Zimbabwe bank on the unpredictable

DURBAN, South Africa, Feb 23 (Reuters) Zimbabwe will pin their faith in the unpredictable nature of one-day cricket in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

''Anything can happen in one-day cricket, and when it does it's up to your players to perform on the day,'' Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran told Reuters from Harare. ''We've had the players to do so in the past.'' Although they are perennial underdogs and have won just eight of their 42 World Cup games, Zimbabwe have a history of upsetting fancied opponents.

Zimbabwe beat Australia by 13 runs in their first World Cup match in Nottingham in 1983. But they had to wait nine years, in which they lost 18 consecutive World Cup games, for their next win, which came against England by nine runs in Albury, Australia.

Expected victories over Kenya followed in 1996 and 1999, but Zimbabwe also surprised by beating India by three runs in Leicester in 1999.

They followed that by beating South Africa by 48 runs in Chelmsford, a result that was instrumental in South Africa's elimination after they tied their semi-final with Australia.

An easy win over Namibia in Harare in 2003 was overshadowed by the black armband protest mounted by Andy Flower and Henry Olonga to ''mourn the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe''.

ARMBAND PROTEST England then refused to play in Harare and Zimbabwe won by a walkover before victory over the Netherlands in Bulawayo and a wash out against Pakistan put them into the second round.

But the Zimbabweans buckled under the pressure generated by the black armband protest, and they slipped to an embarrassing defeat by Kenya in Bloemfontein.

In 2004, captain Heath Streak was sacked, prompting a walkout by 14 other players who objected to what they said were racially-biased policies.

Their test status was suspended until the end of 2004 and on their return they were beaten by Bangladesh. The Zimbabwe government took control in January last year and withdrew their team from the test arena although they continue to play one-day cricket.

At this year's World Cup, Zimbabwe will take on Ireland in Group D before facing Pakistan and West Indies, with Curran hopeful his team will prove competitive.

''We won't be taking Ireland lightly because they have guys who have played at a decent standard of cricket, but I'd like to think we could beat them on our day,'' Curran said.

''West Indies have great players like Brian Lara and Chris Gayle, but they can't fire every time. And as we've seen in Pakistan's series in South Africa (which South Africa won 3-1), they can be very average.

''We know we have to win two games to have a realistic chance of reaching the super eight round.'' The disputes with administrators have drained talented and experienced players away from Zimbabwe, and the result is that batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri is the only member of their squad who has featured in a World Cup.

Matsikenyeri played one match in the 2003 World Cup, against Sri Lanka in East London, South Africa.

Curran tried to impart a positive spin to Zimbabwe's dearth of experience.

''Sometimes you can use that to your advantage,'' he said. ''West Indies and Pakistan will be under pressure to play well against us, while our guys can go out and play with a bit of flair and hopefully produce the goods.'' Reuters AY DB0950