Incoming national coach Geoff Marsh believes that the Zimbabwe cricket team will become a competitive side by the start of the 2003 World Cup. Marsh took over from fellow Australian Carl Rackemann who returned home soon after the five-match series against England last week.

Having been coach of the highly successful Australia between 1996 and 1999, Marsh concedes that it was a difficult decision to take charge of a small country like Zimbabwe.

"It is a big decision in one's life to move from one country to another to take up a position of coaching another country. But it's one that I saw as a challenge. In Australia we have always rated Zimbabwe cricketers as top cricketers to play against.

"We also admire the fact that they pick the team from a small base yet they are always tough to roll over. They play with a lot of intensity and passion for their country and that was the sort of thing that persuaded me to take up the post of Zimbabwe coach. It's a good challenge for me and certainly one that I look forward to."

He was, however, not worried that people might be comparing his performance with that of his fellow Aussie Rackemann.

"We are different coaches. I know Carl did a good job for two years and I will probably bring in different ideas and hopefully we can improve the side every time that we go into the field either to practise or play the game.

"I have been following Zim cricket prior to my appointment. It's funny you know when you are out of the game - I have been out of the game for a couple of years now - you do follow it. But you probably do not follow it as close as you do when you are actually playing or coaching in world cricket.

"I have taken an interest in Zim cricket and I know some of the guys. You don't actually really know the guys until you start working with them and that's something I'm looking forward to. Hopefully all of them have goals and dreams to become good Test and one-day cricketers."

Having watched Zimbabwe suffer a five-nil whitewash defeat to England, Marsh feels that there is a lot of work to be done to transform Zimbabwe into a strong side.

"I don't think Zimbabwe did the basics for one-day cricket. The bowlers didn't bowl the right line and with the bat Zimbabwe got themselves into positions where they were going to score big totals but they let themselves down. I thought the fielding was very disappointing and they dropped a couple of chances, yet they are known worldwide for their fielding.

"The Sharjah tournament is a great challenge for the boys. We are going there for four games before the final. I will be looking to going away and working with the guys, and hopefully the guys are also looking forward to going away and working, training hard and improving their performance, because in just over 12 months' time we've got the World Cup where Zimbabwe will be hosting their six qualifying games. I am sure that the boys want to put up a good performance in front of the home crowd."

"I am not under pressure at all that I am leading a side that has lost the last 12 games over the past four months. The thing is you can't look back in the game. You have to look forward and we are going to Sharjah to become a better cricket side. You take the positives out of the last couple of series and look at the problem areas we need to work on and go forward.

"All we need is to become a complete cricket side by the time of the World Cup by working hard in all areas of the game and getting ourselves super fit. South Africa, who are one of the two best one-day sides in the world, were here and Zimbabwe have a fair look at where the bar is at the moment with South Africa. I know they have got to work very hard to get to that standard and that's our goal.

"It needs patience. It will take a little while and I'm sure these guys can raise the bar to the level of South Africa."

© CricInfo