Sports / Cricket
Heath Streak looking to send down at least 30 overs
18 Feb 2011 at 01:50hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE bowling coach Heath Streak says Australia's quicks have the ability to make pace a weapon on the subcontinent, but his side will be sticking with spin.
Australia take on the African minnows in their opening World Cup clash in Ahmedabad on Monday, with Streak confirming his side will be pinning their hopes on leg-spinner Graeme Cremer and veteran left-arm slow bowler Ray Price.
"Fortunately our spinners are very experienced now," Streak told reporters at training on Thursday.
"Primarily, spin is our forte and we don't want to move away from it.
"And here, it seems the pitches are also not assisting the fast bowlers, so surely, they are going to be play a big role in our success."
Streak said Zimbabwe would be looking to send down at least 30 overs of spin against Australia, whose middle-order batsmen struggled against the slow bowlers in World Cup warm-up losses to India and South Africa.
"It's not a secret with us. Our strength is spin," Streak said.
"We will probably mix it a bit."
Streak said the world No.11-ranked Zimbabwe side may find it tough going against the defending world champions and their pace attack, whatever the variables of the pitch.
"The case with the Aussies is different," he said.
"They have good and genuine quickies, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, who make batsmen uncomfortable even in India."
Streak, a former paceman, says he's working closely with his team's spinners.
"I have learnt a bit working with spinners like (Australia's spin guru) Terry Jenner," he said.
Australia take on the African minnows in their opening World Cup clash in Ahmedabad on Monday, with Streak confirming his side will be pinning their hopes on leg-spinner Graeme Cremer and veteran left-arm slow bowler Ray Price.
"Fortunately our spinners are very experienced now," Streak told reporters at training on Thursday.
"Primarily, spin is our forte and we don't want to move away from it.
"And here, it seems the pitches are also not assisting the fast bowlers, so surely, they are going to be play a big role in our success."
Streak said Zimbabwe would be looking to send down at least 30 overs of spin against Australia, whose middle-order batsmen struggled against the slow bowlers in World Cup warm-up losses to India and South Africa.
"It's not a secret with us. Our strength is spin," Streak said.
"We will probably mix it a bit."
Streak said the world No.11-ranked Zimbabwe side may find it tough going against the defending world champions and their pace attack, whatever the variables of the pitch.
"The case with the Aussies is different," he said.
"They have good and genuine quickies, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, who make batsmen uncomfortable even in India."
Streak, a former paceman, says he's working closely with his team's spinners.
"I have learnt a bit working with spinners like (Australia's spin guru) Terry Jenner," he said.
Source - Byo24NEWS
