Preview: New Zealand vs Zimbabwe , 18th Match

This may not be the David vs. Goliath encounter that we have come to see many times over the past few days. New Zealand have endured torrid form off late, being walloped by Bangladesh, India and then Pakistan while Zimbabwe troubles too have not been much less. The African side however, need not look farther than the Ireland-England game for inspiration after the minnows' stunning win against the English. Canada too produced a superb performance to trouble Pakistan. Is another upset on the cards? 

New Zealand 

After rather disastrous World Cup preparations, New Zealand got off to a flyer, skittling Kenya out for an embarrassing 69 before romping home in just 48 balls. Hamish Bennett was the undoubted star in that match with some hostile bowling. In their next encounter, an emotionally charged battle against Australia, they lost to the rivals. Nathan McCullum was one of the few players to have a good outing with the bat, top scoring with a fifty while the rest struggled to come to terms with the pace Brett Lee and Shaun Tait produced. 

Their batting was woefully exposed against pace in that match, and Zimbabwe could do well to use that to their advantage. Their batting on recent occasions has depended heavily on the lower order or individual brilliance, but it would be the ideal opportunity for them to work as a team against Zimbabwe. 

Their bowling delivered the goods in emphatic fashion against Kenya but could not repeat the performance against a red hot Australia. They have a good mix of pace and spin to trouble the top teams, but are very inconsistent. Talisman and captain Daniel Vettori has often been the lone fighter for New Zealand with consistent performances and New Zealand will want the others bowlers to contribute too. 

Zimbabwe 

Zimbabwe will come into the game with more confidence than the Black Caps after they thumped the Canadians in the previous match with Tatenda Taibu, Craig Ervine and Ray Price doing the bulk of the damage for the African side. 

From the batting front, Zimbabwe seemed to have a settled line up with Brendon Taylor, Tatenda Taibu, Craig Ervine and captain Elton Chigumbura capable of taking the game away from the opposition. They will, however, have a much tougher task against NZ. 

Ray Price, a bowler who has a run up that matches menacing fast bowlers at times, is Zimbabwe's most attacking option. The left armer bowls with great discipline and is at his threatening best when bowlers try to go after him. Zimbabwe will be reliant on the spinner to give them quick wickets as they aim to get their second win under their belts. 

Head to Head 

New Zealand and Zimbabwe have played each other 28 times before and the Kiwis have come out on top on 19 occasions and have been part of a tie once. Zimbabwe have won 7 times. One match was called off. 

Quotes 

Ross Taylor: As a batting unit we need to step up and score about 300-330 which is the par score in this tournament. We are all very talented. We are getting out there in the middle and just getting ourselves out. It's frustrating but we know we are not far away from that one good performance. 

Ray Price : It is very important for us (the win against Canada). But you try not to think too much of that because in cricket if you think about the results then you forget about what you are supposed to do and control the areas you are supposed to bowl at.

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Bangladesh look for spin to hustle Windies

Bangladesh take on the West Indies in a must-win World Cup match on Friday hoping the barren wicket in Dhaka finally provides help to the home team's spinners. 

There was no evidence of turn on the Sher-e-Bangla stadium pitch in the first two matches where Bangladesh lost a high-scoring game to India by 87 runs before beating Ireland by 27 runs. 

But frontline spinner Abdur Razzak said the wicket being prepared for Friday's game looked as if it will favour the slow bowlers. 

"It did not happen in the first two matches, but I think this one will help us," the left-armer said. "It will give us a good chance to beat the West Indies." 

With one win each from two matches, another defeat could ruin either team's chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals from the tough Group B. 

The pool, which includes India, South Africa and the Netherlands, was thrown wide open when Ireland stunned England by three wickets on Wednesday after Kevin O'Brien struck the fastest ever World Cup century. 

West Indies manager Richie Richardson rubbished suggestions that his team will struggle to cope with unfamiliar conditions in Bangladesh, where they have not played since 2002. 

The three senior pros in the current squad -- Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul -- are the only survivors from that tour. 

Richardson, who led the West Indies to the semi-finals when the World Cup was last played in the Indian sub-continent in 1996, said pace could play an equally prominent role. 

"In this part of the world, the wickets have a reputation for favouring spinners," he said. "But at the end of the day if you are good enough as a seam bowler or fast bowler you can do well in any conditions. 

"It's all about assessing conditions, assessing the pitches and making the adjustment." 

Richardson was buoyed by his team's emphatic 215-run win over the Netherlands in New Delhi on Monday where fast bowler Keman Roach grabbed 6-27, including a hat-trick. 

"My target is to win every single match and lift the World Cup," he said. "I am very confident we can do it. We are playing positive cricket and the guys are improving every day." 

The West Indies will be inspired by their 99-run victory over the Tigers in the Super Eights round of the previous World Cup in the Caribbean, with Sarwan leading the way with 99. 

If spin comes to the fore on the slow wicket in Dhaka, the West Indies will hope towering left-armer Sulieman Benn, who claimed 3-28 against the Dutch, will deliver. 

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons said the West Indies will feel the absence of star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, opener Adrian Barath and wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh, who were all ruled out with injuries. 

"Those injuries will make this game very difficult for them," Siddons said, adding the home team will have a distinct edge in the match. 

"They have a few match-winners like we do. But I am confident our match-winners will blow their match-winners away. 

"But we need to play good cricket. This is a big match for us since a quarter-final place will be at stake."

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