This week's issue comes out on the eve of the Test series between Zimbabwe and Pakistan. Rain threatens the match, but given relief from the weather it should be a fascinating and unpredictable series, with of course the advantage on paper lying with Pakistan. But paper advantage does not always mean a lot where Pakistan is concerned, as is mentioned in our Test preview, included in this issue.

Apologies to our readers for the late arrival of last week's ZCO, due to technical problems.

CONTENTS

• Zimbabwe v Pakistan Preview
• Zimbabwe v Pakistan Test records
• Club cricket scores - National League Round 5
• Biographies:
  • Blessing Mahwire
  • Gavin Ewing
• Letters

We also include a link to our record section on matches between Zimbabwe and Pakistan, and it will be seen that, despite Pakistan's often overwhelming superiority on paper, Zimbabwe have produced some very good cricket against them and have, in fact, won two of our four victories against senior Test-playing countries against them.

Our best wishes go to Blessing Mahwire, a seam-bowling all-rounder, who is scheduled to make his Test debut this weekend. He will be the first player from Masvingo to represent the country at full international level, and we have updated his biography for the occasion. We also include a biography of Bulawayo all-rounder Gavin Ewing, who was included in the Test squad for the first time.

There are also Test matches being played in Australia and South Africa this weekend, and one trusts Zimbabwe will not shoot themselves in the foot as England did (once again) in Australia, putting the opposition in to bat on a good batting pitch and then bowling weakly and dropping most of the catches on offer. For readers in Southern Africa, DSTV will be showing the Zimbabwe-Pakistan Test throughout, mainly on Channel 6.

On Wednesday 6 November the Zimbabwe Cricket Union held a large Gala Dinner at the Monomotapa Hotel in Zimbabwe to celebrate Zimbabwe's ten years of Test cricket. Ten years ago Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test match against India at Harare Sports Club, and became the first newcomers to Test cricket to avoid defeat in their inaugural Test; in fact, they dominated the match, although it ended in a draw.

It had been hoped that Kapil Dev, who bowled Zimbabwe's first ball in Test cricket (Kevin Arnott turned it to fine leg for a single), would be guest of honour, but he was unable to attend, and was replaced very effectively by Clive Lloyd, who gave an excellent speech. All of Zimbabwe's team which played in that Inaugural Test were invited, the only absentees being Gary Crocker (who has emigrated to the USA and could not be contacted), John Traicos (unable at the last moment to come over from his home in Australia) and Grant Flower, who was with his father who is sick in Johannesburg. We wish Bill Flower the speediest of recoveries.

One of the features of the evening was the Milestones Awards, which commemorated the best individual performances by Zimbabweans during those ten years. They were as follows: