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Zimbabwe seeks redemption against Ireland
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Zimbabwe's cricket captain, Craig Ervine, expressed optimism yesterday as the Chevrons gear up to face Ireland in a one-off Test match starting today at Queens Sports Club. The match presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to correct the mistakes that led to their 1-0 series loss against Afghanistan last month and register their first-ever Test win against Ireland.
The two sides have only clashed once in Test cricket, with Ireland emerging victorious last year.
Ervine noted that the pitch prepared for this match differs from the one used against Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of discipline with the ball and converting starts into big scores with the bat.
"Looking at the wicket, it has some grass cover on it. What we will be looking for is a little bit more consistency in terms of pace compared to the wicket that we played on against Afghanistan,'' said Ervine.
"The seamers will obviously play a big part in that role; both sides are evenly balanced. This wicket will still be a good one, and it will come down to discipline.
"From Afghanistan, we learned the importance of patience. They built big partnerships and applied pressure. For us, it's about getting in, working hard, and going big. In Test cricket, scores of 50 or 60 don't put you in strong positions, but centuries like their 172s or 230s do," he added.
Veteran players Sean Williams and Ervine will anchor the Chevrons, while also mentoring younger players on managing the complexities of Test cricket.
Ireland, meanwhile, will be led by captain Andrew Balbirnie, with former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Peter Moor among their ranks. Moor, who made his Test debut for Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in 2016, brings valuable insight into the conditions and his former teammates.
"He is a great person to have in our squad, particularly when we are playing Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe," Balbirnie said. "He has a lot of knowledge about the grounds and the players, which will be a big advantage."
Ireland views this Test as a rare opportunity, given the limited number of red-ball matches they play. Balbirnie highlighted the team's excitement and readiness for the challenge, having closely followed Zimbabwe's recent Tests against Afghanistan.
The Test match kicks off a full series between the two nations, which will also include three ODIs and three T20Is, to be played in Harare.
Both teams will be looking to make history, with Zimbabwe aiming for their first win against Ireland in Test cricket and Ireland hoping to build on their success from last year.
The two sides have only clashed once in Test cricket, with Ireland emerging victorious last year.
Ervine noted that the pitch prepared for this match differs from the one used against Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of discipline with the ball and converting starts into big scores with the bat.
"Looking at the wicket, it has some grass cover on it. What we will be looking for is a little bit more consistency in terms of pace compared to the wicket that we played on against Afghanistan,'' said Ervine.
"The seamers will obviously play a big part in that role; both sides are evenly balanced. This wicket will still be a good one, and it will come down to discipline.
"From Afghanistan, we learned the importance of patience. They built big partnerships and applied pressure. For us, it's about getting in, working hard, and going big. In Test cricket, scores of 50 or 60 don't put you in strong positions, but centuries like their 172s or 230s do," he added.
Ireland, meanwhile, will be led by captain Andrew Balbirnie, with former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Peter Moor among their ranks. Moor, who made his Test debut for Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in 2016, brings valuable insight into the conditions and his former teammates.
"He is a great person to have in our squad, particularly when we are playing Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe," Balbirnie said. "He has a lot of knowledge about the grounds and the players, which will be a big advantage."
Ireland views this Test as a rare opportunity, given the limited number of red-ball matches they play. Balbirnie highlighted the team's excitement and readiness for the challenge, having closely followed Zimbabwe's recent Tests against Afghanistan.
The Test match kicks off a full series between the two nations, which will also include three ODIs and three T20Is, to be played in Harare.
Both teams will be looking to make history, with Zimbabwe aiming for their first win against Ireland in Test cricket and Ireland hoping to build on their success from last year.
Source - the herald
