Banana skin (3 ODIs against IRL) await Zim in Sep-Oct 2010

[CrimsonAvenger]

According to the Cricket Europe Website, Zimbabwe is due to play Ireland in a 3 match ODI series in South Africa on the sidelines of the Intercontinental Cup fixture. They need to be extra careful of not slipping up here, as Ireland is improving by leaps and bounds (although today's result against AFG doesn't indicate that).

The fixture list:

29 September: Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
1 October: Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
2 October: Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa

A 3-0 drubbing a must, what say, Maehara?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Also, we see these:

25 August: Canada v Zimbabwe XI, Toronto
26 August: Canada v Zimbabwe XI, Toronto
28 August: Canada v Zimbabwe XI, Toronto

18 October: Zimbabwe XI v Scotland, TBA
20 October: Zimbabwe XI v Scotland, TBA
21 October: Zimbabwe XI v Scotland, TBA

These again, happen along with Intercontinental cup matches. Would be nice if they can schedule them as ODIs and send the first team for them. (Hoping that these wont be as scary as Ireland matches)

[maehara]

A 3-0 drubbing a must, what say, Maehara?

Heh. I will put money down on this being 2-1 to Zimbabwe, as long as Ireland field their full-strength side. Ireland are catching the Full Members quickly, and South African conditions won't work against them. Which, with my Zimbabwe hat on, it unfortunate.

To be honest though, I don't mind Ireland beating us as Ireland are already on the full ODI table and have proven that they have a right to be there. The Canada and Scotland series, though, must be 3-0 wins for Zimbabwe.

[eugene]

3 ODIs against Ireland is a bit scary. The potential for embarrasment is high. Lets hope the guys win 3-0.

[maehara]

3 ODIs against Ireland is a bit scary. The potential for embarrasment is high. Lets hope the guys win 3-0.

This is the thing: I don't see, given their current standing and form, that losing to Ireland would be any embarrassment. They're the top-ranked Associates and applicants for Full Member status - as such, it should be expected that they'll beat at least Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, and they've already beaten better than us. And I don't think that's just my Irish bias speaking. Yes, we shouldn't lose a series to them - but I don't think that winning a series while losing a match would be any disgrace.

[jimbo]

We will beat them no fear, Hopefully have a few new faces by then chiefly Greg lamb and a certain mr blignaut