Zimbabwe catches the 'New Zealand disease'

Zimbabwe's bad news tour which has come to mirror that New Zealand recently completed in Africa, had another bad turn yesterday when Douglas Marillier suffered a hand injury.

While X-rays have shown there is no break to his hand, he may be a doubtful starter in Zimbabwe's first innings, sometime over the next two days.

He suffered the injury which has been described as "blood in the muscle" while diving to field the ball. He is having difficulty moving his hand but is hopeful of regaining movement in the next day or two.

It wasn't the best of days all-round for the tourists.

Alistair Campbell, one of three players who have been suffering the effects of influenza over the last week, is still not well and that showed when he dropped two easy chances off New Zealand's Mark Richardson while fielding at first slip.

Coach Carl Rackemann said Carlisle was well again, Streak was about 97% while Campbell was still ill.

Bryan Strang had reason to feel ill after bowling all his overs into a strong north-westerly wind.

"We talked about dealing with the wind before we came here and I told the bowlers they had to be mentally strong.

"I said you should be aware at some deliveries you will be hit by the gusting.

"But I think they bowled well into the wind," Rackemann said.

But Strang stopped midway through his run-up 13 times on the day which, when time went over by a couple of overs at the end of the day, probably made the difference in causing a late finish.

Rackemann said the team realised they would face different conditions than those they struck in India. But they expected green, seaming conditions.

However, to find such a slow track was a surprise.

"We have faced a lot of spin in India where the ball has spun quite a lot. But this is deader than any wicket over there," he said.