ZIMBABWE senior men's cricket team head coach Justin Sammons has challenged his players to adopt a brave approach in their one-off Test match against Ireland at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, starting tomorrow.
Sammons wants his team to move away from the survival approach that characterised its previous Test series against Pakistan and Afghanistan. Instead, he is encouraging the players to back their game plan and trust their abilities.
"The biggest lesson from those series is for us to be brave in backing our game plans," Sammons told NewsDay Sport.
"We often went into survival mode instead of sticking to our plans. Being brave in executing those plans is key."
Sammons says Ireland will be a tough opponent, particularly in the bowling department. However, he believes that the team which executes the basics best will emerge victorious.
"Ireland has a skilful bowling unit that will challenge our batters' defence," he said.
"The team that can do the basics for longer will come out on top."
The former South Africa high-performance batting specialist has maintained his focus on the team's development and growth since taking over as head coach. He emphasised the importance of upskilling, clarity in game plans and a brave mindset.
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"We're looking to upskill, develop our game plans, and be brave in executing them," he said.
"We're also focusing on conditioning, and I'm encouraged by the progress we've made."
Zimbabwe lost to Ireland in their previous Test match last year, but Sammons is optimistic about the team's chances this time around.
"We've made significant improvements since our last meeting with Ireland," he said. "I want to see the lessons we've learnt applied in this series. I'm looking for positivity and bravery from the team."
The one-off Test match against Ireland starts tomorrow, with Zimbabwe seeking to bounce back from recent series losses.
