Harare Sports Club Photo © ECC

It might be thought that a trip to Zimbabwe is exactly what the beleaguered England one-day squad needs to get back to winning ways. They have not enjoyed a very successful time of late, finding themselves at what they hope will be the end of an eleven-match losing run. However, when you take England's record against Zimbabwe into account, they might not be able to justify any inherent optimism.

The overall record, going back to 1991/2 at a time when Zimbabwe had yet to attain Test status, is played 16, won 9, lost 7. However, that tally is boosted by three wins in the NatWest Series in England in the summer of 2000. Outside England, the record tilts six-five in favour of Zimbabwe.

That includes the infamous first meeting in Albury in the 1991/92 World Cup in Australia when, in one of the great upsets in the limited-overs game, minnows Zimbabwe managed to overcome the eventual finalists by 9 runs. The pattern was to be repeated for some time, as in the first six meetings between the sides going through until 1996/97, England won only won match. That was at Brisbane in 1994/95 in the Benson and Hedges World Series event.

Even when it comes to margins of victory, Zimbabwe hold the statistical upper hand. To their credit they have wins by 131 runs in Harare in 1996/97 and by 104 runs in Cape Town three years later. England's biggest margin of victory is 85 runs on the last occasion the teams met in Harare a couple of winters ago.

That 1996/97 series marked one of the worst tours England have ever had. Not only did they lose the one-day series three-nil, but they could only draw the Test series when neither side could force a win. England might have come closest to achieving a result, but their hosts were not over-impressed with the reaction of coach David Lloyd. His "we flippin' murdered 'em" comment must go down as one of the most insensitive of all time and did nothing to endear an already discredited touring party to the locals.

So why is it going to be different for England this time around? The fact is that in recent times they have enjoyed much the better of the exchanges. Only one defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in the last eight meetings says something about the way the balance of power has shifted.

Despite the run of poor form since meeting Zimababwe last time, England will be expecting to maintain their sequence against the host country. There are serious problems facing Zimbabwe at home, to the extent that a number of M.P.s have suggested that the tour should not go ahead. It nearly did not. It was only lengthy negotiations between the ECB and ZCU that secured accreditation for all members of the British media party that allowed the tour to go ahead.

On the field, too, Zimbabwe have had problems. They were thrashed by South Africa in the first ODI last weekend, and despite the enduring excellence of Andy Flower's batting and other useful performers in the Zimbabwean line-up, there is not the same threat as there was. Take out top performers like Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson, both of whom have retired from international cricket, and the lack of depth in the game becomes all too evident. Having said that, there are few occasions on which any Zimbabwean team has not given of its all, and the sight of the three lions of England does seem to enliven them.

England are trying to realign their strategy and team composition when time to do so before the 2003 World Cup is running out. There are new faces in the English squad, familiar faces, and recalled faces. What England are trying to do is find a balance that will allow them to compete with the best in the world. They singularly failed to do so last summer.

Certainly this team looks sharper in the field than some put out recently. If the standards can be maintained, if runs can be scored at a decent rate and if the bowlers can find a line and length that does not allow opposition batsmen free hits every over, there is no reason why England should not make definite progress towards achieving their aim.

It says something for the attitude of all concerned that the need for action was appreciated. It is one thing to bemoan poor performances but quite another to do something about reversing the situation. It would have been all too easy to point to a busy winter involving tours to India and New Zealand and concentrate on an improving Test record. That has not happened, and even if the likes of Australia, South Africa and Pakistan are way out in front of England in the race for World Cup honours. England have not given up yet. The tortoise might yet give the hares a run for their money.

© CricInfo Ltd 2001