TTCB – News

Zimbabwe open tour at UWI today
February 25, 2010

By STEPHON NICHOLAS

ZIMBABWE bowler Prosper Utseya at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain

ZIMBABWE warmed up for their 50-over match against a Vice Chancellor’s XI today with an intensive practice session yesterday at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain.

The match will bowl off at 9:30 am at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, UWI, St Augustine and will be played in honour of West Indies legend Larry Gomes. A brief ceremony will be held at 9 am to celebrate the career of the gritty left-hander DUBBED “Mr Dependable.”

Today’s contest is the only warm-up for Zimbabwe who will take on West Indies in a Twenty20 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Sunday before playing five One-Day Internationals to complete their tour.

Coach Walter Chawagate dedicated yesterday afternoon’s session exclusively to catching practice including slips and outfield. He explained that the series is significant to his team as it will show where they are in terms of development.

“It is very important. We are in the process of revamping our domestic league. A lot of former players are coming back. There are a number of foreigners entering the league including Kenyans and Australians,” he said.

Chawagate pointed out that the strength of their domestic league should reflect in the national team and he is looking forward to see the results of this tour. “It is the beginning of a new era,” he declared.

West Indies have lost three consecutive series since beating England 1-0 at home and will be looking to turn thing around against Zimbabwe. The visitors are not taking into serious consideration the poor form of the West Indies but are quietly confident of gaining positive results on the tour.

Chawagate was quick to point out that the West Indies team that was beaten in the Test and ODI series against Bangladesh was not full strength and pointed out that the Australian series was not an ideal gauge to determine the strength of the Windies since the Aussies are playing at a high level and rank among the top teams in the world.

“We are confident because we have prepared well for the series. We want to take advantage of the hiding the West Indies got in Australia,” he said.

The Zimbabwe coach noted that his team although having a few newcomers is “reasonably experienced”.

He cited Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, Prosper Utseya and Staurt Matsikenyeri who have all played almost 100 ODI matches as being key since they have all played against the Windies before. See Page 28A.