The Sunday Mail
THE West Indies clash presents Zimbabwe with the opportunity to cause that much anticipated upset when the two teams meet in a Cricket World Cup match at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday.
Will the Zimbabwe cricket team follow up their UAE win and boost chances of making it to the quarter-finals while compounding West Indies’ worries?
The men from the Caribbean Islands suffered the first embarrassment of the tournament when they lost to Associates Ireland by four wickets in their opening match but soon redeemed themselves by mauling the equally fancied and self- destructive Pakistanis yesterday.
Fresh off their 150-run victory over the Asians, West Indies will surely want to carry that momentum into their clash against Zimbabwe, whom they have beaten in all of their four previous World Cup meetings (1983, 1992, 1996 and 2007).
The Chevrons have been touted as one of the minnows capable of pulling out shock wins and they play a side which failed to defend 305 against Ireland.
But the West Indies will be a confident team after an impressive performance with bat and ball against Pakistan yesterday, during which they had them reeling at 25 for five after just 10 overs.
West Indies have managed to post over 300 in their first two matches, albeit failing to defend 305 to minnows Ireland, but put up a better showing against Pakistan yesterday.
This will be Zimbabwe’s third match after losing the opener to South Africa by 62 runs then beating another Associate team, UAE, by four wickets last Thursday.
The Chevrons’ performance against South Africa was called ‘‘spirited’’ while in the UAE match it was the Asians’ effort which earned marks.
UAE achieved their best ODI score, 285, against Zimbabwe whom they reduced to a stuttering 162-5 before an 83 sixth-wicket stand between Sean Williams and Craig Ervine ensured Zimbabwe avoided the ignominy.
Death bowling
In a minimum of 25 innings since 2012, Zimbabwe has the worst economy rate of 8.02 between overs 41-50.
They also conceded 129 runs for three wickets in the last 15 overs against UAE, never mind the massacre they experienced at the hands of South Africa in their opening match.
Bowling at the death could be the difference between victory and defeat, something new coach Dav Whatmore will need to work on between now and their match on Tuesday.
The toss
Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura has won the toss in both matches, electing to bowl first. This is maybe because his team has a long batting line-up that showed the ability to chase scores.
Chigumbura even batted eighth in the UAE win.
If Chigumbura wins his third successive toss, it would not be surprising if Zimbabwe elect to field again.
Manuka Oval
The 12 000 capacity ground was established in 1929 and it’s first ODI was a 1992 World Cup clash between Zimbabwe and South Africa which the Proteas won by seven wickets.
The Zimbabwe-West Indies clash will be second match of the 2015 World Cup at the ground, the first one was the 105-run victory for Bangladesh against tournament debutants Afghanistan on February 18.
Spotlight
Sean Williams — Scored his maiden World Cup half century (70*) against the West Indies during the 2007 tournament and this is his only meeting against them to date.
He was man of the match in Zimbabwe’s win over UAE, scoring an unbeaten 76 which became his highest World Cup score.
Sean Williams has never scored a century.
Lendl Simmons — He is a man in form. The 30-year-old scored 102 against Ireland and backed it up with a 50 against Pakistan.
