Sports Reporter
AFTER clinching the One Day International series following a five-wicket win against Ireland on Sunday, Zimbabwe batsman Craig Ervine says they are not taking the foot off the pedal when they plunge into the final game this afternoon. This was Zimbabwe’s first series win in over two years and they now want a whitewash of the visitors who hurt them with a controversial win at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.

Ireland arrived in Zimbabwe ranked above the Chevrons in the ICC ODI rankings. “The third game is just as important for us because we are trying to work our way up the ODI rankings so we will take it as seriously as we have taken the other two games,” said Ervine, whose century fired Zimbabwe to victory on Sunday.

“It is always nice to cross the line in close games, it does not matter how we win, a win is a win. “It was about winning the game and there was a time both Elton (Chigumbura) and (Sikandar) Raza asked if I wanted . . . to get to my century, but for me it was more important for the team to win.

“Both getting my century and the win for Zimbabwe were important. I am sure the wins have come because of more game time that helps us understand tough situations and helps us get through the tough situations.

“I am sure the likes of young Tino (Mutombodzi) has learnt from this situations because it doesn’t matter which team you play against. “He is really talented and can only get better playing more games, he fielded brilliantly and so, I think, it is also about letting him express himself freely. “Batting in the afternoon was a tough situation given the weather, those twos and threes really took some out of me.”

Ireland coach John Bracewell said they will fight to go back home with a win. “There is no excuse in us losing to Zimbabwe, I think they played well. We have to adapt quickly to conditions, we have to prepare ourselves well enough and the heat is not an excuse if we are to play meaningful, competitive international cricket,” he said.

“I am sure we read the wicket as well as they (Zimbabwe) did, but Zimbabwe have shown greater composure at the pressure points and that counts for a lot.

“They have been playing a lot of tough cricket for a period of time and that really helps you deal with pressure points. They have just come out of a series against Pakistan, they had a competitive series against New Zealand. They are getting used to competing because they are playing a lot more cricket.”

He, however, feels his team needs more games.

“We have recognised that as a country, we need to have more fixtures, exactly like how you guys are doing — having series, being competitive, playing day in and day out and on surfaces that are going to test you.

“We have been an event-based country, we fire up for World Cups and that is pretty much all we get and we get fragments of games in between that. We now need to play basically around the clock like all the international teams. The gap will narrow on teams the more cricket we get.”

After today’s ODI, the two sides will take a four-day break before Zimbabwe A faces Ireland in a four-day game at the same venue.

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