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Robson Sharuko in HOBART, Australia
ZIMBABWE doesn’t usually get any favours from South Africa when it comes to sport but if the Chevrons power to victory against Ireland here today, they might feel they got a little helping from Big Brother to just keep their World Cup dream alive. The pluck Irish, the most dangerous, if not competitive, of the Associate nations had been walking with a spring in their step, bullish that they belong to elite company, at this World Cup, following a sensational win over the West Indies.

Then, in Canberra, they walked into a Proteas storm and were so humbled, in as huge a defeat as they will come at this level of the game, that the effects of that mauling continue to be felt right up to this day.

For all their pluckiness, if not arrogance, and arguments that they belong to elite company, this was, indeed, a wake-up call for them that there still exists a gulf between them and the big nations of cricket even though, to their credit, they have been working hard to close that gap.

When you crash to a comprehensive 201-run defeat, in a 50-overs game, where the opposition blasts 400-plus, you certainly lose something and while you might not want to show it, there will be that realisation that, maybe, just maybe, the other guys are on that level and you are on this lower level.

Of course, Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe stand-in skipper, was full of praise for them yesterday as a dangerous and competitive unit.

“Their top four batters have shown some consistency and they’ve some experienced county players,” Taylor said as he addressed journalists at a media conference at the match venue, the Blundstone Arena, ahead of today’s day/night showdown.

“(They have) a good spinner in (George) Dockrell (the slow left arm orthodox bowler), and Kevin O’Brien at the end.

“They have good balance, I wouldn’t single out any individuals, they have a hungry team, a team that’s very passionate.

“I think if you give them a sniff, they will sort of capitalise and make it difficult for you. It’s important that we try to strike early with bat or ball and maintain that sort of momentum.”

The Irish, who arrived at the match venue at 6AM Zimbabwe time for their afternoon session yesterday, looked in full spirits ahead of today’s game.

But there is no hiding the scars from the damage caused by the hammering they received at the hands of the Proteas in their last match, something that could work in Zimbabwe’s favour.

Hashim Amla (159) and Faf du Plessis (109) powered the Proteas to an impressive 411-4 and, from there, there was no coming back for the Irish.

However, their batting coach, Matthew Mott, feels his men picked their lessons from that drubbing and will be in fine shape against Zimbabwe.

“I think as a group we’ve regrouped quickly after last game, we learned a lot out of that,” Mott told The Mercury, a daily tabloid published here.

“We had a good review meeting this morning, just trying to simplify our plans and make sure we execute them.

“We might have veered away from that in the last couple of games, particularly with the ball.

“One of the things we spoke about afterwards was how much of a compliment it was how they (South Africa) turned up.

“With the bat they were methodical and set the game up and it’s a real blueprint for how the game is being played these days with fielding restrictions the way they are.

“To take full toll in those last 10 overs is exactly what we talk about as a batting group.

“When you come up against a side like that and they’re on, it’s pretty hard to compete.”

Mott believes his men have a bigger assignment here than just making into the quarter-finals and beating the likes of Zimbabwe will help push their cause for Test status, something they have been chasing for a long time, and something that has been very elusive.

“Just the sheer amount of players coming out and playing County Cricket and doing well, the fact the English captain (Eoin Morgan) comes from Ireland, it all adds weight to the argument it is a strong breeding ground,” Mott said.

“They’re passionate about getting Test status and certainly being in the next World Cup.

“It’s about putting the performances on the board.

“This is a huge game, we try and treat every game in isolation as we did with South Africa.

“Zimbabwe is a different challenge again in different conditions.”