South Africa vs. Zimbabwe: 1st ODI Preview
South Africa and Zimbabwe are all set to face each other in the first match of the 3 match ODI series in Bloemfontein on Friday. The ODI series is crucial for both the teams as it includes Zimbabwe’s only scheduled limited overs matches ahead of next year’s
ICC World Cup in 2011 and three of South Africa’s 13 ODIs before the prestigious tournament in Asia.
Hosts’ South Africa had insisted before the tour that all scheduled games against the listless Zimbabwe side would not be treated as simple warm-up matches. Since the T20 leg of the tour provided a useful assessment of South Africa’s bench strength with
several senior players missing out, the hum around the ODI’s is possibly more about the credibility of Zimbabwe’s recent renaissance.
A particularly striking part of Zimbabwe’s turnaround - Grant Flower's comeback to the international arena after a gap of more than 6 years - was hindered by issues attached with Flower’s travel documents ahead of his departure to Zimbabwe. Flower finally
ended up making the tour just in time to bring the drinks in the final T20 of the two-match series. Whilst the addition of the veteran to the line-up brought experience and a greeting dollop of grit, it was Zimbabwe's bowling attack that lacked any depth.
A couple of belligerent innings from the top order helped facade the below par performance of the Zimbabwean bowlers, but during the ODI leg of the tour, it would be quite tough for the visitors to paper over those cracks.
Missing two of South Africa’s frontline bowlers meant the home attack was not up to its usual strength. Add to that the absence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn and Morne Morkel, the back-up has largely struggled.
South African captain Graeme Smith acknowledged his sides’ below par performance with the ball when he said, "I think we were a little bit disappointing with the ball in the two T20 games against Zimbabwe."
The fielding department of the home side was also lamentably insipid in Bloemfontein last Friday but the level-headed death bowling of Rusty Theron proved to be the difference in shattering Zimbabwe’s hopes of victory in Kimberley on 10th October.
Theron is expected to make his maiden ODI appearance today and along with Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell, South Africa’s bowling will need to stay at the top in order to avoid any blemishes against the increasingly vigorous visiting side.
History predicts a clean-sweep in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 camp, and while Graeme
Smith’s men surely remain firm favourites, a result in favour of the listless Zimbabwe is not as improbable as it was the last time both these oppositions met each other.
Looking at the last five games played by both the sides, South Africa prevailed in its entire five matches while Zimbabwe has a win-loss ratio of 3:5.
The ankle injury to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Grant-c60671 Flower is also expected to make an international
appearance for Zimbabwe after a gap of 6 years.
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