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Bulawayo and Kandy have more in common than you may suspect. They are both their respective countries second cities; they are both the sites of former kingdoms - the Kandyan in Kandy, the Butua in Bulawayo - and electricity has been a subject of discussion in both places. In Kandy, the talk was about why the lights stayed off at the Pallekele International Stadium during the Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia; in Bulawayo, its about how ZESA, the national power authority, managed to keep the lights on this winter after severe load-shedding last year.But there is one thing that is not the same: Zimbabwe, who were bowled out for 164 in the first innings against New Zealand, could not mount the same fightback as Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for 117 against Australia. Why?There are the obvious reasons, which were feared before the series, and have been discussed on each of the three days so far. Zimbabwes players dont get enough game time, not even in first-class cricket, and they dont have a deep enough player pool to fulfill all the requirements of a winning team. They also dont have a financially stable board, or many solid structural plans to back them, but Sri Lanka have managed to rise above that and, on occasion, Zimbabwe have, too.Then, there are the less glaring factors to take into consideration; the ones that the modern age and its instant lifestyle cause us to forget even though they may still be relevant today. Put simply: competing properly in Test cricket takes a bloody long time.Sri Lanka played their first Test 34 years ago, in 1982. Since then, they have competed in 249 matches. Zimbabwe played their first Test ten years after that, in 1992, and have only had 98 matches since then. Of those, Zimbabwe have won 11. In Sri Lankas first 98 Tests, played over a period of 18 years, they won 18.The evidence suggests the so-called smaller Test nations need several decades before they can develop the consistency of bigger ones. Even New Zealand, who first played in 1930, took 45 matches before they won their first Test, only won seven of their 98 Tests, and have only recently begun what is considered a steady improvement.Perhaps, Zimbabwe can be forgiven for how long it is taking them to get things right, but that may not take away from the focus on their personnel. While Sri Lanka seem to find players who become match-winners - Kusal Mendis and Lakshan Sandakan are their latest - Zimbabwe have an oversupply of what seem to be middling cricketers. Perhaps, conditions in Sri Lanka allow for the development of more specialised skills than those in Zimbabwe, where pitches tend to follow a trend of slow, low and unexciting, and produce a glut of batsmen with averages in the 20s, part-time spinners and medium-pacers.Zimbabwe dont have players who bamboozle and blaze, but slowly, they are finding a small selection of those with quiet determination. Look at Brian Chari. With a first-class average of 20.89, he may not come off as an immediate candidate for a Test call-up, but in the absence of regular openers Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo, and on the back of a 98 against South Africa A, he was selected and then asked to do much more than he would have expected.Chari, who hadnt kept wickets in his two Tests prior to this, had to take over after Regis Chakabva took ill. He had to do it for 166.5 overs, over more than five sessions. He had to stand up to Graeme Cremer, who was turning the ball out of the footmarks. He made a few mistakes and missed a few chances but, for a first-timer, he did an adequate job. And then, just when he thought he could put his feet up, he was called in to bat in the first over, when his senior-most team-mate, Hamilton Masakadza, was dismissed cheaply for the second time. Its hardly surprising Chari could not cope with a Boult inswinger and left a bat-pad gap for the ball to find his off stump, and even less so that Masakadza lauded his effort.A lot of credit to him for the way he has carried himself. He has never kept before, and to have kept the way he did for a day-and-a-half really showed a lot of heart, Masakadza said.Zimbabwe also dont have the old hands like Herath, but if they can hang on to their players with experience, they have some who are willing to take responsibility. Their captain, Graeme Cremer, bowled 35 overs on the second day, including 26 in one spell, and Masakadza himself is an example. He was visibly pained at the post-play press conference when he spoke about his own failure in this match, and its clear his underperformance is weighing on him. My biggest disappointment is the way I got out in the first innings. Its still playing on my mind. I was set and I could have dragged the innings a little deeper. As a senior player, its never easy to take when things go awry, he said.Where Zimbabwe get it wrong is that the energy of youth and the wisdom from their experienced players rarely have the kind of meeting Mendis and Herath had in Kandy. They dont fire as a collective unit. Sometimes, that is because theyre not playing in the same team. Sibanda or Mawoyo, for example, could have been the perfect foil for Chari. Tinashe Panyanagara or Tendai Chatara would have complemented Michael Chinouya. Injuries have been mostly to blame for them