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Harare Bureau
HAVING been given a chance of an historic series win in the ODIs, which they fluffed, Zimbabwe’s cricketers plunge into a Test match against Pakistan at Harare Sports Club today hoping they cannot only compete but possibly beat their  classy opponents.The first ball will be bowled at 10am this morning.

The dispute between players and Zimbabwe Cricket will not stand in the way of the crucial Test match today and opener Vusi Sibanda said they were ready to play their part in flying the country’s flag in this contest.

“Yes, we will play tomorrow (today) and we had practice (session) today and definitely the game is on tomorrow (today),” said Sibanda.
“The pitch looks like it will favour fast bowlers, it’s got a lot of green grass.

“I think we need to be disciplined as a bowling unit if we are to take all 20 wickets and create enough dot balls.
“We need to make the new ball count and take all our chances.”

Spinner Prosper Utseya has been in good touch and the selectors have also included young Natsai M’shangwe.
“We understand each other we have played collectively before we played three seasons at Mountaineers. In the spin department we should be fine,” said Utseya.

Zimbabwe need a strong base on which to build their innings and Tinotenda Mawoyo returns to the team for the Tests.
Winning a Test match requires taking 20 wickets in five days and Pakistan have an array of bowlers that they can utilise and chief among them will be the disciplined and nippy fast bowler Junaid Khan who will be the mainstay in their bowling onslaught.

“We will have to bowl as a team unit and it depends on the track, if it will support fast bowlers we will lead with fast bowlers and if it supports the spinners then the role of the fast bowlers comes in to support.

“Bowling wicket to wicket and having good line and length will be the key,” he said.
After a thorough assessment of pitch conditions at Harare Sports Club in their 2-0 Twenty20 and their 2-1 ODI victory, he was instrumental with five wickets in three matches with an economy rate of 4.60.

“The pitch is going to support seamers at the start but as time goes it may have reverse swing as well, so there is something for the fast bowlers.

“It will not matter which batsmen will be at the crease, the main aim is taking ten wickets in an innings,” said Khan.
Pakistan are unlikely to have all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez as he may not be cleared to be match fit for the match after sustaining a hamstring injury in the final ODI on Saturday.

“We are still having a look at him and we will know by tomorrow morning if he will be able to play,” said Pakistan team manager Moin Khan.

Sources say that Hafeez would be taken for an MRI scan after yesterday’s afternoon practice session at Harare Sports Club.
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council general manager for cricket, Geoff Allardice, arrived in Harare on Sunday night for a three-day visit.

A statement from the ZC yesterday said:
“The visit follows comments made by the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, Mr Peter Chingoka, during the last ICC Board meeting in the British capital London, relating to the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) and the cost of hosting international cricket tours in Zimbabwe.

“Allardice said he therefore felt it necessary to come to Harare to discuss these issues with the ZC chairman and managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa, so that he gets a better understanding of Zimbabwe’s current situation before the ICC prepares any further models to try to create greater context for bilateral matches under the FTP.

“This morning, Allardice held a meeting with the chairman and ZC executives, and discussions will continue during his stay. In between the meetings, Allardice will also watch some sessions of the first two days of the first Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

“Of late, the issue of context for bilateral tours has assumed greater importance for the ICC, in the face of the growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket.

“Thus, the world cricket-governing body is keen to ensure an optimum balance between the three formats of the game – especially the flagship Test cricket – and in London approved the recommendation that the Full Members should play a minimum of 16 Tests in each four-year cycle.”

Squads:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Abdur Rahman, Adnan Akmal (wk), Azhar Ali, Ehsan Adil, Faisal Iqbal, Junaid Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Hafeez, Rahat Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Shan Masood, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan, Imran Farhat.

Zimbabwe

1. Brendan Taylor  (Captain, Wicket-keeper)

2. Sikandar Raza Butt
3. Regis Chakabva
4. Tendai Chatara
5. Elton Chigumbura
6. Hamilton Masakadza
7. Shingirai Masakadza
8. Tinotenda Mawoyo
9. Natsai M’shangwe
10. Richmond Mutumbami
11. Tinashe Panyangara
12. Vusimuzi Sibanda
13. Prosper Utseya
14. Brian Vitori
15. Malcolm Waller
16. Sean Williams