The Sunday Mail
ZIMBABWE national cricket team assistant coach Douglas Hondo says team work will win the Chevrons the Test series away in Bangladesh.
The two lowly ranked countries will compete in a three-match Test series starting on Saturday in Dhaka and Hondo believes pace bowlers will have an important role to play despite more focus being put on spin.
“The pace men are very important because they start off the whole thing and when the ball starts reversing they get called back, when the tail is now in they get called back to get them out, so they are useful all throughout the innings.
“Team work – not one entity of the team – is going to win it for us, bowlers get the wickets batsmen have to get the runs, ’’ said the former Zimbabwe international who was part of the side that last played a Test in Bangladesh in 2005.
Off spinner John Nyumbu might have one Test cap to his name, but the bowler is aware of high expectations on him.
After a historic entry into the longer version of the game where he became the second Zimbabwean to take a five-for on Test debut, after Eddo Brandes, against South Africa in August, the 29-year-old admits there is pressure to back up that feat positively.
“There is always pressure to do well in every game regardless of who you are playing, for yourself and the team as well,” Nyumbu said.
“It’s important to do well for myself and the team in Bangladesh and since it’s a spinner-friendly country, there is an added responsibility to carry the day for the team.
“I am not really worried about high expectations I just need to do what I do best – that is bowling my off spin,” said the Matabeleland Tuskers captain, who is expected to lead the spin attack in the absence of the suspended Prosper Utseya.
“It’s very sad that a guy as experienced and talented as Pro will miss out on the tour due to circumstances beyond our control, but having worked around him I have managed to pick up one or two things that will help me and help the others on tour,” Nyumbu added.
Cricketers are known to be a superstitious lot with weird pre-game rituals.
Nyumbu is no exception.
“I have got one thing that I never miss out on. I phone my wife every day in the morning and if she doesn’t say ‘play well’ I will be very angry.
“Apart from that I pray before my games, I am bubbly character, I like joking around before the game just to calm myself.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s coaching staff will get a chance to assess their team during a three-day match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI starting tomorrow.
