Reverse Sweep: The return of legendary John Ward

[hhm]

There is little embarassment in failing to get 10 wickets. Results have been acheived in matches where both teams have made declarations. However, there is great embarrassment in being consistently bowled out for less than 200 and losing consecutive matches without end. Looking at the XIs most people toss around I can already see us fail to bat through two sessions. I would rather get 300 in both innings and still lose or draw rather than get bowled for less that 200 both times and lose by an innings within 3 days, which is inevitable with some of these XIs that are put forward. India are #1 with just one reputable seamer and a spinner who is quickly becoming anything but world class. How - they've acheived that with a powerpacked batting lineup. We'll never acheive anything with our bowlers because they simply aren't and won't be good enough in the near and distant future. We won't make headlines if teams make 500/3dec (ask Aus - we're just), we will make headlines if our 20 wickets fall for 300 runs in 4 sessions. So what is my point? There is no wisdom in attempting to be balanced. Have a bias towards the batting. Have players who have batting as their strength up to 7 or 8 if you must. Anything less then forget it. Zim will 'voluntarily' suspend their Test status within 15months once again! Mark my words.

[eugene]

I disagree, I actually think the shame of the opposition scoring 500 runs in a day for the loss of 1 wicket is far worse than getting bowled out for 150.

[jward]

Well, I'm back and flattered at all the attention I'm receiving! My internet link is very feeble but holding out at the moment - in Zimbabwe you have to be grateful if anything is working at all!

Regarding comments on the team I mentioned - Sibanda v Williams is a difficult one, but Vusi has always had real class, his main problem for most of his career having been in building a long innings. I really want to see him get the runs he is capable of doing at international level. Williams also has great talent, and he is a left-hander, but he has some personal problems at the moment he needs to sort out - I would not object greatly if he was preferred to Sibanda and if he gets his act together he will certainly come into the national side sooner rather than later. Being at first left out of it will I think make him more hungry.

Ewing is a pretty good player, yes, but he didn't really look international class when I saw him this season - I'm not sure of his technique against top bowlers or on tricky pitches. He rarely bowls nowadays, so we can leave that out of the equation. Also he is injury-prone. Duffin sometimes looks good but he is very inconsistent - again, I think if he i left out to start with but knows he is on the verge, he will be more hungry.

Normally I would have opted for Masakadza to open, but my thought in considering Ervine instead was simply that Hamilton has had such an awful run in international cricket this season that I think he would be more comfortable and confident at number three, where he normally bats in first-class matches. If he strikes form, I would certainly think of having him open, if Taylor has not found a reliable partner by then.

P.S. Regarding my opening comments – I am deeply relieved that I thought to save this comment before trying to send it. When I did try, the whole thing disappeared – the server has gone down AGAIN! Finally come back after more than an hour, so I will try again.

[eugene]

Great to see you on this forum Mr. Ward. I agree about Ewing - he is a good domestic player really isn't of international class.

[ZIMDOGGY]

I'm going to be the first to say it.

I don't like that lineup. I'm all for creativity and thinking outside the box but having erv instead of Hamilton taibu sibanda??
U serious?


And you want to leave out our 2nd best batter in my opinion in Williams ? what makes sibanda better than him. Don't say experience because vusi has never did anything in tests

So who's our best batter, zimdoggy? In a test side

Who is our best batter?

Despite his inconsistency that title goes to the duck killer himself (Brendan TAylor)
because when he turns it on, he TURNS it on!

2nd is Williams just ahead of the fast improving ervine boy, who in turn is slightly ahead of TAibu.

That said.... Anyone of those above could claim the title of best batsman in zimbabwe should they take the initiative, have the heart and step up to the plate.... that title is there to be claimed.

[hhm]

Well, I'm back and flattered at all the attention I'm receiving! My internet link is very feeble but holding out at the moment - in Zimbabwe you have to be grateful if anything is working at all!

Regarding comments on the team I mentioned - Sibanda v Williams is a difficult one, but Vusi has always had real class, his main problem for most of his career having been in building a long innings. I really want to see him get the runs he is capable of doing at international level. Williams also has great talent, and he is a left-hander, but he has some personal problems at the moment he needs to sort out - I would not object greatly if he was preferred to Sibanda and if he gets his act together he will certainly come into the national side sooner rather than later. Being at first left out of it will I think make him more hungry.

Ewing is a pretty good player, yes, but he didn't really look international class when I saw him this season - I'm not sure of his technique against top bowlers or on tricky pitches. He rarely bowls nowadays, so we can leave that out of the equation. Also he is injury-prone. Duffin sometimes looks good but he is very inconsistent - again, I think if he i left out to start with but knows he is on the verge, he will be more hungry.

Normally I would have opted for Masakadza to open, but my thought in considering Ervine instead was simply that Hamilton has had such an awful run in international cricket this season that I think he would be more comfortable and confident at number three, where he normally bats in first-class matches. If he strikes form, I would certainly think of having him open, if Taylor has not found a reliable partner by then.

