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All-rounder Jacob Oram has warned New Zealand not to underrate Zimbabwe during their upcoming tour.
The African side carry on their return to Test cricket by hosting the Black Caps in Bulawayo from November 1, but before then the two sides will competition two Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals.
The series begin with Saturday's T20 clash in Harare and Oram tell the New Zealand Herald: "I think the key to this tour is not getting satisfied, not taking Zimbabwe lightly because if we are honest with ourselves, even though we had a very good World Cup, we are not the most reliable side.
"We really have to start treating every match we play like it's a World Cup make unconscious game just so we can put performance on the board that deserves our talent level."
New Zealand will be without paceman Tim Southee for the whole tour as he is yet to defeat a knee injury, with national selection manager Kim Littlejohn explanation: "We are taking a long-term view with Tim's injury and have opt to expand his revival period rather than rush him back too soon.
"He is predictable to be fully fit and obtainable for December's Test series next to Australia." But Oram, who had ponder reserved after last year's World Cup, will be part of the squad after being reinvigorated by John Wright's arrival as coach with a new support staff in tow.
"This new era is one of the reasons I required to keep playing," he said. "I had a good World Cup, my body felt well and there was no reason to stop.
"But another reason is that I see a lot of exhilaration in the current crop of players and also the changing of support staff.
"Deciding to keep going was more a mental thing than a physical thing but I have reset my target and my new goal is next year's World Twenty20, which is only 11 months away. That's what I am working towards and where I want to hit the highest point again, and maybe that's the line in the sand for my career."
Zimbabwe is without Craig Ervine (shoulder) and Brian Vitori (shin), although the latter hopes to return for the one-off test.
Keegan Meth is set to feature after getting better from the injuries suffer when he was hit in the mouth by a straight force from Bangladesh's Nasir Hossain in August's fifth ODI. Mountaineers leg-spinner Natsai Mushangwa has also been built-in in the squad.
The African side carry on their return to Test cricket by hosting the Black Caps in Bulawayo from November 1, but before then the two sides will competition two Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals.
The series begin with Saturday's T20 clash in Harare and Oram tell the New Zealand Herald: "I think the key to this tour is not getting satisfied, not taking Zimbabwe lightly because if we are honest with ourselves, even though we had a very good World Cup, we are not the most reliable side.
"We really have to start treating every match we play like it's a World Cup make unconscious game just so we can put performance on the board that deserves our talent level."
New Zealand will be without paceman Tim Southee for the whole tour as he is yet to defeat a knee injury, with national selection manager Kim Littlejohn explanation: "We are taking a long-term view with Tim's injury and have opt to expand his revival period rather than rush him back too soon.
"He is predictable to be fully fit and obtainable for December's Test series next to Australia." But Oram, who had ponder reserved after last year's World Cup, will be part of the squad after being reinvigorated by John Wright's arrival as coach with a new support staff in tow.
"This new era is one of the reasons I required to keep playing," he said. "I had a good World Cup, my body felt well and there was no reason to stop.
"But another reason is that I see a lot of exhilaration in the current crop of players and also the changing of support staff.
"Deciding to keep going was more a mental thing than a physical thing but I have reset my target and my new goal is next year's World Twenty20, which is only 11 months away. That's what I am working towards and where I want to hit the highest point again, and maybe that's the line in the sand for my career."
Zimbabwe is without Craig Ervine (shoulder) and Brian Vitori (shin), although the latter hopes to return for the one-off test.
Keegan Meth is set to feature after getting better from the injuries suffer when he was hit in the mouth by a straight force from Bangladesh's Nasir Hossain in August's fifth ODI. Mountaineers leg-spinner Natsai Mushangwa has also been built-in in the squad.
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