Every team needs a player for a crisis. For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza has often been that player. He bats anywhere from 1 to 7, is as electric and energetic at short cover as he is at deep midwicket and, against West Indies in Bulawayo on Friday, he even opened the bowling, playing an all-round hand in one of Zimbabwean crickets finest come-from-behind wins.Raza seems to score a lot of his runs when others havent, and thrives on pressure. His first international innings of note was an 82 against India in 2013. No one else reached fifty that day. His third ODI ton, against New Zealand in August last year, rescued the team from 68 for 5, with Raza all the way down at No. 7, becoming the only Zimbabwe batsman to score a hundred from that position. Two months later, his busy 60 not out with Nos. 9 and 10 for company marshalled Zimbabwe to a nervous, narrow two-wicket win over Ireland in Harare.Two weeks after that, he was at it again, against Afghanistan. Batting at No. 6, he entered in the 15th over with Zimbabwe rudderless at 45 for 4. He weathered some determined bowling, and a withering blow to the groin, to make 86 when no other batsman reached 30.He has modestly summed up his batting technique as see ball, hit ball, and try to survive, and though he is actually blessed with natural flair, some of his best knocks have been his ugliest, when he has had to restrain the inner fighter pilot - a position he was training for in Pakistan before an eye condition compelled him to make a switch to cricket - and fly a figurative Cessna 172 instead. With Zimbabwe slipping to 89 for 7 against West Indies, today was one of those days, as he ground his way to 76 not out from 103 deliveries, with just three fours.Theres nothing wrong with saying it was an ugly innings - it may have been - but I think thats exactly what we needed, Raza said after Zimbabwes win. The flair will remain there. But you also have to show some responsibility when youve played 60 one-day internationals. I was the only senior guy out there, so in my head all I was thinking was that as long as Im out there with these guys, I can help them to maybe build an innings, and well see what happens in the end. As long as we stay out there, we can give ourselves a fighting chance to win the game.That very thing - a fighting chance to win the game - is something Raza seems to carry with him, whether he is slugging it out with the bat, twirling the ball down, or patrolling extra cover with his magnetic hands. His bowling, which involves as much bluff and belief as it does skill, was not quite as fluent as it could have been against West Indies, but if you were only watching the bowler youd swear every delivery should have brought a wicket. Sharing the new ball with Tendai Chisoro, Raza leaked nine runs in his first over. His second, a maiden full of fizz and vim, was completed in under two minutes.In his body language, one finds further clues to his singular enjoyment in the game, whatever the situation. In the field, he holds his head slightly forward, craning his neck as if to wedge himself right into the moment. He can rarely be found standing still. His habit is to take every drink, whether he is holding a bat, or in the field, down on one bended knee. Every achievement and milestone is acknowledged devoutly, with a glance into the heavens.At a sodden Queens Sports Club against West Indies, there were a couple of one-kneed drinks breaks during his record 91-run stand for the 9th wicket with Chisoro. That partnership was the bedrock upon which was built a victory that ranks as one of Zimbabwes unlikeliest. Theyve been in tight spots before, and come back from them. But one struggles to think of another occasion when they have sunk quite so deep into the mire, and managed to resurface in this fashion, rain and all, against a major cricketing nation. When Chisoro was named Man of the Match at the presentation ceremony, Raza was at the front of the Zimbabwe posse, clapping and cheering louder than anyone else. Despite his own top-scoring innings, he insisted that credit goes to TC [Tendai Chisoro] for how he batted out there. He deserves all the credit.Thats another feature of his cricket: he backs his team-mates and revels in their successes, even the minor ones. During the tie against West Indies last weekend, he ran 20 or 30 metres in from his position at long off to shout congratulations and encouragement at Elton Chigumbura, on the other side of the field at deep midwicket, after a good stop.He is also beloved by the fans. When he was placed at deep midwicket during Chris Mpofus spell on Friday afternoon, the all-singing, all-dancing supporters there welcomed him with chants of Raza, Raza, Raza! With a smile and a wave, he acknowledged their warmth.His family loves him too, and likewise there is a clear sense of Razas devotion to them. Ive been short of runs for a long time, he admits. What [this innings and the fifty last weekend] does for me, is maybe give me a bit of confidence. But what really matters is the joy that it brings to others. After all the sleepless nights that mom and dad had, and all those times they were up late at night just to pray for me, because I was going through a rough patch. I can tell you that now they can have early nights at times, and they dont have to worry too much.As long as they have got a player like Raza in their XI, whatever crises and collapses come their way, Zimbabwe should not worry too much either. Cheap San Antonio Spurs Jerseys . 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Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Rudy Gay Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover.VANCOUVER -- John Tortorella was surprised the subject did not come up in the first question, but he did not get angry or yell. Yes, the new Vancouver Canucks coach acknowledged Tuesday, his reputation needs some restructuring, and he vowed to improve it as he attempts to give the city a long-sought Stanley Cup. "This is the mess I put myself into, and this is the mess Im going to get myself out of," Tortorella said during a news conference. The Canucks named the fiery Boston native as their replacement for Alain Vigneault, the winningest coach in franchise history. Known for being abrasive, Tortorella is perceived as a bench boss who can lose his temper quickly, sometimes blasts players in public, and has little time for questions from reporters. Vigneault was known more as a cerebral coach who laughed on many occasions and had a rapport with the media. But Tortorella, dressed in a dark suit and tie and smiling at times, turned on the charm at a news conference, even thanking a reporter for her question. It was all part of Tortorellas effort to let people get to know him better and deal