Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Andy Flower has criticised the Chevrons’ batting performance so far at the on-going ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia despite the team’s historical qualification to the Super 12 stage.
Flower’s comments came in the wake of Zimbabwe's lucky escape against neighbours South Africa on Monday where rain allowed them to grab their first Super12 point.
The Proteas came within 13 runs of winning the match, which was first reduced to a nine over game and later reduced it to seven overs for South Africa before it was abandoned, with the teams sharing points.
The 54-year-old Zimbabwe cricket legend expressed concern about the way the team has gone about its batting.
“For Zimbabwe it’s a point on the board but I think one thing that they should take from this game as a lesson, it looks like their batting and running in between the wickets is a little too far on the frenetic side,” he said during the ESPNcricinfo T20 Time Out LIVE programme.
“It’s one thing being productive, it’s one thing being energetic and it’s one thing pushing in the field but there seems to be a slight lack of composure and control in the way that they are going about their batting innings.
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“And I think if they do want to add to their one point on the points column they are going to have to find a way of thinking clearer, be more composed, keeping the balance even if they have a situation or when trying to go quickly.
“That’s an area they have to address, I think as a group. I think they will find that they will be able to build better totals with more control if they can find that balance,” he added.
Zimbabwe’s top order struggled against South Africa, losing their first four wickets for just 19 runs inside the first four overs, including the run out of Sean Williams.
It was youngster Wesley Madhevere, batting at number five who led the recovery with a valiant 35 runs from 18 balls alongside Milton Shumba who contributed 18 runs as Zimbabwe put up 79 runs in their allotted nine overs.
In the match against Scotland, the Chevrons made a mountain of chasing a modest 133 target, eventually crossing the line with nine balls to spare while batting frailties were exposed in the West Indies match where the team failed to chase down 154 runs for a win.
However, the Chevrons managed to manage a competitive 174 in their first match at the World Cup against Ireland.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa, with their innings only beginning after a rain delay of more than two-and-a-half hours.
Flower also questioned Zimbabwe’s decision to bat first amid a rain threat while he also felt the match should not have been played under the conditions.
“It was such an obvious thing to do (to bowl first) but I would love to hear what their reasoning was for the decision that they made but they leapt out and got a point anyway.
“Those conditions looked like they were unsuitable for a World Cup game. Can you imagine India and Pakistan out there, I am pretty sure that that game would not have finished,” he said.
Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton also slammed the decision by umpires to allow the match to begin.
“I don’t think we should have even bowled a ball, to be fair,” Houghton said.
“But the umpires are the guys making those decisions out in the middle and they seemed to think it was fit to play. I disagree with them, but there's not much I can do off the field.”
After Zimbabwe managed 79-5, De Kock replied with a flurry of fours and a six before rain poured again, forcing the umpires to cut the overs further.
“The rain had got so heavy at one stage, it was ridiculous. For most of the evening it was misty with mizzle, but it got to the stage where we could hear it thumping on the roof in the dugout,” Houghton said.
"To me that's no longer mizzle and drizzle - that's time to get off the field. And the field was wet when we started, it was wet when South Africa fielded, so they were difficult conditions for both sides.
"But it just got more and more wet as we bowled. I don't think the conditions were right to carry on playing."
Zimbabwe fast bowler Richard Ngarava slipped and had to be taken off injured.
The Chevrons’ next match is against Pakistan tomorrow.
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