THE recently-concluded Ireland Tour to Zimbabwe had very key positives to take forward for a resurgent Zimbabwe national cricket team that last won a series against a full Test playing nation, almost three years ago.
After losing the one off Test match to the tourists in Bulawayo, the pointer was indicating to the usual script of another series loss loading ahead of the ODI and T20 matches in Harare.
The Chevrons recovered and won the first ODI match in convincing fashion thrashing the visitors by a whopping nine wickets and after Ireland levelled the series in the second ODI match, the Chevrons turned on the power to seal the series with a crushing 49 runs victory in the final ODI.
The Chevrons showed their mantle in the T20 series winning the second T20 match while the first and the final T20 matches were abandoned due to rains.
Three key positives were realised from the Ireland Tour, and the positives were key contributors for the Chevrons improved performance. The key game changers for a competitive Chevrons team was, firstly, in the team selection process, and finally the selectors heeded fans calls to introduce fresh blood into the Chevrons team.
The selectors sounded the changes by infusing young and fresh players into the squad, the introduction of top-order batsmen Ben Curran, Nich Welch, Nyasha Mayavo, Tony Munyonga and Brian Bennett and the bowling quartet of Newman Nyamhuri, Tinotenda Maposa, Tashinga Musekiwa and Trevor Gwandu brought a new impetus into the team’s performance.
The young and new players introduced into the team paid back the selectors for their faith in them with top notch performances.
Curran playing in his first ODI series for Zimbabwe scored a maiden century in the third ODI when he amassed 118 runs, a feat not achieved by his late father and any of his two siblings in international cricket. Contributions from Bennett, 48 runs and captain Craig Ervine, 66 runs, were enough to take Zimbabwe home and win the match by a whooping nine wickets and also clinch the ODI series 2-1.
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In the Test match, Nyamhuri and Gwandu added punch to a lethal Zimbabwean pace attack that has Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava at the front and Welch also made valuable contributions, with the bat when he amassed 90 runs in the one off Test match. However, all that was in vain as the visitors went on to win the match and wrap up the Test series.
Gwandu was to prove his worth in the second T20 match where he took three wickets and conceded 24 runs in his four over spell. Munyonga cemented Zimbabwe’s chase with 43 runs off 30 deliveries and Musekiwa, in his maiden international T20 match, contributed 15 vital runs that helped Zimbabwe inch closer to Ireland’s total of 137 runs. The final T20 match was washed away after Zimbabwe posted 142 runs for the loss of six wickets after having been put to bat.
Munyonga and Musekiwa kept the crowd entertained with solid batting and contributed to the decent total posted by Zimbabwe. The two youngsters proved that when the top order fails the middle order can play a role to salvage a decent total in the two matches were they contributed decent partnerships for a sixth and seventh wicket stand.
The encouraging performance by the new players has created a wide player base for Zimbabwe’s selectors, led by convener of selectors, Walter Chawaguta, to choose from. The availability of several players, who can raise their hand for selection across the three formats, creates healthy competition in the team and makes the Chevrons competitive, as no player is guaranteed an automatic place in the team based on past performances. Players will have to earn their place in the team.
With the selection of the young and talented upcoming cricketers into the national team the player base has widened with players such as Brad Evans, Victor Nyauchi, Clive Madande, Faraz Akram, Brandon Mavuta, Innocent Kaia, Joylord Gumbi, Mathew Campbell, Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chatara, Tanunura Makoni, Tavanga Chivanga, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Takudzwa Chataira, waiting on the fringes to grab an opportunity to don the Chevron colours.
And if the citizenship status of Belgian-born Antum Naqvi is confirmed, then exciting times beckon as competition for a place in the team in all three formats of the game will become stiff.
The ODI and T20 series wins have galvanized the restive Chevron fans who have remained loyal even when the chips are down. The restless supporters at Harare Sports Club have sung and danced even when the team has been against the wall. The fans have braved the rains that have characterised the whole series and were in their numbers in the final game played under floodlights to cheer the boys on.
The belief by the fans as the 12th men on the pitch, has borne positive results and it is now incumbent on Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to leverage on the popular support and bring on board potential and credible sponsorship to complement current sponsors supporting Zimbabwe cricket
The faith and belief the fans have in the team is mirrored in the passion displayed in the stands during matches and ZC can leverage on the support to ensure that a carnival atmosphere prevails whenever the Chevrons plays at home.
The Chevrons have a busy schedule and more game time ahead of them in 2025, with about half a dozen home and away match series planned and confirmed across all three formats of the game.
According to the ICC Future Tours Programme, Zimbabwe will travel to Bangladesh in March for three ODI and three T20 matches. In May, Zimbabwe will travel to England for a one off four-day Test match, almost over two decades since the two teams last played each other.
The Chevrons will then host South Africa for two Test matches in June, before hosting a tri-series at home featuring South Africa and New Zealand. Zimbabwe will then host New Zealand for two Test matches, three ODIs and three T20 matches in July.
In August, the Chevrons will host Sri Lanka in three ODI matches and three T 20 matches and will complete the year with a date with Afghanistan where two Test matches, three ODI matches and three T20 matches will be played in October.
ZC will need to capitalise on the positive outcome of the just-completed Ireland Tour to leverage on the positive vibes brought about by the series wins, and when the Chevrons perform the vibe carries across the whole country.
What also is critical is for the right players to be selected to ensure that the fans have faith in the selected players.
Senior players Sikandar Raza, Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl and the injured Sean Williams played formidable roles in the ODI and T20 matches. The future of Zimbabwe cricket looks bright and the newly infused young players will have to prove they are deserving candidates to don Chevron colours and represent Zimbabwe with pride.
- Dube is an independent cricket analyst writing here in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on email: [email protected] or mobile +263 772125659.
