SA vs ZIM 2017: Heath Streak Hopes Four Day Test is the Future of Cricket

Zimbabwe cricket team has reached South Africa to play in the one-off four days day-night Test match at the St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Boxing Day. The touring Zimbabwean side feels that the shortened format will work in their favour. The match will be played with a pink ball, and the touring side thinks that conditions will help the underdogs in the match and they will be looking for a closer contest.

The touring coach and former fast bowler Heath Streak feels that cutting out a day from the match will give Zimbabwe some chance as the batsmen will look to increase the pace of the match and will play some false shots to increase the run rate.

He said:

 “In terms of higher and lower ranked (teams), it is much harder to bat a team out (of the game) because in doing so you might make it harder to win the test. It’s a challenge, though the 98 overs in a day does make it a four-and-a-half day test. It will be interesting and exciting to be part of, hopefully it is something that does work out for the future of test cricket.” 

Zimbabwe played a warm-up match against South Africa Invitation XI and lost by five wickets in a match played under lights. The tourists had three half-centurions, but the rest of the side failed miserably. Dale Steyn went wicketless in the match bowling 12 overs but gave away just 16 runs.

South Africa coach Ottis Gibson said:

 “He has been a champion bowler for a long time and along with James Anderson is probably the best of the modern generation in terms of wickets taken, games played and the way he has led the South African attack for a number of years.”