Zimbabwe, Scotland in battle for supremacy

Overview

Zimbabwe v Scotland
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
CWCQ, Match 20
Thursday 12 March; 09:30 local time, 07:30 GMT

With three wins in three matches, the top two teams of Group B – Scotland and Zimbabwe – will look to extend their winning streak and finish atop the table when they lock horns in their upcoming ICC World Cup Qualifier 2018 encounter.

Both teams will be riding high on confidence – each side has so far seen off Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Nepal in the league matches. Interestingly, Zimbabwe haven’t batted second in the tournament so far, while Scotland have chased in their three outings, and done so without much trouble.

That said, Scotland can improve in certain areas. Kyle Coetzer, the captain and opener, has been consistent in providing starts, scoring consecutive half-centuries in the last two matches. However, Matthew Cross’s form is a cause for concern, and should he fail again, much will depend on their middle order – Calum MacLeod, Richie Berrington and George Munsey – who have all been a bit up and down in making runs.

MacLeod was outstanding in the opening match against Afghanistan where he scored an unbeaten 157. In the next two matches, he failed to carry the momentum. It’s a similar situation with Berrington, while Munsey is yet to make a big mark.

However, Scotland’s bowlers – Alasdair Evans, Tom Sole, Brad Wheal, Safyaan Sharif and Berrington – have all chipped in with wickets regularly. They also found an able addition in Stuart Whittingham, who picked up three wickets in the last game against Nepal. All in all, Scotland will need their bowlers to put their best foot forward against a strong Zimbabwe side.

The home side, meanwhile, have a strong line up. Cephas Zhuwao and Solomon Mire, the openers, are capable of providing surging starts, while the experience of the in-form Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza in the middle is invaluable.

In the bowling department, the suspension of Brian Vitori has come as a major blow. But in Tendai Chatara, Kyle Jarvis and Blessing Muzarabani, they have enough quality to cover the loss, with Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams and Raza adding variety with their spin.

Key players

Kyle Coetzer (Scotland): The opener has been scoring regularly, with hits of 41* and 88* in his last two outings. He plays a key role in providing a strong foundation for the rest of the team to build on, and Zimbabwe will have to find a way to keep him at bay. Once Coetzer settles down, he usually makes sure that the runs keep flowing.

Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe): The experience and consistency of Taylor has been the glue that has held Zimbabwe’s innings together on plenty of occasions. He has been in irrepressible form with scores of 100, 89 and 46 so far, and Scotland will need to dismiss him early if they want to get on top.

ConditionsBoth Scotland and Zimbabwe have played two matches each at Queens Sports Club and will look to make the best of familiar conditions. The pitch has assisted batsmen, with Zimbabwe registering a mammoth score of 380 in their first game. The forecast looks promising with no sign of rain and the temperature is expected to hover in the mid-20s.

SquadsZimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (c), Tendai Chatara, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor (wk), Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams, Cephas Zhuwao

Scotland: Kyle Coetzer (c), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross, Alasdair Evans, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Tom Sole, Craig Wallace (wk), Mark Watt, Brad Wheal, Stuart Whittingham.