da heads bet： Only five weeks ago, Zimbabwe were rejoicing over a series-levellingvictory over India in the second Test here and confidently awaitingtheir joust with the waning West Indies
Tony Cozier26-Jul-2001Only five weeks ago, Zimbabwe were rejoicing over a series-levellingvictory over India in the second Test here and confidently awaitingtheir joust with the waning West Indies.The situation has rapidly changed and Zimbabwe go into the second andfinal Test here tomorrow in a state of some desperation.They are still without their finest batsman Andy Flower, and deniedyet another, Stuart Carlisle, both through injury. They are behindafter their thrashing by an innings and 176 runs in the first Test inBulawayo and they have been distracted by off-field wrangling overplayers pay and racial representation.While the West Indies have overcome their own unprecedented catalogueof injuries so they can put the same victorious 11 in the field, thehome selectors are considering a host of options.Some, even if inadvertently, could temporarily quell the discontentover the continuing shortage of black players in the team thatmanifested itself last week in the breakaway of black and Asian clubsfrom the Mashonoland Association. Carlisle’s absence, with a fingerfractured in the field in Bulawayo, leaves a hole at No. 3 that wasinadvisedly filled by Tatenda Taibu in the second innings in Bulawayo.The effervescent 18-year-old wicketkeeper, the only black player inthe 11, is an obvious talent but the job was too much for him.The two most obvious candidates are Gavin Rennie, 25, whose experienceof 19 Tests would be a factor, and Hilton Masakadza, a tall, 18-yearold opener who has already shown his ability against the West Indiesin the lead-up matches to the Tests with scores of 35, 38 and 33(against Rennie’s 0, 1 and 32).Masakadza would qualify on merit, rather than on colour, and it is anopportunity to expose another young player, as they did with openerDion Ebrahim from the start of the season. Masakadza is the mostpromising black batsman since the gifted, but reportedly temperamentalTrevor Madondo, who died of malaria last month at the age of 24 andwho would have been the ideal choice.The structure, and personnel, of the bowling is also likely to comeunder review.Brighton Watambwa, another of the talented black cricketers, is tall,slim and said to be genuinely quick. He took good wickets in hisdebut series against Bangladesh and then against India before he brokedown in the first innings of the second Test.He and Henry Olonga, the most identifiable and experienced blackplayer, with 105 wickets in 23 Tests, are fit again and either wouldadd some sting to an attack that relied heavily on captain HeathStreak in Bulawayo.Fast bowler Andy Blignaut, Man-Of-The-Match in the victory over Indiaand with 17 wickets in his first four Tests this season, had a poorfirst Test with ball (none for 116) and bat (21 and 9). But, at 22, heis one for the future and worth persevering with.Flower’s loss, through torn tendons of the left thumb, has been evenmore damaging to Zimbabwe than Lara’s to the West Indies.The West Indies, in the established sporting jargon, are quietlyconfident, as they should be. Captain Carl Hooper and coach RogerHarper are striving to ensure that doesn’t develop into dangerouscomplacency, as it so easily can in the present circumstances.