Shane Bond: could sit out what should be an easy game against Zimbabwe © AFP Enlarge

Stephen Fleming, New Zealand's captain, has predicted that conditions in Harare, where the remainder of the Videocon Cup will be played, will favour swing bowlers and that batsmen would struggle to build substantial innings.

"It is a kind of pitch where bowlers would have some time in the sun," Fleming said ahead of Wednesday's one-dayer against Zimbabwe. "This would provide movement throughout the day and there is some swing as well. It will be the battle of bowlers for sure."

Perhaps the most damning indictment of a one-day series reduced to farce by the dreadful performances of Zimbabwe was that Fleming did not have anything to say about his opponents tomorrow, preferring to look ahead to the next but one match against India. "So many one-day games are dominated by batsmen. I don't mind if the ball dominates the game. It is a tough pitch for sure and would require batsmen to provide a different kind of innings.

"The Indians have some world class bowlers in their ranks and what we saw of their left-armers in Bulawayo, they were truly top class. I expect them to do some damage on this pitch but we don't mind it."

New Zealand might well give an outing to some of the fringe players in their squad, with a chance being taken to rest the impressive Shane Bond. Zimbabwe, however, have little choice but to stick with the side which has been mauled in their first two outings of the tournament and any changes they do make are unlikely to make any difference to the outcome of the game. Unless New Zealand step off the gas, and there is no reason to think they will, then another one-sided drubbing is probable.

New Zealand (from) Stephen Fleming (capt), Daniel Vettori, Andrew Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Hamish Marshall, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent, James Marshall.

Zimbabwe (from) Tatenda Taibu (capt), Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Stuart Carlisle, Chamunowa Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Keith Dabengwa, Gavin Ewing, Blessing Mahwire, Hamilton Masakadza, Waddington Mwayenga, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendon Taylor, Prosper Utseya and Craig Wishart.