Zimbabwe take on Sri Lanka Board XI in last chance to find form

A humdrum one-day jamboree has already been lost, but Zimbabwe would willingly trade that for a successful Test series. But, to do so against a resurgent Sri Lankan side, the tourists quickly need to find their feet in their solitary practice game before the first Test at P.Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on Friday.

During the one-day series the Zimbabwean top order looked chronically short of confidence. With Andy Flower's batting form have dipped below its superhuman norm, the onus has fallen on the others, with some players looking out of their depth.

Their failure so far in Sri Lanka (six games, five losses) makes the absence of experienced players such as Alistair Campbell and Andy Whittall perplexing. Campbell may only average 26 in Test cricket, but such a modest average is not be scoffed at when the pool of talent is limited. Whittall has scored two double centuries in Test cricket and suggestions that he is too old at 29 are simply absurd.

No, these are not easy days to be a Zimbabwean cricketer. Strange selections, made worse by an informal but official racial quota system that no matter how well meaning, is a burden for both black and white and a source of unnecessary friction in the team. A meritocracy seems the only realistic long-term solution, but the crude quota system has some strong supporters.

One only had to watch Tatenda Taibu during the one-day series to realise the dangers of pushing someone above their station. The 18-year-old is a nimble and very promising wicket-keeper, but the presence of Andy Flower, the best wicket-keeper all-rounder in the world, obviously restricts his opportunities. But Taibu is black, so he had to play, and was selected as a batsman instead. Three games later his confidence is in tatters after three consecutive ducks.

But the present team, currently being led by Stuart Carlisle, are powerless to change off-field policies and during the next fours weeks they have to try to push such disruptive influences to the back of their minds, as they work out how to keep Sri Lanka's spinners at bay on slow turning wickets.

Work starts on Friday, as Zimbabwe takes on a talented Sri Lankan Board XI, which includes six players with international experience, including both the spinners, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and leg-spinner Malinga Bandara.

On a traditionally lively pitch, that used to be by far the quickest in Sri Lanka, the tourists will also have to contend with a strong pace attack, including the experienced Ravindra Pushpakumara, Dinusha Fernando, a promising swing bowl who uprooted Mike Atherton's stumps on three separate occasions during the England tour earlier this year, and Prabath Nissanka, a potentially lethal fast bowler if he manages to locate his radar early on.

The Board XI batting, led by the prolific opener Pradeep Hewage, who has been repeatedly written off by the selectors despite scoring a mountain of runs in domestic cricket each year, is though inexperienced.

Zimbabwe will be looking to play as close to their Test side as possible with leg-spinner Brian Murphy and teenage star Hamilton Masakadza, who were added to the squad this week, both likely to play.

Zimbabwe:

Stuart Carlisle (Capt), Heath Streak, Grant Flower, Andy Flower, Dion Ebrahim, Trevor Gripper, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Wishart, Douglas Marillier, Tatenda Taibu, Mluleki Nkala, Gary Brent, Travis Friend, Brian Murphy, Henry Olonga

Board XI:

Pradeep Hewage (Captain), Ian Daniel, Chamara Silva, Anushka Polonnowita, Jeevantha Mendis, Prasanna Jayawardene, Malinga Bandara, Rangana Herath, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Prabath Nissanka, Dinusha Fernando (Reserves: M. Pushpakumara Gayan Wijekoon)