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Real work begins for Zimbabwe Match with India crucial in fight for second-round berth
Posted: Tuesday May 18, 1999 12:00 PM
LEICESTER, England (AP) -- After a comfortable victory over Kenya in its cricket World Cup opener, Zimbabwe will have to be at the top of its game to beat an Indian side stung by its opening defeat at the hands of South Africa. "We have the batters to do it and the bowlers to do it and the fielding to do it," Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell said Tuesday. "It is about getting all three departments right on the day." Campbell said he expects his team will be vying with India and reigning champion Sri Lanka for the third Group B qualifying spot for the second phase of the tournament. "We need to win three games [to qualify for the Super Six stage]," Campbell said. "The way England and South Africa are playing at the moment, it looks like we will be fighting it out with India and Sri Lanka for the third qualifying spot. This is a must win game for both sides." Bobby Simpson, the former Autralia coach who is now a consultant with the Indian team, said the Indian players have concentrated on the positive aspects of their four-wicket defeat by South Africa. "They are very upbeat about the whole thing," Simpson said. "They know we had our chances and we did not bowl as well as we would have liked." "A lot of good things happened." Indian coach Anshumkan Gaekwad said he would likely field an unchanged team against Zimbabwe but could decide to replace one of his seamers with off spinner Nikhil Chopra dependng on the pitch conditions. Zimbabwe will be looking for another strong performance from promising allrounder Neil Johnson, who put in a match winning display against Kenya with 59 runs and four wickets. "He is a quality allrounder," Campbell said. "But we have other good players who we hope will contribute." Johnson, fresh from his starring role against Kenya, is returning to the Grace Road ground where he played for Leicestershire in 1997, topping the county's batting averages for the season with 819 runs at an average of 63. Johnson is also looking forward to battling Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian captain regarded by many as the world's top batsman. On Johnson's test debut last year, he dismissed Tendulkar twice as Zimbabwe beat India in Harare. Tendulkar's wicket is key for the young Zimbabwe side. In the two teams' last 10 limited overs meetings, India has won five times -- with Tendulkar scoring centuries in four of the wins. Indian captain Mohamme Azharuddin said he hoped his top order batsmen would establish a firm base on which to build a big total. "If you are well set then you can score runs at a brisk rate," he said. After reaching 196 for one against South Africa, India failed to convert the solid start into a big total, ending on 253 for five. And the Indians can expect no favors in the field from Zimbabwe. Campbell said he was disappointed with his side's fielding performance against Kenya. "We pride ourselves on our fielding and it was not that flash against Kenya," he said. "Against some sides, if you are a bit off you can get away with it. That's not the case against India."
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