Campbell's Diary: the difficulty of being favourites

After a long lay-off - from writing that is - I am back to take you through our winter of cricket. This is a trial, as it were, because TV companies and those Test-playing countries not invited to England had not much to do in the "off-season", and Zimbabwe, with its moderate climate all year round, was found to be a perfect venue.

We start against Bangladesh but we also have series against India, West Indies and South Africa, with us hosting the first ever triangular tournament in Zimbabwe with India and West Indies. It promises to be a very successful trial and something I think we will continue with on an annual basis.

First of all, though, it is Bangladesh we have to deal with and, although it has not been realised by many Zimbabwe supporters, the forthcomming series of matches against Bangladesh will actually be the most significant played in our short history as a Test-playing nation.

In previous confrontations among the elite groups of superpower nations at the pinnacle of the world game, occasional upset victories, narrow losses and even drawn matches have been sufficient to sustain our reputation as dangerous underdogs and thereby kept all interested parties - sponsors, supporters, players and even television companies - happy with the progress of Zimbabwe cricket.

Now, however, we are faced with opposition officially rated one step below ourselves on the international ladder and, as one of the Bangladeshi journalists said to me, it will be the first time in our Test history that we have started a series as overwhelming favorites, and how would we cope with that.

I was a bit stumped as this reality has never been part of a Zimbabwean cricketer's psyche. As I have mentioned, we have always been underdogs and have happily accepted that tag. We take to the field, try and absorb all the pressure from our opponents and capitalise on their mistakes when they push too hard.

Now as favorites our game plan must change and we have to apply pressure and dominate, as other sides have done to us. The Bangladesh side will no doubt respond, as we have always responded, with guts and determination. It will be a grinding process because they will be playing not so much to win, as not to lose. It is going to be a ground-breaking excercise, and something we must respond to and respond to well. People will be expecting convincing victories. The ball is definitely in our court. Regards Alistair