One of the less-fancied teams in world cricket — Zimbabwe — have taken giant strides over the years, and made people sit up and take notice of their game. They have done exceedingly well in these years, both at home and occasionally abroad. A lot of cricket for their current standing in world cricket, however, goes to a few individuals. Like Andy Flower and Heath Streak. Both of them are extremely talented, and can be counted among the world’s best. Andy, in fact, can easily be rated among the top three batsmen in the world at the moment. And that, in some senses, is a conservative estimation. On their tours of India, they have always showed that though they come from a nation where the infrastructure for cricket is practically non-existent, they are willing to give it a solid shot, if only on the basis of their ability. Andy is the man who holds the team together, whether on the field or off it. He is always there in the forefront to give them direction. Whether chasing a target or saving a match, Andy has never let his team down. A man with nerves of steel, he has truckloads of patience and a great temperament. He is one of the very few non-subcontinental players I have seen, who have been able to master the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh; that too on Indian pitches. The number of runs he has amassed against India is quite mind-boggling. Andy may not be a stylist, but he is extremely effective. There is no one in the game who can execute the reverse sweep as effectively as he does. It is because of this stroke in his repertoire, that he has negated the effectiveness of good off-spinners like Harbhajan, even on turning tracks. Normally, the off-spinner is happier bowling to the lefties. But not to Andy, for he makes the fielding captain look like a fool at the best of times. Being the mainstay of the team, Andy has always had to play with tremendous responsibility and pressure. World Cup 2003 won’t be any different. And if I know Andy, I am sure he’s waiting for the chance to go out there and take up the challenge. Streak is also a potential match-winner. Being a rugby player, he is big and strongly built. He has the ability to surprise many batsmen with sheer pace. Besides, he can use the long handle quite effectively down the order, and win close games when the opportunity presents itself. India will be playing Zimbabwe at Harare. The match, I feel, is going to be crucial for either team. They have beaten India a few times, including in the last World Cup in England. So I am sure Saurav Ganguly and co. would be on their guard when they play them on February 19. The political turmoil in Zimbabwe has taken its toll on cricket as well. There are hardly any development programmes designed to help the game grow in the country. The whites have dominated the game down the years, and they will continue to do so. But the honest, sincere efforts of the president of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union — Mr Peter Chingoka — must be lauded. It’s mainly because of his efforts that the game still survives in that part of the world, and that Zimbabwe has won the rights to host a few matches in the upcoming World Cup.
