By John Ward

It was most disappointing to lose the First Test against India after compiling over 400 in the first innings. But it did once again illustrate Zimbabwe’s current inability to put together two good team innings in the same match. Thanks to Andy Flower, they did manage to reach 200 in both innings - and they had not achieved this for 15 matches, in fact since our last match against India, when they beat them at Harare Sports Club two years ago.

The Indian bowling is not particularly strong, but their batting is magnificent. Sachin Tendulkar rivals Brian Lara as the most talented batsman in world cricket today, and he appears to have been unspoilt by his success and the adulation of 1000 million people, unlike the West Indian. He has been compared to Don Bradman, the greatest run-scorer of all time, as far as his style is concerned. I see two major differences in approach, though. For Bradman a century was only a stepping-stone for 200 or 300, but Tendulkar rarely stays on for the second century - to the great relief of his opponents. Bradman rarely hit sixes and was renowned for keeping the ball on the ground, while Tendulkar frequently hits in the air and always seems to give his opponents a chance. For these reasons his average is only 55 instead of 100. [More]

  INTERVIEWS

Dave Houghton: looking forward to the Logan Cup

While talking to Dave Houghton about Zimbabwe’s international cricketers, I also mentioned a few names of those who had done well in the Logan Cup last season, and asked him if he thought any of them might be good enough to win a place in the Test team in the near future - for example, Neil Ferreira, who scored three centuries for Manicaland but struggled for Zimbabwe A in Sri Lanka against better class bowlers in strange conditions.

“I think we must take the results of that Logan Cup in perspective,” he said. “It was the first time we had put up five or six sides and there were no national team players around, so it was going to be a weak competition. The fact that Neil scored those hundreds is good, because at whatever level you’re playing that’s important. But I think we’re likely to see a more realistic competition this year, in February 2001, because all the national players will be back, the A side players will be there and the full complement of our international players will be involved. Then I think you will have more chance of the results being realistic.”

I brought up the problem that most of the top players would be playing for either the Mashonaland senior side (the batsmen) or Matabeleland (the pace bowlers). “Not necessarily, you know,” Dave replied. “Two of the present national team in India are from Midlands, Friend and Marillier, and Whittall will play for Manicaland. Eight or nine of the others are Mashonas, but I think you’re going to find one or two of those guys snapped up by these provinces. It’s professional, and if Manicaland offer more money than Mashonaland these guys will go there.”[More]

...and his views on our national players

Dave Houghton was the Zimbabwe team national coach until the end of the West Indian tour last April, and is better qualified than anyone else to know what the Zimbabwe national players are really like. He gives his views to John Ward on players of the present and recent past. [More]

Craig Wishart: the Board XI on tour
Craig Wishart, now aged 26, has for several years been recognized as one of Zimbabwe’s most talented batsmen. But, growing up a little behind the players who quickly established themselves in the side on Zimbabwe’s promotion to Test cricket in 1992, such as the Flower brothers, Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall, he has never been given an extended run in the Test team.

He has shown that he has the talent to succeed at the top level. When Grant Flower was injured for the Indian visit of two years ago, he opened the batting in his stead, and a close Test match would probably not have been won were it not for Craig’s innings of 21 and 63, in opening partnerships of 42 and 138 with Gavin Rennie. In the third one-day international he scored a superb match-winning century. But, when Grant returned, it was a case of back to the ranks, number seven or nothing for Craig, as the first six places in the batting order were all accounted for, now that Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson had arrived. [More]

LETTERS

BRYAN STRANG AT WALLASEY
Bryan Strang played as you say, for Wallasey, in the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition, one of the leading leagues in the NW of England, now an ECB Premier League. After the 2000 Zimbabwe tour to England, he joined Wallasey as a replacement for New South Wales' Brad Haddin who 'chose to go home early'. Wallasey finished the season as champions, their first title for 70 years. His statistics for Wallasey are as follows:

Batting
          P  Ins  NO   Runs   HS   Avge   100s  50s   ct   st
1997     20   16   5    309   89*  28.09    -    2    10    -
1998     20   18   3    472   88   31.46    -    1    10    -
2000      6    5   0     61   19   12.20    -    -     1    -
 
total    46   39   8    842   89*  27.16    -    3    21    -
 
 
Bowling    
           O     M    R     W    Avge    BB  5wI   Econ    SR
1997     313    79   956   67   14.26   6-19   7   3.05   28.02
1998     317.2  78   940   53   17.73   6-37   4   2.96   35.92
2000      81.4  18   252   20   12.60   5-48   1   3.08   24.50
 
total    712   175  2148  140   15.34   6-19  12   3.01   30.51

Phil Lovgreen (L&DCC Fixtures and Results Secretary)

LOOKING FORWARD IN AUSTRALIA
Hi there John. Just thought I'd drop you a line to let you know how much I enjoy your site. The profiles are splendid. I was pleased to see that Andy Flower made a big century against the Indians; he made quite an impression in this country when Zimbabwe was out three or four years ago. I look forward to seeing him unfurl some of these handsome drives this summer.
Paul Amy (Melbourne)

Alex too strong for HSC, but OGs still in front
Vigne Cup report by Clive Ruffell

Alexandra Cricket Club earned a convincing victory over Harare Sports Club on Sunday in the sixth round of the Mashonaland Vigne Cup cricket league competition to keep the pressure on log leaders Old Georgians, whilst Universals defeated Old Hararians to notch just their second win in six matches in the league this season.

All of the teams were missing regulars due to selections to Zimbabwe representative sides and also through injuries, and this robbed the matches of some glamour. [More]

DOMESTIC

Matabeleland cricket report
by Derrick Townshend

Terry Duffin from Plumtree and Zimbabwe Under-19, is the fifth member from Matabeleland to be accepted into the academy next year. [More]

Manicaland cricket report
by Mark Burmester

Although the province’s representative sides have not been in action and the rainy season ahs arrived, cricket has not slowed down in Mutare.

As mentioned in a previous report, we encourage the participation of all cricket-lovers in our province. By adding a couple of modifications to our Nissan School of Excellence facility, it is possible to play a slightly modernised form of indoor cricket. Floodlights mean we can play 24 hours a day provided the weather holds out due to the facility being in the open. [More]

ST JOHN'S COLLEGE REPORT, 2000
By Peter Whalley, First XI coach

Once again the first term was badly hit by wet weather and the First XI managed to play only four games. These included two nail-biting draws against Lomagundi and Watershed where the College needed one and two wickets respectively for victory, a heavy defeat at the hands of Peterhouse and a convincing win over Prince Edward School.

Either side of these games there were two successful tours to South Africa, one to Cape Town in December 1999 and the other to Pretoria in February 2000. Unfortunately the end of 1999 saw the departure of our three most talented Form 4 cricketers - Scott Brant and Peter Millett to Australia, while Andrew Stone joined the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy. [More]

ZIMBABWE UNDER-16 REPORT
By Mike Whiley (manager)

In mid-October 48 boys gathered at St John’s College for the national trials held as an inter-provincial competition that was won by Mashonaland. At the end of two days a squad was selected to travel to Port Elizabeth in December.

The team is younger than normal as five players are under 15. We hope for a good tour, and with Raymond Price (Zimbabwe A) as coach the boys will be well motivated. [More]

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