Mumbai, India — ZIMBABWE'S cricketers marked Heath Streak's 35th birthday with a little party here on Wednesday night with the legendary bowler challenging his troops to give him a perfect present with a victory over Kenyain their last World Cup Group A tie against Kenyain Kolkata on Sunday.
Streak, who is now the team's bowling coach, turned 35 on Wednesday, the latest member of the team to celebrate his birthday during this World Cup tour after skipper Elton Chigumbura marked his 25th birthday in Sri Lanka on Monday.
The Zimbabwe cricketers were hosted by Streak's Indian manager, at a private function in the Bhadra neighbourhood of Mumbai, and as drinks flowed on a special day for the former national team captain, he said the best present would be a win over Kenya.
Kenya are winless at this World Cup while the Zimbabweans have won one of their five group matches.
But the Kenyans have improved marginally in recent weeks and, while they were beaten by world champions Australia, they were certainly not humiliated and, crucially, put more runs on the board, against the same opponents, than Zimbabwe.
Streak's presence in the team is a reminder of an age when the Zimbabwe side had genuine fast bowlers they could count on to get wickets and stem the flow of runs.
Ironically, the lack of a pace spearhead in this team has been blamed for Zimbabwe's failure to bowl out teams, especially the established Test sides, during this World Cup.
New Zealand powered to a 10-wicket win, with their openers successfully chasing the Zimbabwean target, while the Sri Lanka openers helped themselves to a record World Cup opening stand before a clutch of wickets fell as the batsmen went for slog shots at the death.
Chris Mpofu has struggled with a side strain during this World Cup tour while Tinashe Panyangara was given a baptism of fire, in his comeback game at this level, by the Sri Lanka batsmen.
Streak made his Test debut for Zimbabwe during the tour of Pakistanin the 1993/94 season and took more than 100 Test wickets and 100 ODI wickets during an illustrious career in which he also transformed himself into a genuine all-rounder.
The Zimbabweans, who resumed training yesterday after taking a day off on
Wednesday, are scheduled to leave for Kolkata today for an Eden Gardens date with the Kenyans.
Zimbabwe's practice session was held at the Mumbai Cricket Academy, which was also the venue for Kenya's practice session with the East Africans arriving just around the time Alan Butcher and his men were leaving.
There was time for veteran Steve Tikolo to chat with some of the Zimbabwean cricketers he meets regularly on the domestic scene where he plays for Southern Rocks.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to put a better batting show against Kenya, something that they have not done in most of their matches here, and show that there was indeed a gap between the two teams in terms of quality.
Convener of Selectors Alistair Campbell said his team could have done far better at this World Cup, than their statistics will show, but said rather than panic there was need for the game's leadership and players to continue working towards improving the team's fortunes.
"It's a continuous process to try and make the team better and we can't stop now because we had a disappointing World Cup," said Campbell.
Campbell said he was still convinced that they got most of their decisions, in terms of player selection, right and if there was one player they would have called, with the benefit of hindsight following the way most of the wickets played here, it would have been Chamu Chibhabha.
Zimbabwe all-rounder Greg Lamb said all the players understood that they fell short in this World Cup and the challenge was on every individual to go back home and try and get his game back on track.
Campbell said he was still convinced that they got most of their decisions, in terms of player selection, right and if there was one player they would have called, with the benefit of hindsight following the way most of the wickets played here, it would have been Chamu Chibhabha.
He's a class act, but misfires on too mnay occasions.
oncd we get that mental barrier these batters, i.e Chibahba, coventry, Ervine, will be more constistant.
Chibhabha would have made no difference at all to the outcomes of our matches. If we don't beat Kenya (the worst team at the world cup) we should just relinquish full status and become an associate.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
All the minow teams performances have improved during the world cup except for Zimbabwe who seem to be going backwards, as with our ODI ranking which is now below Ireland , which would put us out of the next world cup if they reduced it to 10 teams. Another bright statement that came from our management across there is our openners have failed because we haven't played the longer form of the game for some time (ie: we haven't played test.) Please!!!!!!!!!! STOP WHINNING. Our players have just played a season of logan cup cricket. Maybe 4 day cricket is not long enough to improve our openners. Besides how much test cricket has Ireland and Holland played but their top order batsmen are firing
I think test cricket will improve our players in all forms of the game, particularly the mental aspect.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
