Ireland test Zimbabwe’s readiness for Tests

Daily News

By Enock Muchinjo

20 September 2010

HARARE – When a Zimbabwe Cricket second-string XI begins a four-day Intercontinental Cup match against the full Ireland team Monday, the country’s preparation for Test cricket will get into full swing.
ZC selectors refused the temptation to select a full strength Zimbabwe team for this tie, to the delight of Zim XI coach Steve Mangongo, who has always advocated for a bona fide second team in this competition.

Mangongo’s argument is a legitimate one.

To sustain a place at Test level, the country needs a big pool of well-prepared players, so exposing genuine second-teamers to competitive four-day matches against tier two teams like Ireland, Kenya and Afghanistan will widen the base.

“Every international match we play is important in our roadmap,” Mangongo said at a joint press conference on Saturday.

“Playing Ireland with virtually our second team is a positive way forward.”

There was general feeling in the Irish camp that the Zimbabweans had blundered by picking a “weakened” team.

Ireland captain William Porterfield, meanwhile, says the team must regularly beat teams of similar strength like Zimbabwe to boost chances of gaining test status.

The Irish team finally arrived in Harare Saturday following a denial by Cricket Ireland that it was placed under pressure to travel to Zimbabwe.

“We are always looking forward to improve ourselves, and test cricket is the pinnacle,” Porterfield told the Daily News upon arrival. “We’ve made massive strides in Ireland cricket and we now have a good chance of getting Test status.

“I think playing good cricket regularly will contribute (to gaining test status), especially against the teams closer to us. Getting big performances against such teams will do us no harm.”

Porterfield said he expected a “tough series” against the full Zimbabwe team, who they will play in three ODIs in addition to an Intercontinental match against the hosts’ second-string XI.

Last week, Zimbabwe’s sports minister David Coltart applauded the cricket boards of Ireland and New Zealand for agreeing to send teams to the country. New Zealand is also set to resume ties with Zimbabwe after naming an A side to tour the unstable Southern African nation in October.