Zim target series win

Don Makanyanga

Zimpapers Sports Hub

THE Zimbabwe Chevrons will go into today’s second One-Day International (ODI) against Ireland at the Harare Sports Club searching for what is slowly becoming a rare feat — a series win.

The Chevrons carry a slender one-nil lead going into today’s match, but Ireland still have a slight edge over the home side.

After all, numbers are important in cricket and the Chevrons’ record in the ODI arena — and against Ireland, in particular — do not make for a pleasant read.

Since March 2020, when Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh, the Chevrons have gone on to play 15 ODI series.

Zimbabwe have played six series away from home, with the other nine on home soil.

In the 15 ODI series that the Chevrons have played, the Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team have managed to win only two.

Those victories came against Bangladesh in August 2022 and against the Netherlands, seven months later. Both wins were at home.

In the 15 ODI series Zimbabwe have played during the five-year period, the Chevrons have won only 10 matches, which translates to a 22 percent win ratio.

In the course of the same five-year period, five matches had no results, contributing 11 percent. Zimbabwe have lost 30 matches of the 45, which translates to a 67 percent loss ratio.

Ireland and Zimbabwe have met a total of 23 times, with Ireland enjoying a better winning rate; 10 wins against Zimbabwe’s nine wins after Friday’s game.

Three matches ended in no results, with a single match ending in a tie.

Irelands’ top order batter Curtis Campher, who top-scored for the visitors on Friday with 44 runs off 57 balls, did not appear too moved by the loss.

“It is always a tough contest against Zimbabwe, but we have been on the right side a few times,” he said.

“We just have to keep to our processes, be on the right side of things and we should bounce back.”

The Irish batter seemed to enjoy the atmosphere at the Harare Sports Club, describing it as one of the best places to play cricket.

“It’s actually one of my favourite places (Harare Sports Club) to play,” he said.

“The crowd gets in like that and it’s an amazing vibe. Hopefully, Sunday (today) is going to be a big turnout because normally a Sunday here is really big.”

While the odds seem stacked against the Chevrons, there were many positives to be taken away from Friday’s match.

The Chevrons, who have struggled for openers for a long while, may have found a solution to their troubles — Brian Bennett and Ben Curran. Their partnership put up 95 runs for the first wicket, with Bennett the aggressor, while Curran looked comfortable playing facilitator.

That 95-run partnership set the platform for what later turned out to be an unassailable 299 for five during Zimbabwe’s allotted 50 overs.

Bennett not only went on to score his maiden century, but he also became the fourth-youngest to score 150-plus in a men’s One-Day International and posted the fifth-highest ODI score by a Chevrons batter.

He finished 169 runs off 163 balls, a statistic made even more impressive by the fact that the strike rate ended at 103.68 percent.

Not too shabby for a rookie, who is only 21 years old and opening for his country in an ODI for the first time.

Bennett has since revealed his ambitions to open for Zimbabwe in more assignments in the ODI arena. “I have always wanted to be an opener,” said Bennett after Friday’s match. “I do in the T20s . . . however, to open in the ODIs and, in my first match, a score like that is great.

“Hopefully, I have cemented my place in the opening setup for now.”

After missing out on the Test match, Chevrons skipper Craig Ervine returned to the team and showed a lot of guts, intent and hunger with a quick-fire 66 runs off 61 balls.

Ervine also had an impressive strike of 108,19 percent.

The bowling department played their part in restricting Ireland to 250 runs, chasing what many perceived to be a below-par target of 300.

Blessing Muzarabani led the charge with four wickets, while Richard Ngarava and Wesly Madhevere chipped in with three and two scalps, respectively.

It is looking more promising for the Chevrons, with Sikandar Raza back in for the series.

Raza’s eight runs, one wicket and one catch contributions mean that Ireland are yet to feel what the 38-year-old Zimbabwean ace is capable of doing.

Only last weekend, Raza handed his Dubai Capitals their maiden International League T20 title with blistering 38 runs off 19 balls.

Despite striking the early blow, Zimbabwe cannot afford to sit on their laurels as defeat left Ireland resembling a wounded animal.

The Chevrons will now be hoping to close out the series and Bennett, who played a key role in Zimbabwe’s win on Friday, is upbeat about the hosts’ chances.

“It’s obviously good to begin a series with a win,” said Bennett.

“However, nothing changes; we are still playing Ireland, who are still a good team and we need to regroup, go back to our game plans and come back strong again.

“The opening partnerships have not been the best, and were not what we were hoping for in the past. So, to get that 95-run partnership set up the tone for the team very well, and I think that gives a boost to the guys coming in as well later on. I am proud, very grateful but there are still two more games to go.”