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IN THE HOT SEAT . . . Graeme Cremer (middle) feels he will justify his new role as Chevrons captain. Here he is seen in a file picture being congratulated by Vusi Sibanda (left) and Sean Williams after taking a wicket

Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
NEWLY-APPOINTED Chevrons interim captain Graeme Cremer believes the changes enforced by Zimbabwe Cricket will bring in a zeal of energy to the players but also acknowledged that the side’s performance has been a shame.

Coach Dav Whatmore and captain Hamilton Masakadza were fired from their respective roles on Tuesday and were replaced by former South Africa bowler Makhaya Ntini and Cremer on an interim basis ahead of India’s tour to Zimbabwe in nine days’ time.

Former South Africa international, Lance Klusener, has also joined the technical team as the batting coach on a two-year deal.

“Our team is more balanced than it has been in a long time and with the coming in of new coaches there is new ideas and a bit more energy is fed into the players from these new coaches.

“We have not been an impressive side of late and our performance at the T20 World Championships was nowhere near being good at all and that put us in bad light so there will always be pressure on us ahead of the India game.

“But it is a process for us, we have to try and fight as a tight unit and do the small things right,” Cremer told The Herald yesterday.

Cremer feels he has the capacity to carry the responsibility that has been thrust upon him by the ZC board, something he says he hoped for but did not expect to come his way.

“I am sure I can bring in new ideas and blend well with the management. There is not a lot of time between now and India but we are mentally prepared, we all knew we were going to play India and so we are ready for the challenge.

“As the captain I hope to settle in my new role quickly, it is something I had heard of but was not expecting so I was surprised when I read the news that I was the new captain but that also made me happy.

“I am obviously happy that I have been given the honour and responsibility of leading the team. There had been a lot of rumours and speculation that I was going to be the next captain and I could only hope it were true.”

But the 29-year-old leg-spinner feels not many practical changes are going to take place in the squad between now and the matches against India but he feels the players will quickly adjust to Ntini’s style as they have been together for a while.

“Not many changes are going to take place in our team. It is sad that coach Dav Whatmore got sacked but it is one of those things. But Makhaya has worked with us for the past months and going forward I am sure he will bring in other new ideas going forward.

“The changes do not have disturbances of negative effect on us because all the players in the squad have had to work with three of four coach changes in the past so we will have to adapt to the new system quickly,” added Cremer.

Ntini joined the Zimbabwe cricket technical team at the beginning of the year when he was appointed as the bowling coach, assisting Whatmore on a two-year deal but six months down the line he holds the top Chevrons job.

Creamer believes the coming on board of former captain Tatenda Taibu as the convenor of selectors was one of the best moves ZC made.

“I have always wished we had Taibu back in the system. I am sure he will have a lot of responsibilities not only as a convenor of selectors but to all of us as players. He is a former player he holds a number of records and he is very open-minded.

“So I was happy when I heard that he was back but I was not sure what role he was going to take up,” said Cremer.