Mark Richardson: Zimbabwe's failings hardly thrill

Kyle Mills. Photo / Getty Images

When will this cricket season please start? It is taking far too long to produce genuine cricket excitement.

The HRV Cup had its moments but let's face it; that was domestic cricket. I was so excited about getting into the international schedule and have been left flat with a two-day test and a one-sided ODI.

But then I thought to myself, why can't I enjoy a Black Cap team that is accepting its place as hot favourites and delivering? Australian fans seem to enjoy it, and we expect it from our All Blacks.

It seems that, as a cricket fan in this country, I've been conditioned to getting excited about an underdog cricket team pulling a performance out of the box and surprising me. That may come when the big guns of South Africa arrive, but for now I've got to get excited, and should get excited, about the efficiency in which Zimbabwe is being dispatched.

The first ODI was yet another demolition of a team out of its depth in New Zealand conditions and there was a lot to be happy about. The old hands in Kyle Mills and Martin Guptill led the way again but the new boys in Andrew Ellis, Tom Latham and Rob Nicol made meaningful contributions in varying ways.

Ellis and Latham both showed composure and organisation and, while the skill of Zimbabwe does not represent a step up from provincial level, they still had to operate under the mental duress of an international debut.

While I'm hoping Zimbabwe are able to lift their game and provide more competition, I also feel it is important for the Black Caps to seek the perfect performance - which is on the cards against such opposition. In Dunedin they got into situations to post a really big total but lost wickets at poor times, and I'm sure they would have felt 248 was 40 shy of what they set themselves up for.

Losing two early wickets happens and Guptill and Kane Williamson rebuilt and batted them back into a position of dominance in fine style.

However, just when they had Zimbabwe heads dropping, they got out in soft fashion. Ellis and Latham then repositioned for a big finish but both failed to carry the innings through to the finish it should have had. Instead they were forced into taking the power play in less than ideal shape for it and limped through the final 10 overs.

That said, how can you criticise a 90-run win? Well, you can, because if Zimbabwe can't test our cricketers they have to test themselves and hold themselves to higher standards.

This season has not taken off yet and the game of cricket has not been truly promoted since that final day in Hobart - which means when South Africa arrive, the stakes go up dramatically.

A poor performance against South Africa will kill off a season that has been flat-lining somewhat during the home schedule, but if they stand up against the African powerhouse we will enter the rugby season feeling good about cricket.