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MEN ON A TOUGH MISSION . . . Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura (left) addresses the media at a Press conference in Harare yesterday in the company of coach Dav Whatmore ahead of the ODI tie against New Zealand at Harare Sports Club tomorrow

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE captain Elton Chigumbura reckons the home side need to be more ruthless to stand a good chance of winning matches in the upcoming One Day International series against New Zealand. The first match is at Harare Sports Club tomorrow. New Zealand are a very powerful team and reached the final of the World Cup in March, only to lose to Australia.

The Chevrons are looking to turn the corner following the disappointing results in the previous two international engagements against Pakistan and India.

New Zealand are in Zimbabwe on a short tour to play three ODI matches and a single Twenty20.

All matches will be at Harare Sports Club.

Zimbabwe have recently shown their fighting side, but they have not been able to finish off matches.

Chigumbura said they have been working hard on improving their finishing, and buoyed by the win in the last T20 against India, he reckoned that anything was possible if everyone applied themselves on the pitch.

“I think we just need to be ruthless. Everyone who goes into the field need to have that ruthless attitude, to be the man,” said Chigumbura.

“I think that is one thing that is lacking.

“I think it’s something that we are working hard to improve especially in these upcoming games.

“Obviously we have to take positives from the last game that we won and we have to carry the same attitude, come Sunday.

“Hopefully, if we can do that and play our roles in the team, I’m sure we will have a good result on Sunday.”

Zimbabwe named their squad on Thursday which included several familiar faces that include Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Prosper Utseya and Regis Chakabva who takes the wicketkeeper’s role.

There are few changes in the bowling line up with John Nyumbu, Luke Jongwe and Chris Mpofu coming in to join Tinashe Panyangara and Neville Madziva in the first two ODIs.

Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore said he needs his guys to push and try to keep the opposition under pressure until the last ball.

The Black Caps are coming on the background of a tour of England where they displayed their batting prowess despite losing the ODI series 3-2 in somewhat high scoring matches.

The tourists will be led by Kane Williamson, who is the stand-in skipper, in the absence of Brendan McCullum.

Williamson said they are not underrating the hosts and can only expect a tough series on foreign conditions.

“We are expecting a really tough series. Zimbabwe have been playing one day cricket, particularly in their home conditions, and what they did against India was an extremely good effort.

“So we are expecting a tough challenge. We have a new side as well and we are expecting an exciting challenge,” said Williamson.

New Zealand arrived on Wednesday without regular players like Trent Boult, Corey Anderson, Tim Southee and the skipper McCullum.

McCullum and Southee were rested, while Boult and Anderson were sidelined by injuries that prematurely ended their tours of England.

But they have experienced players like Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Nathan MacCullum and former captain Ross Taylor.

They are looking forward to blood in new players like George Worker, Ben Wheeler, Colin Munro who recently set a new world record when he struck 23 sixes in a first-class innings.

“He is an exciting player. He has a lot of power to his game, which is great. We all want him to play. There’s quite a few new players.

“The guys have had a little bit of experience recently and a couple have a lot so we are trying to gel together to make sure that we are playing our best cricket,” said Williamson.

New Zealand have been camping in Johannesburg where they hoped to acclimatize ahead of a longer tour in the neighbouring country.

Zim Squad (first two ODIs): Elton Chigumbura (captain), Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Regis Chakabva (wk), Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Tinashe Panyangara, Christopher Mpofu, John Nyumbu, Vusi Sibanda, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva

New Zealand Squad:
Kane Williamson (captain), Doug Bracewell, Grant Elliott, Matt Henry, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler