Price relishes his opening role

Ahmadabad - Zimbabwe spinner Raymond Price is relishing his role as a new-ball bowler after opening his side's attack in its first two matches at the World Cup.

Price says that "though the new ball is a lot harder and slippery, in the subcontinent, it roughs up quickly and so is easier to hold."

Price is making progress in his side's Group A campaign, taking 1-43 in a 91-run loss to three-time defending champion Australia in Ahmadabad on February 21 and then bagging 3-16 in an impressive 175-run victory over Canada at Nagpur on Monday.

The left-arm-spinner, who has taken 84 wickets in 85 matches, has an impressive economy rate of 3.88 in one-dayers.

His next wicket-taking opportunity will be on Friday against New Zealand.

"I am always itching to bowl, whether first or last," said the 34-year-old Price, who has played for Worcestershire in English county cricket and has had a career-high ranking of number two among bowlers in one-day cricket.

In the match against Canada, Price was helped by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer, who bagged 3-31 to put the focus on the team's strength in spinners.

"We (spinners) have been doing well but we are missing another seamer," Price said referring to the lack of support for paceman Chris Mpofu, with whom he has been sharing the new ball.

Price said the team had done well against Canada but it needed to keep its game tight in the coming matches.

"Obviously, we played very well but it will be more about getting the basics right," he said.