with the media more effectively. "I know how important that part of the job is here," Tortorella said. "When you lose your job, you crawl into a hole a little bit, you reassess yourself, you try to learn, and I have certainly gone through that process. "Have I made mistakes? Absolutely. I make my own bed in this type of situation with the perception of myself in the media. But I know how important it is with this job here, especially in this city and this province." He is also known for battling verbally on occasion with players. But Tortorella, who has 24 years of coaching experience and won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, still vowed to be demanding of his charges and hold everyone -- including scoring stars Henrik and Daniel Sedin -- accountable. "We have a really good leadership group ... but we have not won the Stanley Cup," he said. "Theres going to be more asked of (the players), and that starts from the twins right on down." Gillis indicated that Vigneaults tenure with the Canucks had run its course after seven seasons. "You have a shelf life as a coach in the National Hockey League," said Gillis. "And, occasionally, a different voice is necessary. "I think John just has a different voice than Alain. Alains a very good hockey coach. Johns a very good hockey coach. But they approach it from different places and they approach it in different ways, and I felt it was necessary to make a change." Gillis said the teams ownership group was involved in the interviewing process, but he dismissed the idea that the Aquilini family chose the new coach. "At the end of the day, we were both unanimous in our selection," said Gillis. The 55-year-old Tortorella has reached the playoffs on eight occasions and won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2004. He was let go four days after the Rangers season ended with a second-round loss to the Boston Bruins. An assistant with the Rangers in the 1999-2000 season, he took over for John Muckler as head coach for the final four games. Tortorella later spent seven seasons as head coach of the Lightning before taking over as head coach of the Rangers in February 2009. Vigneault was let go after the Canucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. He guided the Canucks to a berth in the Stanley Cup final in 2011 and helped the team win the Presidents Trophy on two occasions, as well as six Northwest Division titles. Tortorella, the career leader in wins by a U.S.-born coach with 410, served as an assistant for the American team that won silver at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and has also coached at the world hockey championships. He will attempt to rebuild his reputation while coaching for the first time in Canada -- something he has always dreamed of. "To be involved with this, I coulldnt be more excited," he said.dddddddddddd "Its always something I thought about and wanted the opportunity." But while Canadians are known for being tolerant and accepting, Tortorella will still not find it easy to deal with a loss while coaching north of the border. "Everybody says: Be a good loser," he said. "I think if youre a good loser, you are a loser." Meanwhile, some of Tortorellas former players credit him with turning them into winners and helping them extend their careers -- despite his temperamental ways. "Personally, I think hes a good coach, but it takes a special player to play under his coaching," said former NHLer Brad Lukowich, who played under Tortorella during two stints with Tampa Bay, including the 2004 Stanley Cup victory. "Hed come in and tell us what to do, and he held us to the highest degree of accountability. "Once we figured that out, we gelled and we became a good team." Lukowich said the team succeeded because assistant coach Craig Ramsay, goaltending coach Jeff Reese and captain Dave Andreychuk acted as buffers between Tortorella and players. During the second stint, Ramsay, Reese and the retired Andreychuk had left the team, while captain Tim Taylor and key leader Dan Boyle were injured much of the season. The team was unable not achieve the same success and Tortorella continued with his abrasive ways. But Lukowich, now an assistant coach with the WHLs Lethbridge Hurricanes, credited Tortorella with extending his career by eight seasons. Lukowich also played briefly with the Canucks under Vigneault. While Tortorella tended to be serious and battled with players, Vigneault sometimes took a lighthearted approach to serious situations to help his players feel better. But the former Canuck and Lightning defenceman contended that Tortorellas temper should not be the thing for which he is remembered most. "Dont judge the guy on his emotions," said Lukowich. "Hes an incredible coach." Lukowich also advised Canucks to be ready for "Camp Tortur-ella" and the coachs demands for being in top physical condition. "If you think youre in shape now, start working out even harder," said Lukowich. "Its like the Navy Seals of the NHL. Its something else, Ill tell you. Im sure glad I dont have to do that again." Dixon Ward, who was a member of the Rochester Americans team that Tortorella guided to a Calder Cup title in 1995-96, also praised Tortorella with extending his career. "Torts was the head coach there and the assistant coach and, at the time, the trainer as well," Ward said. "He was the only guy on the bench that we had. "He brings a lot passion overtly to the game. What you see is what you get with John Tortorella ... and its infectious. At least, it was to us. I knew it was to me. He allowed me to learn different parts of the game that allowed me to go on and spend the next eight years in the NHL after that." Tortorella has already worked with Canucks centre Ryan Kesler, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in Vancouver. "(Hes) an intense guy and very detailed and wants his players to play hard," said Kesler. "Thats what I like about him. Hes going to hold us accountable. And if were not, were not going to play." But Kesler suggested Tortorella will not necessarily coach the same way that he has in the past. "Hes going to adapt once he figures us out," said Kesler. Henrik Sedin said Tortorella can help the Canucks become a better team. The Sedins are entering the option year of their contracts and hope to work out a new deal with the Canucks this summer. Henrik Sedin indicated the choice of Tortorella as coach will not change their desire to stay. The Canucks captain expects negotiations to begin in the next week or so. "If you produce and you play the way you can as a player, I dont think it matters what coach you have," said Henrik Sedin. Cheap Jerseys 2018 Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys 2019 NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys From China ' ' '