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Mehluli Sibanda in Potchefstroom, South Africa
CHEVRONS’ skipper Hamilton Masakadza wants his top order to come to the party in their bid to level the Twenty20 International series against South Africa in the second game at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom this evening.

While the bowlers were superb on Tuesday, restricting the Proteas to 160-6 in 20 overs, the top order disappointed. At one point the Chevrons were on 11/3 in the first four overs, which dented their chances of a successful run chase.

Youngsters Peter Moor and Brandon Mavuta tried to repair the damage caused by the top order and brought Zimbabwe close to beating the Proteas for the first time in T20Is.

Moor top scored with a 21-ball 44, his best score in this version of the game, while Mavuta made 28 off 14. Their dismissals sparked the end of any hope for the Chevrons.

Masakadza yesterday felt the top order batsmen had rushed their innings and called for a better approach.

“I think the guys (should) give themselves a little more time upfront. I think they have been a bit rushed and the top order should go a little better,” Masakadza said.

He believes a much better effort from the batsmen will put the Chevrons in a much better position to level the series.

“A much bigger effort from the batters; the bowlers have really held their own, but the batters haven’t really come to the party on this tour. Just to get a few more upfront and few more from the top three, I think we should go a little better from there.

“Definitely I thought there were a few good signs in that (Tuesday) game although the top order didn’t fire, but the guys towards the back hung around a bit, especially Peter, so we are just looking to build on that and add to what those guys gave us,” Masakadza said.

Zimbabwe have crumbled whenever they faced leg spinner Imran Tahir, who picked up five for 23 on Tuesday.

Masakadza is of the view that while the veteran spinner has bowled well, they have not faced up to him the way they should have.

“In all fairness I think he has bowled well, but at the same time I don’t think we have played him as much as we could have. We have played him before and played him much better than we have now, so it’s just a matter of guys going back and going through the things that they did when they played him well and obviously putting these few games behind us.”

It is yet to be seen if Zimbabwe will make changes to the team which played on Tuesday.

The contentious issue is the continued selection of struggling former skipper Elton Chigumbura, who has not really contributed much with the bat. He has two ducks in his last three innings. If coach Lalchand Rajput is not keen to alter the top order, he could bring in Solomon Mire into the middle order, with Neville Madziva another option. – @Mdawini_29