Two wretched performances with the bat in the warm-up game exposed a frailty in damp conditions that Zimbabwe must address swiftly in their confrontation with African rivals who are here "to have fun".

It was Zimbabwe's dismissal for 178 by Derbyshire on Sunday that incurred Houghton's wrath and, although they endeavoured to bat in a more measured way against Warwickshire on Tuesday, they were still bowled out for 106.Zimbabwe's out-cricket has at least looked effective, with paceman Eddo Brandes, the chicken farmer who ruffled a few feathers at the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, still bowling staunchly.

The Zimbabweans go into their opening Group `A' game seeking to improve on their World Cup record of just three wins in 25 matches.

One of those victories was during the last World Cup on thesub-continent in 1996 against Kenya whose relaxed outlook going into this tournament appears to be working as far as their batting is concerned.

Ravindu Shah, twice, Kennedy Otieno and Maurice Odumbe hit half-centuries in the warm-up matches.

Steve Tikolo, their only professional and most accomplished batsman, failed in those games but Kenya will be banking on him.