Cremer pleased with Zimbabwe’s fight

There may have been only one person who was not panicking when Zimbabwe were shot out for 164 in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand. The same person knew they would do better as the series wore on. That person was their captain Graeme Cremer.

“When you don’t play enough cricket you can come into a Test match and be shell-shocked and that’s what happened,” he said. “I knew guys were going to fight back.”

Even in that first innings, Zimbabwe rallied hard with Prince Masvaure and Donald Tiripano posting 85 for the ninth-wicket. They sunk again, to 17 for 4 in the second innings, but found their first hero. Craig Ervine scored the first fifty for a Zimbabwean batsman in the series and Sean Williams scored the first hundred.

Zimbabwe did not get to a second new ball in either innings of the first Test but kept New Zealand in the field for 143.4 overs the next time they batted. Ervine picked up where he left off and scored a career-best 146, Chamu Chibhabha showed his potential as opener with 60 and Peter Moor delivered with 71 on debut. Although their final effort was a flop – bowled out for 132 after being 97 for 3 – Cremer was pleased with the progression.

“It was good to see the guys learn and willing to get stuck in. For two of the guys to get hundreds …

continue reading in source www.espncricinfo.com