Cricket: Zimbabwe poised for series win

cricket

Zimbabwe poised for series win

Thick fog wiped out play for the third consecutive day in the Third and final Test at the Iqbal Stadium, in Faisalabad, between Pakistan and Zimbabwe yesterday. With only two days left, Zimbabwe are poised to win their first Test series abroad. They lead 1-0 following their seven-wicket victory in the first match in Peshawar.

The weather also led to the abandonment of play for the second day in succession in the First Test between New Zealand and India at Carisbrook yesterday. However, the Indian team's management protested to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) after the host coach Steve Rixon accused the visitors of being negative. Rixon, a former Australian wicketkeeper, criticised the Indians after they refused to accept a request to reschedule the Test and earlier turned down an offer to utilise the International Cricket Council's experimental laws regarding lost time. "We're supposedly the underdogs," said Rixon. "I would have thought they would have been keen to get out there and prove it. You can't win games sitting in the dressing- room." The India team manager, SDA Drabu, who lodged an official complaint with Chris Doig, the chief executive officer of NZC, said: "I think it was very irresponsible of him to make comments like that. We have three batsmen averaging over 50 in Test . I do not think they could have achieved it sitting in the dressing-room."