Our Zim team for the ODI Tri-Series

[zimfan1]

I think the team needs a bit of freshing up. Im not asking for wholsale changes but i think some new blood could inject some spirit into a sqaud which has been loseing consistantly.

Think the likes of Greg Strydom and Tino Mawayo can add something to the side.

Sean Williams has to come back in (If avaliable) but i beg the slectors not to look at Ebrahim as he is not a natural one day player.

On the fast bowling front it is looking like slim pickings at the moment with so many injuries, perhaps we should go back to Blessing Mahwire who did a decent job for a period in 2005 against India and New Zealand. I would rather Chitara was not fast tracked to early but i fear that this may be the case.

[eugene]

My squad of 15 for the Tri-Series

1. Hamilton Masakadza
2. Brendan Taylor
3. Sean Williams
4. Tatenda Taibu
5. Charles Coventry
6. Elton Chigumbura
7. Arnoldus Mauritius Blignaut
8. Greg Lamb
9. Graeme Cremer
10. Ray Price
11. Ed Rainsford

12. Craig Ervine
13. Gavin Ewing
14. Prosper Utseya
15. a pace bowler (Mpofu, Mupariwa) - not sure who until Kyle Jarvis returns.

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Hamilton Masakadza,
Vusumuzi Sibanda,
Tatenda Taibu (wicketkeeper),
Brendan Taylor,
Charles Coventry,
Andy Blignaut ,
Elton Chigumbura (captain),
Prosper Utseya,
Graeme Cremer,
Raymond Price,
Edward Rainsford

12th man- C.Erwine. Infact, i would like to give him a chance in final eleven by dropping Vusi and promoting Taibu.

Ahha!!! this seems to be a nice squad to thump the IPL puppets and sensible lankans.

[raaghav]

1.Hamilton Masakadza:::::::::::::::Best Batsmen seeing recent form
2.Brendon Taylor:::::::::::::::::::Most skilled Batsmen in ZIm,he is even the most consistent batsmen
3.Sean Williams:::::::::::::::::::::Most technically sound and classic batsmen,we cannnot keep him out from side
4.Tatenda Taibu(w)::::::::::::::::::Strike rate less but a wicketkeeper........and he is the only batsmen whom i think can play 50 ovrs....
5.Craig Ervine::::::::::::::::::::A new Entry in Zim Side...looks good to me...give him more time at crease..i expect him to do better then coventry/sibanda
6.Greg Lamb::::::::::::::::A genuine allrounder....A useful bowler and batsmen....for me he shd be the permanent member in side
7.Elton Chigumbura::::::::::::master Blaster
8.Ray Price:::::::::::::::::Legend
9.Greame Cremer:::::::::::::::::Our kumble....
10.Prosper Utseya::::::::::::::Econamical,can bat a bit......
11.E.Reinsford::::::::::::::Best Bowler available in zim

Blingnaut if he plays as an allrounder he is required otherwise no place.....we need a skilled batsmen not hard hitting batsmen for that Chigumbura is enough..
In ma team:::::::;;;;
5 Specialist batsmen
2.Allrounders
4.Bollers

Xtra
1.K.Jarvis
2.C.Coventry
3.A.Blingnaut

[zimfan1]

At the moment i think Charles Coventry is lucky to be anywhere near the sqaud as he is very out of form. His dismall against New Zealand where he popped a catch back to the bowler of his second ball he faced just confirmed that there was a player despratly short of confidence and form.

He needs to go back and make runs at first class level as possibly even Zimbabwe A before he should get another chance. I will be very surprised if he gets a game in this series.

On the subject of Sean Williams, i think a big part to why he has not been selected is down the combinations. Williams and Craig Ervine as very similar players i.e left handers, tough players and like to sweep and innovate and knock the ball around in to gaps. And in the ODI format i feel there is really only room for one player like this in our middle order and at the moment ervine has the spot as he produced better performances in the Domestic Season.

Forster Mutiwa dont make me laugh, he has a horrible technique and a rash temperement and has only really had one and a half good seaons at first class level. Lets see what he does for Zimbabwe A and the Eagles in the beginning of he season and then we can fairly judge if he has the abilty.

