Zimbabwe have nothing to lose

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, Mar 11 (Reuters) Zimbabwe are just glad to be at the World Cup given the disputes which have shaken the game there.

Wrangles between players and administrators have drained talented and experienced players away from the country, and the result is that batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri is the only member of their squad who has featured in a World Cup.

Despite the fresh-face nature of their side, they were not embarrassed in losing to Australia by 106 runs in their first warm-up match last Tuesday while they were clinical if sloppy in the field in the six-wicket win over Bermuda on Thursday.

A big plus from both games was the form of 20-year-old batsman Sean Williams, who almost turned his back on Zimbabwe earlier in his career.

His 72 not out against a half-decent Bermuda attack will have been noticed by Group D opponents West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland.

Zimbabwe will also be banking on the unpredictable nature of one-day cricket.

''We have nothing to lose,'' 21-year-old captain Prosper Utseya told reporters.

''We've just got to go out there and give it our best shot.'' 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, England, 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, England, 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. They are set to return to test cricket in November.

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

Coach Kevin Curran recently tried to impart a positive spin on 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 SAM BST1209