Zimbabwe's Sammons calls for brave approach in one-off test against Ireland

Zimbabwe's senior men's cricket team head coach, Justin Sammons, has challenged his players to adopt a more courageous mindset in their upcoming one-off Test match against Ireland, which kicks off tomorrow at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Sammons, who has been focusing on the development of the team since taking over as head coach, wants his players to move away from the survival approach that characterized their previous Test series against Pakistan and Afghanistan. Instead, he is urging them to trust their game plans and play with confidence.

"The biggest lesson from those series is for us to be brave in backing our game plans," Sammons told NewsDay Sport. "We often went into survival mode instead of sticking to our plans. Being brave in executing those plans is key."

Sammons also acknowledged the threat posed by Ireland, particularly in their bowling attack, but remains confident that the team which executes the basics better will emerge victorious.

"Ireland has a skilful bowling unit that will challenge our batters' defence," he said. "The team that can do the basics for longer will come out on top."

Since taking over as head coach, the former South African high-performance batting specialist has emphasized the importance of upskilling, clarity in game plans, and developing a brave mindset within the squad.

"We're looking to upskill, develop our game plans, and be brave in executing them," Sammons explained. "We're also focusing on conditioning, and I'm encouraged by the progress we've made."

Despite losing to Ireland in their previous Test match last year, Sammons is optimistic about Zimbabwe's chances this time. He believes the team has made significant improvements since their last encounter with the Irish side.

"We've made significant improvements since our last meeting with Ireland," Sammons said. "I want to see the lessons we've learnt applied in this series. I'm looking for positivity and bravery from the team."

The one-off Test match against Ireland will begin tomorrow, with Zimbabwe hoping to bounce back from recent series losses and demonstrate their growth under Sammons' leadership.