P.S. Regarding my opening comments – I am deeply relieved that I thought to save this comment before trying to send it. When I did try, the whole thing disappeared – the server has gone down AGAIN! Finally come back after more than an hour, so I will try again.

I beg to differ about your assessment of Ewing. By our standards, I maintain that he is international class. There isn't a single consistent opener in Test cricket. If there is I am still to come across one - you can name them all Viru, Gayle, Smith, Strauss, Dilshan etc, for all their exploits, none of them fit that term. Opening is the most difficult batting role and that's why. So Duffin, if most think Taylor, Hammie, Ervine etc will be anymore consistent than you are as an opener, then I'm sure results will soon make you sit back comfortably with a wide smile.

Most have said Zim has a psychological problem which is why our batting has often been pathetic, and that's not it. A side needs to have character and natural maturity and stability. A core of Ewing, Duffin & Price will provide you with that. Guys who have a cool head on them and can help their teammates deal with pressure and remain focused out in the middle. Having only these relatively young guys, who have little respect for each other, will make us susceptible to the same poor results. So their value to the team is above and beyond their playing abilities which are more than good enough.

Zimdoggy, I think our best Test batsman is Taibu hands down. Taylor, Williams & Ervine are good but to put them ahead of Taibu (&Hamilton) would be tatamount to being disrespectful to his acheivements. We are talking Test cricket here remember. Let the others put up something for 10 or so innings then we can consider them.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Haha HHM sometimes I think you want the whole matabeleland side in the zim team


No doubt your a Bulawayo boy

[hhm]

Haha HHM sometimes I think you want the whole matabeleland side in the zim team


No doubt your a Bulawayo boy

As I've disclosed it before, I am a Bulawayo boy and my profile clearly indicates my support for the Tuskers. However I always put reason above sentiment so my loyalties hardly ever dictate my principles or opinion. Unfortunately if I must point it out, we are the national FC champions thanks to our depleted/second string side, so it follows that we should dominate the squad.

[Conant]

Haha HHM sometimes I think you want the whole matabeleland side in the zim team


No doubt your a Bulawayo boy

As I've disclosed it before, I am a Bulawayo boy and my profile clearly indicates my support for the Tuskers. However I always put reason above sentiment so my loyalties hardly ever dictate my principles or opinion. Unfortunately if I must point it out, we are the national FC champions thanks to our depleted/second string side, so it follows that we should dominate the squad.

Haha. One match, hhm. As opposed to Mountaneers, who dominated the whole season.

[Conant]

I'm going to be the first to say it.

I don't like that lineup. I'm all for creativity and thinking outside the box but having erv instead of Hamilton taibu sibanda??
U serious?


And you want to leave out our 2nd best batter in my opinion in Williams ? what makes sibanda better than him. Don't say experience because vusi has never did anything in tests

So who's our best batter, zimdoggy? In a test side

Who is our best batter?

Despite his inconsistency that title goes to the duck killer himself (Brendan TAylor)
because when he turns it on, he TURNS it on!

2nd is Williams just ahead of the fast improving ervine boy, who in turn is slightly ahead of TAibu.

That said.... Anyone of those above could claim the title of best batsman in zimbabwe should they take the initiative, have the heart and step up to the plate.... that title is there to be claimed.

Williams and Taibu, zimdoggy? Really?

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... tournament

These statistics this season, and individual ones for all the players over the years, should illustrate a few facts.

Can anyone really make a case for himself in Test cricket ahead of Maskadza?

Granted Sean Williams (who happens to be a personal favourite of mine, most here will know) is aesthetically good looking, probably more so that even Taylor; but other than that can there be any reason he can be considered a better batsman than King Viv, in the longer format?

And if these figures that we are asking to be taken into consideration when we're choosing these side, as we are insist when making a case for Meth, then other than Foster Mtizwa, there’s nobody with better first class figures than Hammy. Craig Ervine‘s are marginally better but he’s played much less; let’s wait for the long haul (Ballance is in there as well).

There’s lots to be said for Taylor’s case as the best batsmen in the country; the class is there – him and Williams – but is there substance in there on livelier pitches? I know of the match winning innings against Bangladesh a few years ago, the one in the T20 against Aus, and the unbeaten 145 against SA last year. But can one mention to me ONE innings by Taylor in a difficult or slow pitch. Let’s forget seaming.

I know hhm and probably a few more will pillory me on this one.

However I do recall 119 by Maskadza against West Indies in 2001. Weak Indies side? Ok. How about 85 against SA a few months later .

And an unbeaten 42 in the same series on the last day of a test match following on to save a test match with Flower when the pitch was biting and spitting for both spin and seam. All these as a teenager, need I say?

As for Taibu? There’s lots to be said about his guts (indeed, a South African colleague discussing the same issue once suggested, if one were to ask a player amongst these to make one a century against Australia who would it be? – he was adamant only Taibu). Still, I don’t know why for the love of God he will even be considered to bat at four, let alone three. In my mind he’s number six batsmen.

Ok, for Zimbabwe then, number five