SOLOMON Mire’s individual performances during the national cricket side’s recent tour of Bangladesh has left newly-appointed national coach Dav Whatmore excited by the heights the all-rounder could yet reach in international cricket. DANIEL NHAKANISO SPORTS REPORTER
The 25-year-old Australia-based middle order batsman and handy right-arm medium-pacer scored two half centuries in unfamiliar conditions in his debut series in Bangladesh.
Speaking after Mire’s inclusion in Zimbabwe’s 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Whatmore, who was one of the television commentators during the Bangladesh tour said he was impressed by the player’s athletic prowess.
“Solomon Mire impressed me right from the beginning when I was in the commentary box during the Bangladesh tour. What caught my eye first was the way he moved across the turf, he certainly gave me the impression that he was very comfortable in the ground and I immediately felt he was a decent player without seeing anything else,” Whatmore said.
“I then asked Alistair Campbell and Ed Rainsford, who is this guy? And they told me he could hit the ball and bowl a bit. Sure enough he had more of an opportunity to perform. He got a couple of 50s and he’s bowling was ok, he can improve on that and he just looks a good player,” he said.
Mire’s performance also won the admiration of his teammate Hamilton Masakadza tipped him to do well at the World Cup, where he is likely to benefit from playing in familiar conditions.
“I am also looking forward to him (Solomon Mire),” Masakadza said during the Bangladesh tour.
“Those conditions in Australia and New Zealand will favour him as well. He has been away playing in Australia; he has only come back now to play with us again so that’s another big positive for us. He has had a very good start in his international career, looking forward to him.”
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Mire announced his arrival to top level cricket in style, back in July last year after a blistering knock of 260 runs off just 157 deliveries, including 21 sixes, for Waratahs to set a new tournament record in the Darwin and District Cricket Competition in Australia.
This saw him catching the eye of the Melbourne Renegades, who signed him for the 2013-14 Big Bash League campaign as a community rookie.
He has not looked back since then, earning his first call-up to the national team for the ODI leg of the national team’s Bangladesh tour.
Zimbabwe will be hoping that Mire continues his impressive start to international cricket with a solid performance at the ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
