HARARE -- Ireland coach Phil Simmons is confident of a positive tour of Zimbabwe that he said could help team rise on the world rankings.Simmons was speaking ahead of a series of three One Day Internationals that kick off in Harare today. This will be the last One-Day International series for Ireland before the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup 2011 gets underway on February 19. ?
It is an important trip for a variety of reasons. We are currently ranked tenth in the world above Zimbabwe, and we want to not only keep our position but close in on, and possibly overhaul Bangladesh,” Simmons told media in Harare.
Ireland would also play Zimbabwe in the Intercontinental Cup, a tournament Simmons believes the Irish will make an impact.
We haven’t given up hope of still qualifying for the final of the Intercontinental Cup. We will be striving all out to achieve that.?
The trip to Zimbabwe had previously been in doubt after Britain and the West discouraged their teams from touring the Southern African nation.
This followed souring relations between Harare and the West after human rights violations by Mugabe regime over the years.
Earlier this month, Scotland pulled out of an ICC InterContinental Cup tour to Zimbabwe citing the continuations of such violations.
Post published in: Cricket