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Smiling, just as he was after overcoming the might of Australia at theWorld Twenty20 group phase, Robin Brown sits down to talk about a groupof internationals who don’t play Test cricket. Zimbabwe had just lost afour-day tour match in Karachi by an innings – albeit against a bunch of strongPakistan hopefuls – a detour possibly to their road back to Test cricket.Brown, appointed Zimbabwe’s coach in September last year, chose, however,to concentrate on the positives. “Yes, we lost by a big margin but wemanaged to get a lot out of it,” he told Cricinfo. “I think a result wasthe only thing we failed to achieve because our bowlers got a chance tospend time bowling to good opposition under new conditions. Our batsmen,even though only a couple went past fifty, spent time in the middle andadjusted to the low bounce and slowness that is the subcontinent pitch.It’s a learning process, whether it’s accompanied by a win or a loss.”He agreed that there were spurts of impatience from the batsmen – mostly due to a lack of match experience. Tatenda Taibu, for example, had justescaped with a rash stroke away from his body when, to the followingdelivery, he slashed again – to one close to being called a wide. Taibudeparted, having faced 131 deliveries.”Players need to own up, they need to take responsibility,” Brown said.”They all know how vital they are to the team’s cause. We have done awaywith the ‘senior’ tag so be it a debutant, or someone whose played overfifty matches, they are all equally responsible.”Zimbabwe cricket has been in turmoil for some time now. They voluntarilygave up Test status in 2006, having lost almost their entire first teamduring the player revolt of 2004. Brown admits that it greatly affected theside, but quickly adds that no player goes on forever in any case, sobackups should have been in place. It gave, he reasons, younger players achance to step up though the very basics, which, when he took over, had to berevisited.”Rebuilding is a gradual process, especially when you have a young sidewith limited international experience. When we set about the process, wetook players to nets to work on basics. Batsmen need to put their feet inthe right places, play balls on merit and learn how to spend time at thecrease.”Bowlers were given a channel to bowl in. We worked at those basics forsix-seven hours a day for six weeks. Players had a set routine. They knewwhat they would be doing two weeks ahead. There is a set plan now in placefor every member and that has helped immensely.”

Hard work is paying off, as is cooperation from Zimbabwe Cricket. Before, according to Brown, facilities were not provided simply because players never asked for it. Now there are professional trainers, sports psychologists and world-class training facilities. “The board is working with the players now. We have a lot of talent and the board has realised that and invested time, effort and money into it.”The return of some experience has also helped. Without delving into the reasons behind their exits, Brown welcomed back Taibu, Ray Price and Gary Brent, highlighting their value to the team from the tour match alone. Taibu scored 46 and 30, Price managed a four-for and Brent was involved in a defiant 96-run seventh-wicket partnership to delay the inevitable.”Experience improves the side. While they perform, they can share the magic with younger players and pass on advice. Their return also fires a warning to players whose spot they have occupied, as they now need to work extra hard elsewhere and warrant selection in the playing eleven. It’s healthy competition.”Vital to maintaining that competition will be the ability of the domesticstructure to churn out talent. Brown says matters are rapidly improving,pointing out that provincial sides managed to beat the Kenyans easily lastseason. “It was beneficial for Zimbabwe to have invited Kenya to play butit was pleasing for our players to be winning against them. It just showshow much depth we have in our talent pool. We also have A and B teams,with international coaches coming in. It is definitely on the rise.”There are still kinks, for example the fielding, which saw a number ofgrassed chances in Karachi. Brown recalled that it was Zimbabwe’s fieldingthat played a key role in the upset win over Australia, so giving away “60crucial runs due to sloppiness” against the Patron’s XI wasn’t good.”Sometimes they switch off on the field,” Brown admits. “It is difficultto keep them motivated as we, before this hectic schedule recently, barelyplayed any cricket. I would love to see them play more, ideally ininternational cricket but even if its club cricket. Playing under variousconditions different to back home would help the players develop a greatdeal.”So what does Zimbabwe need to get back into the Test arena?”Nothing,” Brown says without hesitation. “I think we’re right up therewith most of the teams on the Test circuit. Obviously, competing againstthe top two will be difficult, but against the likes of Bangladesh, WestIndies and New Zealand I’m sure the team will perform well.”So a humble enquiry is put forward: on the performance of the tour match,would a Zimbabwe Test against Bangladesh last five days? “Obviously it won’t. We will beat them in four.”

