TTCB – News

Zimbabwe here for T20 at Oval
February 23, 2010

THE ZIMBABWE cricket team arrived in Trinidad and Tobago yesterday in preparation for the 2010 Digicel Home Series against the West Indies which will bowl off on Sunday with a Twenty20 match at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

However, the team arrived in Trinidad without newly appointed coach Alan Butcher with former Zimbabwe captain David Haughton who was initially a specialist consultant to the team acting as head coach.

“We have a young side that is developing quite nicely and I expect it quite a fierce contest,” said Haughton after arriving at the Piarco International Airport yesterday.

He explained that the beating the West Indies has taken in Australia would not be taken for granted and expects the Windies to try and rebound at home. Zimbabwe will play one Twenty20 match followed by five One-Day International matches and is hoping that their young side can cause an upset in the Caribbean.

“We want to win it and it is as simple as that. We are not here for a holiday and it is a business trip. We know we can compete and we think we can win,” said Haughton confidently.

He explained that the team is much less experienced than previous Zimbabwe teams that have toured the West Indies but believes that there is the talent in the squad to secure a series win.

“(Tatenda) Taibu is here on this third trip we have Brendan Taylor and we have a good spin department. There is young Timycen Maruma and Kyle Jarvis who has some pace, Elton Chigumbura who is a genuine allrounder, it is a nice make up side with good depth in the batting and we got a few seamers and four or five spinners in the squad,” said Haughton.

He said Bangladesh beating the West Indies at home has given his team a boost in confidence knowing that the home team is beatable.

“We think we got a really good chance and we have a really decent team here and if we put it together on the day I think we will have a really good chance,” said Haughton.