Chigumbura wary of Sri Lanka

[zimfan1]

Chigumbura wary of Sri Lanka

By Eddie Chikamhi

ALL-rounder Elton Chigumbura believes Sri Lanka could pose the biggest threat to Zimbabwe’s aspirations to reach the Super Eight stage at the World Twenty20 cricket tournament.

The global T20 cricket showcase will burst into life in Windies Indies on April 30.

Chigumbura who is one of Zimbabwe’s bright prospects at the tournament said before the team’s departure for the Carribean island on Monday that he was comfortable playing New Zealand in the Twenty20 format adding that Sri Lanka could be tricky customers.

Zimbabwe were drawn in Group B with New Zealand and Sri Lanka, with the top two teams from each pool progressing to the last eight.

Chigumbura said despite carrying the ultimate underdog tag in the three-team pool, Zimbabwe were going to the West Indies to "compete strongly’’.

The hard hitting middle-order batsman, however, said their heavy reliance on spin with no reliable fast bowlers within their ranks could be a handicap against the Asians who have a knack of feasting on opposition spin bowlers.

"I think we will do well with our spin. The pitches in Guyana where we will play all our matches actually aid spin bowlers but Sri Lanka could cause problems for us because Asian teams are difficult to play with spin bowlers.

"Our seamers will have to come into play in that game because once their batsmen get comfortable on the crease it is always difficult to get them out.

"But in Twenty20 anything is possible. We cannot rule out our chances. While spin might produce good results against New Zealand we may need to employ different variations against Sri Lanka," said Chigumbura.

Sri Lanka play New Zealand in the tournament’s opening match on April 30 before engaging Zimbabwe in the Southern Africans’ first match of the tournament on May 3.

Sri-Lanka have a strong arsenal and some of the players to watch out for include experienced hands like Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and captain Kumar Sangakkara.

Chigumbura said although Zimbabwe’s players had benefited a lot from the domestic programme that exposed them to lots of cricket in recent months a lot still needs to be done in the run up to the tournament.

He said the Zimbabwe squad was fairly strong with the addition of aggressive batsmen Andy Blignaut and Chamunorwa Chibhabha.

"Chibhabha has always done well in the Caribbean. We all saw what he is capable of during the Stanbic Bank Twenty20 at home and with that form he is one of the players we look up to. The same with Blignaut, he is a kind of player who can face any kind of opposition and acquit himself very well.

"We also have other senior players like Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu and Prosper Utseya who have been through it all, which makes us quite a balanced side" said Chigumbura.

The Mashonaland Eagles captain was not moved either with the prospects of an unstable Zimbabwe batting line-up facing the fiery pace of Lasith Malinga and the wicked spin of legendary Muthiah Muralitharan.

With much expected from him and the other senior players, Chigumbura insisted he was not under pressure since he understood his role in the team.

"I know what I am supposed to do when I get out there. I don’t feel any pressure before a match. It only comes heavy on my shoulders at the end of the day when I don’t do what I was supposed to do.

"Right now I am just trying to keep focused," said Chigumbura.

The 15-member Zimbabwe squad left the country on Monday and was expected to arrive in Port of Spain yesterday.

They play the West Indies A in a four-day game beginning tomorrow and two Twenty20 matches next week as part of their final preparations.

[sloandog]

Man I'm looking forward to this tournament so much !! Interesting to see wether or not Craig Ervine will play in any of the matches