Hampshire’s Rose Bowl will host its maiden Test match in 2011 when Sri Lanka tour England for a three-Test series in May and June. The decision was announced by the England & Wales Cricket Board as they unveiled their schedule for the next three seasons.”This is a truly historic day for The Rose Bowl and Hampshire Cricket,” said the chairman, Rod Bransgrove. “Staff, players, members, supporters, commercial partners, in fact anyone with an association with this fantastic ground can feel a huge sense of pride in what has been achieved.”The Rose Bowl has been fighting for Test recognition for the past four years, and in 2006 it suffered a major setback when Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens jumped the queue to land a prestigious Ashes Test for next summer. There was a feeling that the ground was hamstrung by a lack of direct transport links, not least during the Champions Trophy in 2004, but Bransgrove believes that a corner has been turned.”This is the culmination of an enormous amount of hard work and dedication and yes, it is the fulfilment of a personal dream,” he said. “It is important that this is not seen as ‘mission accomplished’ though, as we fully intend to be a permanent fixture on the Test-match calendar from 2011 onwards.”Bransgrove added: “This allocation of matches was hard-fought and demonstrates that with our new £45million development, turning the ground into the first ever model Test match ground, we are now one of the major sports and entertainment venues in the country. The allocation perfectly matches our proposed development timescale, due for completion in the summer of 2010 and fully tested, well before our historic first Test match in 2011.”The Rose Bowl will become the tenth Test venue in England and Wales, after the decision was reached by the independent Major Match Group, chaired by Lord Morris of Handsworth, and endorsed by the ECB Board which met at Lord’s this week.”We were presented with a more than 200 excellent and professional bids for the ECB major matches until the end of the 2011 season. It demonstrated to us the ever growing strength of international cricket in England and Wales.”We were delighted to note the increasing quality and quantity of world-class facilities provided by our venues,” said Lord Morris. “The MMG examined each and everyone against our balanced scorecard which specifically rewards grounds for the excellence of their facilities. We have nominated the venues that were best suited and most deserved to be awarded the major matches.”

Match facts

Saturday, May 3 2008
Start time 16.00 (local), 10.30 (GMT)

The Big Picture

It’s the tale of two captains under pressure. Rahul Dravid has tried everything – he has opened, moved down the order and come up again but without much success. VVS Laxman, after looking clueless in the initial encounters, is beginning to find some form but he has been unable to convert the starts into substantial scores. The captains’ desperation seems to have caught on to the teams. Bangalore should have won against the Chennai Super Kings but choked; they could have won against the Delhi Daredevils but couldn’t find that one big over that they desperately needed. Similarly, the Deccan Chargers have had their close encounters. Both teams have registered their solitary wins against fellow-strugglers Mumbai Indians.If the captains are under similar pressure, the teams, though, couldn’t be more different. Deccan were supposed to be the powerhouse team with attacking batsmen while Bangalore had batsmen who had great Test records but were not known for their big hitting. But both set of players have been unable to gel as a unit. In their last two games, Bangalore did seem to find some momentum but were unable to finish off.

Watch out for …

… Herschelle Gibbs. This could be the format to showcase his game, which depends a great deal on hand-eye coordination. His paddle-scoops, his pulls off the front foot and the innovative adjustments can make for a fascinating viewing experience. Also, look out for Misbah-ul-Haq. With Ross Taylor leaving for England, Misbah, the man who burst into prominence with his showings at the World Twenty20, should get a chance here. A veteran of domestic Twenty20 games in Pakistan, he has the nous and the wherewithal to shine in this format.

Team news

Bangalore are stuck with a problem more than one team has faced in the IPL: which foreign player to play and whom to bench. They have had starting problems, but if they play Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they might not be able to pick Misbah. Jacques Kallis is wanted for his all-round skills, Mark Boucher is the wicketkeeper and you can’t drop Dale Steyn. Dravid said that Anil Kumble will replace Sunil Joshi and either J Arun Kumar or Bharat Chipli could get a chance.Bangalore (likely): 1 Praveen Kumar, 2 Wasim Jaffer, 3 Misbah-ul-Haq, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Rahul Dravid (capt), 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Virat Kohli, 8 Zaheer Khan, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Anil Kumble, 11 R Vinay Kumar.Deccan came close to playing the aggressive Hyderabad opener Ravi Teja but have chosen to stick with the tried-and-failed Venugopal Rao. There is also Arjun Yadav who could slot into the middler order in place of Rao. The team landed in Bangalore only late on Friday evening and they will have a light practice session on the morning of the match.Deccan (likely): 1 Adam Gilchrist, 2 VVS Laxman (capt), 3 Hershelle Gibbs, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Shahid Afridi, 6 Arjun Yadav, 7, Sanjay Bangar, 8 Nuwan Zoysa, 9 D Kalyankrishna, 10 RP Singh, 11 Pragyan Ojha.

IPL form

Bangalore Royal Challengers: LWLLL
Deccan Chargers: LLLWL

Stats and trivia

Quotes

“You have to challenge yourselves to fight back when you have your backs to the wall. Playing Deccan (who are struggling) doesn’t make any difference because in Twenty20 the team that executes their plans best wins. They have a very good players, any one of them can crack the game open. But we have started gelling as a team in the last two games.”

Shane Warne wants Michael Clarke to succeed Adam Gilchrist as Ricky Ponting’s deputy in all forms of the game after his strong performance as Twenty20 captain. The idea has been dismissed by Ponting, who said Clarke’s opportunity for a full-time promotion would come if he maintained his standards of the past 12 months.Admitting Clarke was one of his best mates, Warne said he was the standout candidate and now was the time to groom him. “The best way to do this would be to elevate him to the vice-captaincy in all forms of the game,” Warne wrote in his column.”Gilly has done a wonderful job but won’t be around for too much longer in all forms of the game. I reckon he will hang the gloves up and decide to play only one form, probably Test matches.”Warne’s relationship with Gilchrist is not strong and the wicketkeeper was rated 20th in Warne’s top 50 players despite dominating for a decade. Gilchrist has said Clarke was not the only one who could replace Ponting when he eventually stepped down and Michael Hussey was another contender.The appointment of Clarke for the Twenty20 win over New Zealand on Tuesday was a one-off, but Warne said he was ready for more senior responsibilities. “When you win the toss, hit the first ball you face for four and win the match in your first game as national skipper, you would have to think it’s not a bad start,” Warne said.”He has all the attributes and the image, flair, confidence in his own ability, respect for the game and respect from his team-mates, which has been earned. He knows himself, understands his own game and is hungry for success.” Warne also wants Clarke to be captain of New South Wales when he returns for occasional state games.Ponting said Clarke had grown into a leader over the past year but there was no rush to fast-track him. “I don’t necessarily agree with [Warne],” Ponting said in Adelaide. “I don’t think that needs to be the case right now. Gilly’s not going to play forever, we’re all not going to play forever, but Michael’s opportunity is going to come.”He expects Clarke will be his deputy in the future. “The day will come when Michael will get his opportunity,” Ponting said. “It might not be right now, it might not be six months’ time, but that opportunity will come and he will step into the vice-captain’s role. Hopefully I can stay around for another few years and keep him out of my position for a bit longer.”

Match facts

Sunday July 19, 2015
Start time 1pm (11am, GMT)0:34

‘Focussing on our own strengths’ – Uthappa

Big picture

Whatever rustiness India may have felt in their tour opener last weekend appears to have been well and truly shaken off. Their slick, measured performance in the first Twenty20 suggested they weren’t exactly stretching themselves, and Zimbabwe will need to step up their game enormously if they are to bridge the yawning gulf in experience between the two sides in this format.India charged to 178 on Friday on a pitch that wasn’t entirely conducive to strokeplay, and a slightly less frenetic performance from Zimbabwe’s bowlers could have helped them keep the visitors to a slightly more manageable total. The brevity of this format means that every delivery matters, and for Zimbabwe to gift India 25 extras was unforgivable. After Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha’s steady start to the chase, the middle order wilted with a string of soft dismissals.Their win on Friday made it 4-0 to India on the tour, and everything has gone to plan for them. In each match, someone has performed with both bat and ball, and they’ve also blooded a number of uncapped players. India are clear favourites and will also not want to blot their copybook with a slip-up in the final match.Zimbabwe’s inexperience in this format was clearly evidenced by their approach to the chase in the first game, in which their dot-ball percentage was 50%. Against tight bowling, on a pitch that didn’t immediately lend itself to aggressive batting, they were found wanting and this will be a key area for them to improve upon.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe: LLLWW
India: WLLWW

In the spotlight

It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time early in Hamilton Masakadza‘s career when he was considered too sedentary for limited-overs cricket. He’s yet to make a real impact in this series though, and Zimbabwe need Mount Masakadza to erupt at the top of the order if they are to take the pressure off their middle order and challenge India.Robin Uthappa‘s returns on this tour have been increasing with each outing, and though his innings in the first T20 match was less than explosive, it was the adhesive that held India’s lower order together. Given his position at No. 3 and the fact that he seemed to come to terms with the pitch and conditions quickly, he may be the key player to bat through and set up another big total.

Team news

Zimbabwe’s top six should be settled for the second match, although Craig Ervine is the sort of batsman who would probably be better utilised up the order. Offspinner John Nyumbu is the only man in the squad not to have played a game yet during India’s visit, and given the slowness of the pitch, and his control as a bowler, he could be a good pick.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Elton Chigumbura (captain), 5 Charles Coventry (wk), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Graeme Cremer, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Neville Madzia, 10 John Nyumbu, 11 Chris Mpofu.Such was India’s dominance in the first T20 that they will probably feel safe giving a chance to a sixth debutant in Sanju Samson, who came in for the injured Ambati Rayudu.India (probable): 1 Ajinkya Rahane (captain), 2 M Vijay, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav/Sanju Samson, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Sandeep Sharma.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch being used for this game is the same one used in the second ODI, and though it will have had a week to recover from that match, one can expect it to behave sluggishly. While the Dukes ball has offered some movement through the air to the quicks throughout, the pitches have played slow and low in the afternoon, and Sunday should be no different. Expect another bright, sunny day.

Stats and trivia

• Hamilton Masakadza is Zimbabwe’s leading runscorer in T20 internationals, with 943 runs, including seven fifties, in the format.
• India’s 178 for 5 was the fourth highest T20I total scored at Harare Sports Club. At the top of the pile is Pakistan’s 198 for 4 scored four years ago.
• Axar Patel is now India’s leading wicket-taker on this tour, with eight scalps at an average of 17.13 in four matches across two formats.

Quotes

“You’re already basically cooked when you’re coming in here, so you’re ready for it.”
“Not many people will expect us to win, but if we go out there with the attitude that we have everything to gain I think we will come out with a victory.” .

Scorecard
How they were out