I really feel that the players not in the national side really need to be hammering the door down before selcetion rather than being brought in based on a couple of good performances.

[Conant]

Forster Mutiwa dont make me laugh, he has a horrible technique and a rash temperement and has only really had one and a half good seaons at first class level. Lets see what he does for Zimbabwe A and the Eagles in the beginning of he season and then we can fairly judge if he has the abilty.

I really feel that the players not in the national side really need to be hammering the door down before selcetion rather than being brought in based on a couple of good performances.

Really, Zimfan? Coz I have always been interested to watch Mtizwa bat then I would make my final judgement. Always, from a few shorts you can see which player has it in him. Having said that technique is not everything, as Greame Smith has shown. If Mtizwa can translate domestic form into international I would be glad to have him in my side, French cricket or not!

[zimfan1]

Forster Mutiwa dont make me laugh, he has a horrible technique and a rash temperement and has only really had one and a half good seaons at first class level. Lets see what he does for Zimbabwe A and the Eagles in the beginning of he season and then we can fairly judge if he has the abilty.

I really feel that the players not in the national side really need to be hammering the door down before selcetion rather than being brought in based on a couple of good performances.

Really, Zimfan? Coz I have always been interested to watch Mtizwa bat then I would make my final judgement. Always, from a few shorts you can see which player has it in him. Having said that technique is not everything, as Greame Smith has shown. If Mtizwa can translate domestic form into international I would be glad to have him in my side, French cricket or not!

Ill admit ive only seen him play 4 or 5 times and he has allways given his wicket away and in his innings there allways seems to be a lot of swiping across the line and a lot of head in the air shots.

I take your point that technique is not everything but it does become exposed against international class bowlers as they can expolit techniqual efficenys to a far greater extent than our domestic scene pacers.

Ill admit he probably has not got the chances he deserves as of yet but i think a couple more years working hard at his game would be better for him than being thrust into the national team.

[Tinashce Ruswa]

well firstly sorry to go all analytical on the forum, play the team, and right now the Indians are sending a young team which is short on form and confidence, and recently found out by short balls.

If I was part of the think tanks I would focus on three prongs of attack,
** Pace,
**Short pitched deliveries, pace not the essence here as they were undone by short slower balls as well.
**utilizing the boundary size in Bulawayo to leverage our athletic running between the wickets, hence increase our efficiency
**Leverage our fielding.
** get all spinners in the Matebeleland province to assist with giving our batters spin batting practice, even a bowling machine would do.
**rethink our fully pronged spin attack coz India can play spin,use the spinners in an efficient intelligent manner..

Anyway team composition na matter if people dont execute plans and here's my two cents...

GO ZIMBaBWE

[CrimsonAvenger]

Agree completely Tinasche.

On the subject of Sean Williams, i think a big part to why he has not been selected is down the combinations. Williams and Craig Ervine as very similar players i.e left handers, tough players and like to sweep and innovate and knock the ball around in to gaps. And in the ODI format i feel there is really only room for one player like this in our middle order and at the moment ervine has the spot as he produced better performances in the Domestic Season.

The state of affairs as they are at this moment in batting, don't you think we need about 3 Williams-like players in our ODI squad if possible? He is a run a ball man, not a blocker, and even if form has deserted him, he can be close to run a ball. His left arm spin is largely underrated, and fielding too is top notch (in the infield). I feel we could have afforded Williams in the squad easily.

[zimfan1]

Agree completely Tinasche.

On the subject of Sean Williams, i think a big part to why he has not been selected is down the combinations. Williams and Craig Ervine as very similar players i.e left handers, tough players and like to sweep and innovate and knock the ball around in to gaps. And in the ODI format i feel there is really only room for one player like this in our middle order and at the moment ervine has the spot as he produced better performances in the Domestic Season.

The state of affairs as they are at this moment in batting, don't you think we need about 3 Williams-like players in our ODI squad if possible? He is a run a ball man, not a blocker, and even if form has deserted him, he can be close to run a ball. His left arm spin is largely underrated, and fielding too is top notch (in the infield). I feel we could have afforded Williams in the squad easily.

I defintley think that they should both be in the side, but i belive that the main reason why he is not is the issue of combinations and that the selectors feel that Williams and Ervine are to similair.