The Sunday Mail

Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE will be out to further assert their dominance over Afghanistan when the two sides meet for the second One-day International at Queens Sports Club today.
After a clinical eight-wicket victory, where Zimbabwe demonstrated a rare disciplined and all-round performance on Friday, attention will once again fall on the trio of Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chisoro and pace bowler Luke Jongwe.
The trio was at the heart of Friday’s power show, taking all the wickets as Afghanistan were bowled out for a paltry 122 runs.
Zimbabwe then made light work of the target, chasing it down for the loss of only two wickets and with 160 balls to spare.

Tendai Chisoro bowled two maidens out five overs during his international debut on Friday. Today he will be looking to better that feat18

Chamunorwa Chibhabha top scored with a well-marshaled 58 off 69 balls.
However, the visitors have clearly taken notice of the three youngsters and vowed to put up a better fight when the teams meet again.
“We played bad cricket and that’s why we lost,” said the visiting skipper Asghar Stanikzai.
“We have learnt a lot from the last game, especially our batsmen who played some poor shots and the fact we posted a very low score.
“If we can make something in the region of 230-250, then at least we can be more competitive and that will be the main goal going forward.
“I won’t say that we will win all our matches, but if we play good cricket in all the remaining games then we are in,” he said.
Stanikazi went on to acknowledge the contributions of Jongwe, Chisoro and Masakadza in Zimbabwe’s victory in the opener of the series.
“Zimbabwe played outstanding cricket during the first game, particularly the left-arm spinner Masakadza.
“He bowled brilliantly throughout his spell.
“The spinners bowled well too, not giving our batsmen time to breathe and play their natural game. The result was a well-disciplined performance from Zimbabwe in all departments,” he said.
His counterpart Elton Chigumbura echoed the same sentiments and also heaped praise at the way the trio played.
“Obviously, I am happy with the way we played; we bowled tight upfront and exerted enough pressure to get the wickets.
“I was particularly impressed with the way Tendai Chisoro, Luke Jongwe and Wellington Masakadza played; they are young and new to the team but they handled themselves quite well.
“Going forward, it is my hope that they continue with this fine form, get better even and also get some backing from the batting department.
“We want to win every match and winning the first game gave us the right start to achieving that goal,” he said.

. . . Chisoro eyes more wickets

DEBUTANT left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro finished with impressive figures of 5-2-16-3 in Zimbabwe’s eight-wicket win in the first ODI against Afghanistan.
His attention now shifts towards trying to keep up the good work and become a regular member of the team.
“On your first match you’d like to do well and I wouldn’t have asked for something better and I’m very happy about it,” Chisoro said.
“Hopefully I’ll keep doing well and be a permanent member of the team.”
Chisoro had already been in good rhythm, having played the three tour matches as part of the Zimbabwe Chairman’s XI against Afghanistan in Bulawayo.
In those, he returned with figures of 3 for 43, 2 for 29 and 3 for 48 with a combined economy rate of 5.31 from the three matches.
In last season’s domestic one-day tournament too, the Pro50 Championship, Chisoro had finished with an average of 25.88 and economy rate of 4.56 from eight matches.
“I’ve been successful so far and I think last season I finished and did very well with the ball, and I think I have a bright future with my spin,” he said.
Chisoro has not always been a spinner, though. He started out as a left-arm seamer and the switch happened not too long ago as a means to address some injury concerns.
“In one of the games we played against Mountaineers Dave Houghton was our coach, he just asked me to bowl left-arm spinners in the net. And I did alright in the nets and he asked me if I could bowl them in the games — if I could bowl spin and then pace on pace-assisting wickets.
So that’s how it started. I permanently tended to spin because I was struggling with my ankle and back so that’s why I’ve tended to bowl spin for good.”
Chisoro’s day had not started well, though.
He dropped Afghanistan batsman Najibullah Zadran while fielding at mid-off off the bowling of Wellington Masakadza.
Wellington said he had forgiven his team-mate for a nervous moment in his first match.
“Obviously he won’t feel good about that but playing in his first game we forgive that because it’s always hard to come in and do well especially with catches and stuff,” Wellington said. — Cricinfo