missing each other, circumstance and selection may also be the cause.Some curious picks in Zimbabwes squad, which did not seem to be based on first-class numbers or recent form, and a recent change in coach and captain have meant Zimbabwe are unsettled in every way. Compare that to New Zealand, who are set to have Mike Hesson at the helm until 2019, a stint of seven years, and who enjoyed a smooth transition from Brendon McCullum to Kane Williamson, and its clear why the hosts are playing in such helter-skelter fashion and the visitors in entirely the opposite.Zimbabwe almost beat New Zealand at this venue five years ago. That they are being so badly outplayed now is a sign both of how much they have slipped since then and of how much New Zealand have progressed. If Zimbabwe hope to turn Bulawayo into Kandy one day, they have to find a way to close that gap.Mitch Wishnowsky 49ers Jersey . 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Terrell Owens Jersey .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again.AMHERST, N.Y. -- Sadly, Buffalo coach Lance Leipold knows too well the pain and sorrow Jeff Monken and his Army players are dealing with following the recent sudden death of Black Knights cornerback Brandon Jackson.It has been only seven months since Leipold and his Bulls experienced similar emotions, when linebacker Solomon Jackson died a week after collapsing during a team conditioning session.Its a lot of sadness and a lot of other things that youre going through, Leipold recalled as Buffalo (0-2) prepares to host Army (3-0) on Saturday night. Theres an empty chair in the room, and theres an empty spot on the plane and the bus and a locker.The toughest part is finding a balance between life and football.Theres not a manual that I know of for this, Leipold said. You just try to do your best.The Bulls are honoring Solomon Jackson by wearing a No. 41 decal on their helmets.The Black Knights will do the same to honor Brandon Jackson, who died in a one-car crash on Sept. 11.It has been a very emotional last eight or nine days for our football team, Monken said. I am incredibly proud of our guys and how they responded.On Saturday, Army took care of business on the field with a 66-14 win at UTEP .On Monday, the Black Knights paid their respects by attending Jacksons funeral in New York.Now its up to Monken to turn the attention back to football for a team off to its best start since Army went 9-0 to open the 1996 season.Its important to maintain an even keel about where were at in terms of our record, Monken said. Theres a lot of things that I need to do better with this team to have them better prepared so they dont make any mistakes.The Black Knights offense was nearly perfect against UTEP by scoring on all nine drives -- eight touchdowns and a field goal. They racked up 598 yards offense, including 424 rushing, 33 first downs and converted 10 of 12 third-down chances.Running its ever-familiar triple-option running attack, Army ranks second in the nation with 1,101 yards rushing.The Mid-American Conference Bulls are experiencing the telltale signs of a rebuilding year in Leipolds second season, coming off losses to Nevada and lower-division Albany.Buffalos roster features 422 newcomers, including 6-foot-7 quarterback Tyree Jackson, a redshirt freshman set to make his second career start.ddddddddddddOther things of note as Army attempts to win four straight for the first time since 2005:ON THE RUNBulls defensive end Demone Harris was on the sideline redshirting during the 2014 season, when Army had 341 yards rushing in a 47-39 win over Buffalo at West Point.On Saturday, Harris will experience firsthand the challenge of keeping the Black Knights in check. The key, Harris said, is patience and keeping your pad-level low to disrupt the Black Knights blocking schemes.Buffalo has allowed 477 yards rushing, including 352 and four TDs in a 38-14 loss at Nevada last weekend.BIG WINThe 66 points scored against UTEP were Armys most since a 68-6 win over Colgate on Nov. 1, 1958. And the 52-point margin of victory was the programs largest since a 55-0 win over Fordham on Oct. 29, 2011.NO RECEPTIONTyree Jackson has been a work in progress through two games. Hes gone 21 of 47 for 255 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and is also second on the team with 147 yards rushing.Jackson, however, was inconsistent against Nevada in going 7 of 22 for 130 yards passing and a touchdown, and failed to complete a pass to a receiver.Its not if, its when, Leipold said of Jackson playing to his potential. We just had hope that `when, was going to be a little sooner than where were at at this point.QUARTERBACKS GALOREArmy starting quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw and backup Chris Carter have seen action in every game so far. Bradshaw is the teams second-leading rusher with 152 yards. Carter logged significant time last week against UTEP, gaining 94 yards on the ground with a touchdown and throwing for 47 yards.REMEMBERING JACKSONOf the many offers of condolences Buffalo received following Solomon Jacksons death, Leipold the most notable was from Army.Aside from a note, he said Army also reached out to the players family.It meant a lot, Leipold said. And well try to do the same.---Online: AP College Football website www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '