Ireland eye improvement in dead rubber

Tuesday, 13 October

Start time 9.30am local (0730GMT)

Series victories are a luxury which Zimbabwe have had to learn to live without in the last two years, and Sunday's win will have given them a timely morale boost. A great deal of the pressure the hosts were under ahead of this series will have evaporated, and Tuesday's dead rubber is likely to be played in a much less intense atmosphere. Ireland still have a four-day game against Zimbabwe A to look forward to ahead of their departure for Namibia, but it is a win over the national side that they will want most and while it won't give them much in the way of bragging rights, a victory on Tuesday will still be seen as an important achievement.

Zimbabwe's batsmen, who struggled so visibly against Pakistan, have now pulled off two successful run chases in challenging conditions - although against a relatively modest bowling attack. Craig Ervine's return, after his cautionary hiatus against Pakistan due to a tweaked hamstring, has brought added solidity to the top order. His runs have made him a strong contender for Man of the Series, and he's given Zimbabwe an anchor to bat around.

Besides Ervine's success, Zimbabwe have a number of other reasons to be pleased. Tinashe Panyangara has been exemplary with the new ball, while Zimbabwe's death bowling hasn't been an issue and there has been control from the spinners. Apart from a few blips, the fielding has been good - witness an energized Malcolm Waller who was on the field for almost the whole of Ireland's innings as 12th man, and Sikandar Raza's stunning catch, sprinting in from long-on, to dismiss Kevin O'Brien. They are just two examples within a solid team effort.

Ireland haven't done an awful lot wrong, but there are key areas they need to improve upon. They didn't take every chance offered to them in the field in the second match, and the form of some of their batsmen will be a worry. Captain William Porterfield was out for single figures in both of the previous games, while Ireland also struggled to assert themselves at the death.

Zimbabwe will have to decide how to make best use of this final match ahead of their seven-match series against Afghanistan, while Ireland will have to pick themselves up again after two fantastic, but draining, games of cricket. Indeed, so absorbing has the cricket been that at the tail end of this series the real questions are: why don't these teams play each other more often? And when will they have a chance to take each other on in a Test match?

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

Zimbabwe WWLWL

Ireland LLLLL

Sikandar Raza is becoming a crowd favourite at Harare Sports Club. There was a loud cheer when he walked in during the second ODI - an appreciative gesture after his match-winning fifty in the first game - but the warmest applause of the day came after his incredible catch in the deep to get rid of Kevin O'Brien. Raza trotted back to his position and the crowd beyond long-on stood to greet him. Reading the moment perfectly, Raza doffed his cap and bowed to bring even louder cheers. If he keeps scoring runs, taking wickets, and holding on to sharp catches, he'll give the home supporters plenty more to be happy about.

Ireland are missing their X factor. They managed 66 in the last ten overs on Sunday, and just 61 during the same period in the first match. Though he's chipped in here and there, Kevin O'Brien hasn't fired in the manner he is capable of. The conditions will continue to suit his mixed bag of medium-paced deliveries, but it's his batting firepower that Ireland really need, and Kevin O'Brien has scored just 21 runs in two innings on the tour. If he fires on all cylinders on Tuesday, Ireland could yet end their tour with a consolation win.

With the series in the bag, there will be a temptation for Zimbabwe to experiment with a few new faces, but this will be tempered by the knowledge that their one-day series against Afghanistan starts at the end of the week. Afghanistan are taking their trip very seriously, and have already won two warm-up matches against a Zimbabwe Chairman's XI. Zimbabwe will want their own preparation to include time in the middle wherever it's necessary.

Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 7 Tino Mutombodzi, 8 Wellington Masakadza, 9 Neville Madziva, 10 Taurai Muzarabani, 11 John Nyumbu

Like Zimbabwe, Ireland's only changes could be to rest a couple of their bowlers ahead of the four-day game and their onward trip to Namibia.

Ireland (possible): 1 Will Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Andy Balbirnie, 5 Niall O'Brien (wk), 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Kevin O'Brien, 8 John Mooney, 9 George Dockrell, 10 Max Sorensen, 11 Craig Young

The pitch used in the second ODI seemed slightly harder and bouncier than has often been the case this season at HSC, with a noticeably high number of top-edged sweeps against spin, but generally played in the way that one has come to expect. Expect more of the same, with a par score of around 250, as well as more hot, sunny weather.

Stats and trivia

"At the moment Zimbabwe have shown greater composure at the pressure points and that counts for a lot."
Ireland coach John Bracewell concedes that Zimbabwe have won the important moments in both games.

"I'm a lot fitter than I was at the beginning of the day, that's for sure."
Craig Ervine jokes about his fitness after sweating through his unbeaten century on one of the hottest days of the year in Harare.