The race for a World Cup quarter-final place is heating up as Ireland prepare to face Zimbabwe in a vital Pool B encounter in Hobart
Ireland are not quite in win-or-bust territory but recent results in Pool B of the Cricket World Cup leave the boys in the green needing a big performance in Tasmania on Saturday morning (3.30am Irish time) in the most winnable fixture remaining on their schedule.
The opposition
Zimbabwe’s slim hopes of reaching the quarter-finals will be extinguished with defeat, yet despite losing against South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan, they have been reasonably competitive in all those games, their worst performance coming against the Windies when they allowed Chris Gayle take them to the cleaners with his brutal World Cup record innings of 215.
Aside from Gayle, the Zimbabwean bowlers have been pretty economical, keeping the mighty South African line-up that has twice gone over 400 to under 340 and restricting Pakistan to 235 at the Gabba. Tendai Chatara has been the pick of the attack, the 24-year-old paceman taking an impressive three for 35 against Pakistan.
Batting-wise, Sean Williams is the danger man in the middle order, with a pair of half-centuries to his name so far at better than a run a ball, while higher in the order Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor have also been amongst the runs.
Captain Elton Chigumbura has not been on his best form but the all-rounder’s absence through injury robs the African side of crucial experience.
The pitch
This is the first of three World Cup matches to take place at the Bellerive Oval on the island of Tasmania, where temperatures are closer to what Ireland’s cricketers might be used to at home. History suggests it is a good pitch to bowl on first, with the surface flattening out and offering less to the bowlers as the day goes on. Australia played England here in January and opted to field first, successfully chasing down a target of 304.
Irish players to watch
Ireland’s spin bowlers have done remarkably well, with George Dockrell, Andy McBrine and Paul Stirling going at a combined rate of five an over, and their efforts in the middle overs could be vital in restricting Zimbabwe’s powerful middle order batsmen.
Ireland’s top order struggled badly against South Africa, and this World Cup has shown that the really big scores have come when teams have had the wickets in hand to cut loose in the final 15 overs. Paul Stirling in particular has a couple of failures to his name since his classy knock against West Indies and Ireland could do with another big score from him.
What they’ve said
I’ve never been to Hobart when it’s been warm, so this is the only way I know it. So I think it gives us a little bit of home advantage, because I think if it’s cold like this on the day then we’ll be more at home than Zimbabwe will – Ireland coach Phil Simmons
We’re not taking them lightly. They’re a quality side when the game gets going. We want to turn up tomorrow & we want to win. We want to win convincingly and we feel we’re good enough to do that – Stand-in Zimbabwe captain Taylor.
On social media
Good hit out at bellerive . Boys ready and looking forward to locking horns with the Zim boys #CWC15
— Niall John O Brien (@niallnobiobrien) March 6, 2015
Preparations complete! Photos from training at @crickettas here: http://t.co/IaKO45gi1Y @TourismIreland #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/RBGTHev59q
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) March 6, 2015
It's gonna be hard to watch our most important game to stay in the tournament but I know the lads will come through
— Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy (@ChigumburaElton) March 6, 2015
Hope everyone back home is getting their afternoon naps in before a long night ahead #BackingGreen 🍀
— Andy Balbirnie (@balbo90) March 6, 2015
We're #BackingGreen whatever the result! Bring on @ZimCricketv! @Irelandcricket
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) March 3, 2015
State of Pool B
Six points is the absolute minimum required for Ireland to advance to the quarter-finals, and victory here would see them reach that target. The final game against Pakistan – who also play tomorrow against South Africa (a massive SA victory would be lovely) – still looms as a potential winner-take-all scenario, but if Ireland can at least go into that game with the advantage in points and net run rate it would at least pile extra pressure on Pakistan to win by a sizeable margin.
West Indies are still in the mix as well and are probably slight favourites to go through despite their defeat by India this morning. Their run rate is superior to Ireland’s and has the potential to improve in their final game against the UAE.
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