ZIM CRICKET: Coach Whatmore meets his boys
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ZIM CRICKET: Coach Whatmore meets his boys

There is a palpable feeling of excitement, one could tell by the bright smiling but attentive faces of the Zimbabwe cricket players as veteran coach Dav Whatmore addressed them for the first time at the CFX Gym.

The Australian, who will lead Zimbabwe at next month’s ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, conducted his first training seesion, a light gym workout, yesterday.

“It was good, I was really interested to meet the boys as a group for the first session which was a fitness one,’’ Whatmore said.

“We are very pleased to begin,” he continued.

Chatting with the moustached 60-year-old, it’s clear that it is not only the players who are excited by the new chapter of their professional careers.

“I am enthusiastic you can see it, if I am not enthusiastic, that’s not good, I am really keen, this is a new assignment for me, it’s a challenge for me,” said the World Cup winning coach.

Zimbabwe are far from being favourites to play in the Melbourne Cricket Ground final on March 29.

And Whatmore said he was targeting a top eight finish.

“In order to reach the Super 8 we have to do more than most teams.

“It means we have to prepare more and get the right group going as well as we can in order to achieve these objectives,” he said.

He also hinted on extending his contract after the World Cup saying “It’s looking positive.”

“I have walked in with both eyes open and I’m really keen to get stuck into it.

Not only short was their session yesterday, but they also have a limited period to prepare for the World Cup taking place in exactly 40 days.

“It is where it is, you can’t change it, it’s like the weather.

“We have a certain amount of time and we need to use it in the best way possible.

“There are life skills, technical skills, there are mental skills also, we need to get through and we will.

Whatmore hoped the weather would improve so that players would get match practice during the Canada series.

“There (Canada games) are important, I think the weather is going to improve, there are reports that the weather is going to get better starting tomorrow.”

As much as cricketers want the weather to improve, the nation would hope the team will also show improved performances at the World Cup.

What more can fans ask for? They want positive results.

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