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| March 2, 2003 | Sunday | Zul Hijjah 28, 1423 |
Streak stands against history
BULAWAYO (Zimbabwe), March 1: Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak on Saturday began plotting the downfall of Pakistan who stand in the way of his team and a place in the next round of the World Cup.
But his men will have to buck the trend of history if they are to defeat Waqar Younis’s side in Tuesday’s make-or-break clash as Zimbabwe have only won two of the 31 one-dayers they have played against Pakistan with their last win coming over three years ago.
“We got off to a slow start against the Netherlands on Friday and we can’t afford to do that against a team like Pakistan,” said Streak after the 99-run win over the Dutchmen kept them on course for the Super Six.
“Our top order will have to be much more confident, even domineering, so that the pressure is taken off our middle order.
“Several of our batsmen made good starts but only a couple went on to convert them into decent scores. Andy Blignaut played a major cameo role and he helped us reach 300 runs,” said the skipper who played in his country’s last win against Pakistan in Sheikhupura in 1999.
He took 3-40 as his team wrapped up a six wicket win that day but ever since it’s been one long tale of woe with 11 defeats on the trot.
Streak should also be able to welcome back Grant Flower who missed the win over the Dutch because of a finger injury which required five stitches.
“The selectors thought they would risk giving him a rest against Holland because we need him as a specialist fielder, to bowl ten overs and bat as well.”
Overall, Streak thinks that his team are peaking at the right time for the crucial clash at the Queens Sports Club.
“We needed to win against the Dutch and win well and we did that. Against Pakistan that will be a big game but we will take a lot of positives from the game into Tuesday.”
Meanwhile, Dutch skipper Roland Lefebvre said they had had no qualms about going to Zimbabwe unlike England who dithered and dallied until they announced a boycott of their scheduled match in Harare earlier in the tournament.
“The ICC said it was safe and so it has proved. We were quite comfortable and the wicket was the best we have played on in this tournament,” said Lefebvre whose team has now lost all five of their matches.—AFP
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