burden for both black and white and asource of unnecessary friction in the team. A meritocracy seems the onlyrealistic long-term solution, but the crude quota system has some strongsupporters.One only had to watch Tatenda Taibu during the one-day series to realise thedangers of pushing someone above their station. The 18-year-old is a nimbleand very promising wicket-keeper, but the presence of Andy Flower, the bestwicket-keeper all-rounder in the world, obviously restricts hisopportunities. But Taibu is black, so he had to play, and was selected as abatsman instead. Three games later his confidence is in tatters after threeconsecutive ducks.But the present team, currently being led by Stuart Carlisle, are powerlessto change off-field policies and during the next fours weeks they have totry to push such disruptive influences to the back of their minds, as theywork out how to keep Sri Lanka’s spinners at bay on slow turning wickets.Work starts on Friday, as Zimbabwe takes on a talented Sri Lankan Board XI,which includes six players with international experience, including both thespinners, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and leg-spinner Malinga Bandara.On a traditionally lively pitch, that used to be by far the quickest in SriLanka, the tourists will also have to contend with a strong pace attack,including the experienced Ravindra Pushpakumara, Dinusha Fernando, apromising swing bowl who uprooted Mike Atherton’s stumps on three separateoccasions during the England tour earlier this year, and Prabath Nissanka, apotentially lethal fast bowler if he manages to locate his radar early on.The Board XI batting, led by the prolific opener Pradeep Hewage, who hasbeen repeatedly written off by the selectors despite scoring a mountain ofruns in domestic cricket each year, is though inexperienced.Zimbabwe will be looking to play as close to their Test side as possiblewith leg-spinner Brian Murphy and teenage star Hamilton Masakadza, who wereadded to the squad this week, both likely to play.Zimbabwe:Stuart Carlisle (Capt), Heath Streak, Grant Flower, Andy Flower, DionEbrahim, Trevor Gripper, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Wishart, DouglasMarillier, Tatenda Taibu, Mluleki Nkala, Gary Brent, Travis Friend, BrianMurphy, Henry OlongaBoard XI:Pradeep Hewage (Captain), Ian Daniel, Chamara Silva, Anushka Polonnowita,Jeevantha Mendis, Prasanna Jayawardene, Malinga Bandara, Rangana Herath,Ravindra Pushpakumara, Prabath Nissanka, Dinusha Fernando (Reserves: M.PushpakumaraGayan Wijekoon)