Streak says draws would be achievements for Zimbabwe

Not much that is new in cricket is left as a challenge for the all-conquering Australians, but a home Test match against Zimbabwe is one of them, and Test cricket's second-youngest participants arrived in Perth yesterday for their first crack at the world champions on their home soil. Even international cricket's newest country Bangladesh have played Tests in Australia before Zimbabwe.

It is a task as difficult as any the African nation has faced in the game. They arrived in Australia severely depleted and not fully representative of the advances the side has made since they played their first Test, against India, in 1992-93. They have lost wicketkeeper-batsman Andy Flower, who retired from international cricket after the World Cup to pursue a career with South Australia, his brother Grant Flower cruelly suffered a broken finger just before the side left for the tour and one of its more promising bowlers, Henry Olonga, made a political statement at the World Cup, along with Andy Flower, about events in Zimbabwe, and decided to follow a singing career in exile.

For a country so ill-equipped in resources, these were body blows and when captain Heath Streak says his side will be aiming to draw their Test matches it is an indication of the reconstruction the side is having to go through. "If we walked away with a draw, I think that would be a huge achievement for Zimbabwe cricket," Streak said. "If we had the opportunity for a win, then obviously we are going to go for it. But I think it is going to be a huge learning curve for us on this tour.

"If we can take some big positives out of this tour, Zimbabwe cricket will be the better for it. Hopefully, we can come back in a couple of years' time as a more experienced side and one that can maybe play in a three-Test series."

The first Test of the tour is to start in Perth on October 9, the earliest Test in an Australian season but one that is indicative of the greater pressures on all countries to fulfil their obligations under the five-year plan in the International Cricket Council's Test championship.

In their 67-Test history Zimbabwe have won seven Tests, five of them at home but it has been two years since their last victory, and with such a depleted side at the moment the chances of the next being in the two matches with Australia are slim.

Coach Geoff Marsh, the former Australian opener, said the emphasis would be on the batsmen in the series. "The key for us is our batting," he said. "If we can get to 300, we will be competitive given our bowling line-up. But getting to 300 will be the big test."

Zimbabwe's official opening match is on Wednesday against the Cricket Australia Chairman's XI at Lilac Hill but since the announcement of the tour itinerary, an unofficial 12-a-side, three-day match starting on Sunday has been arranged against Rockingham Mandurah at Settlers Hill, Baldvis. After the Lilac Hill match Zimbabwe will have a three-day warm-up match against Western Australia, before the first Test. The second Test is in Sydney from October 17-21.

The Zimbabwe touring squad is: Heath Streak (captain), Andy Blignaut, Gary Brent, Stuart Carlisle, Dion Ebrahim, Sean Ervine, Craig Evans, Gavin Ewing, Trevor Gripper, Douglas Hondo, Stewart Matsikenyeri, Ray Price, Tatenda Taibu, Mark Vermeulen, Craig Wishart.