Cricket: Zimbabwe keen to push NZ again in test

Zimbabwe batsman Malcolm Waller gets his eye in during the team's training session at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Zimbabwe scared New Zealand last time the sides met and will feel satisfied if they can do it again in next week's cricket test in Napier.

The tourists are realistic in their aims for the upcoming tour which encompasses one test, three one-dayers and two Twenty20 internationals. They know their record away from Zimbabwe is poor - it's only slowly improving at home - and they struggle with foreign conditions.

Coach Alan Butcher even said he could - until 18 months ago - confidently pick eight players he thought up to international standard but could "stick a pin in a piece of paper for the other three" because depth fell away sharply. He now thinks they have 14.

They pushed the Black Caps in the only test in Bulawayo last November, when it took some final-session heroics from Doug Bracewell (5-85) to secure a 34-run win, and their main aim is to push New Zealand again.

"There was no doubt New Zealand were very worried up until tea time on that last day," said Butcher, a former Surrey coach who played one test for England in 1979. "I hope we can visibly get them as worried again in this test.

"It's obviously going to be more difficult on their home patch but that's what I would hope for. If we do that, perhaps this time we will have more know-how to go on and win the game."

Zimbabwe arrived in New Zealand yesterday after a "dreadful" 30-hour flight via Johannesburg, Dubai and Brisbane but will get a chance to adapt to local conditions when they take on a New Zealand XI in a three-day match in Gisborne starting tomorrow.

They will rely heavily on skipper Brendan Taylor, who played for Wellington in the HRV Cup competition and knocked an impressive 101 off just 58 balls in a losing effort against Otago on New Year's Eve.

They have retained most of the squad which played New Zealand in November's test but one who is missing is opening batsman Vusi Sibanda. He was deemed ineligible by Zimbabwe Cricket because he declined a national contract in favour of playing grade cricket in Australia.

TOURING SQUAD
Brendan Taylor (c), Regis Chakabva, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Keegan Meth, Forster Mutizwa, Raymond Price, Tatenda Taibu, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller.