BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Opening batsman Kevin Kasuza is set to bounce back into the team in the second and final Test of the Sri Lanka tour to Zimbabwe which begins tomorrow at Harare Sports Club.
The visitors from the subcontinent have a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after pulling off a 10-wicket victory in the first Test which concluded on Thursday.
Kasuza, who was playing his maiden Test match for Zimbabwe, sustained a soft tissue injury to the skull after he was hit by the ball off Kusal Mendis’ bat on the third day of the first match.
The talented opener had to be replaced by another debutant, Brian Mudzinganyama, for Zimbabwe’s second innings where the team struggled to contain the Sri Lanka bowlers.
Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput is confident that Kasuza will feature in the final Test match.
“He should be okay for the next Test. The doctors wanted to observe him for the 72 hours, that is why we did not want to risk him, but I am sure he should be okay for the second Test,” Rajput said.
Kasuza had an impressive debut in which he scored a solid 63 before he was trapped leg before wicket by Suranga Lakmal.
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Zimbabwe put up a competitive first innings 358 total thanks largely to a solid opening stand between Prince Masvaure, who scored 55 runs, and Kasuza. But the hosts struggled with the ball while they also crumbled in the second innings.
Rajput demanded a better performance from the middle order batsmen and the spinners, who failed to utilise favourable conditions, ahead of the second Test.
“There are lot of positives from the last game, especially the openers did very well, medium pacers bowled exceptionally well. The areas we have to work really hard are the middle order batsman plus the spinners. I think the spinners have to step up and raise their game,” he said.
Zimbabwe are likely to name an unchanged side as they seek to save the series at home with Mudzinganyama set to pave way for Kasuza.
Spinner Ainsley Ndlovu did not have the debut he would have wanted as he failed to pick up a wicket and struggled to bother the Sri Lanka batsmen in the first match defeat while he was also bowled out for a duck.
Ndlovu, who plays for Tuskers on the local scene and is the only specialist spin bowler in the team, failed to replicate his Logan Cup form which saw him pick up nine wickets in two matches last month.
A lot will also be expected from the middle order batters made up of senior players such as captain Sean Williams, Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva. Williams managed 18 runs in the first innings and got a good start in the second, but failed to kick on, falling to Kasun Rajitha for 39, while Taylor scored 21 and 38 runs in the two innings respectively.
Chakabva recorded a total of 36 runs in both innings.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand are using the series to help the team find form and might make wholesale changes to the team.
The second Test will conclude on Friday.
