Streak confident of winning
fourth ODI

Zimbabwe all-rounder Heath Streak on Thursday exuded confidence about his team winning the fourth one-day international against India, in Hyderabad, on Saturday.

Speaking to newsmen after interacting with young cricketers at a coaching clinic in the city, Streak said, after the 2-1 lead in the five-match series, his team is looking forward to a winning in the fourth one-dayer and wresting the series.

"But it is not going to be easy. We have to be consistent in our performance," he pointed out.

Streak said Zimbabwe’s performance in the first and third one-day matches boosted the side's morale. He, however, admitted that his team cannot afford to be overconfident or complacent.

"We have to focus on the next game and play as per the game plan," he said.

Responding to queries, the former Zimbabwe captain refused to comment on the current political turmoil in his country. He declined to answer a question about the possible impact of racism on Zimbabwean cricket and parried away a query on the likely impact of the developments in Ayodhya on Saturday’s match.

Stating that he enjoys playing in India though the conditions are testing and the tracks are hard for the bowlers, the all-rounder said the team is not new to the sub-continent as it had played a number of series against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

He appreciated the presence of huge crowds for the matches and the tremendous applause for a good shot, but quipped: "The number of policemen in your stadia is sometimes more than the spectators in my country."

Streak said he was not surprised by his team’s victory in the two one-day matches. Pointing out that the team had improved its performance, he said it has talented players like Marillier, whose breezy knock helped the side to win the first game, and Hondo, who played a crucial role in Tuesday’s victory.

Saying the performance in the second game was disappointing, he added the team has improved under coach Geoff Marsh.