The Official Midwest Rhinos Supporters Club

[Train Driver]

Permission granted very happily Tombo, welcome aboard

[Train Driver]

A day of fluctuating fortunes today, things were not looking so good at 56-5 i have to admit but a great fightback from the lower order batsmen led by Malcolm Waller. I've been wondering what exactly he'd done to keep his place in the side but today proved a big innings was there just waiting to get out

I'm not sure what's happened to our batting, things have not been so good in recent matches and we could really have done with a couple more batting points, we need to win this one and then, probably, we'll have to beat Mountaineers in the last match to get into the final.

Quite a surprise to see Richard Muzhange making his debut in a pressure match like this one, an 'interesting' start for him, presumably Taurai Muzarabani and Justin Lewis are both injured, an interesting lad though, it seems he's represented Zim in U16 javelin and U20 basketball as well.

Great start by Graeme Cremer, Michael Chinouya and Malcolm Waller with the ball, we need to get the Ervine brothers out as quickly as possible in the morning.

[zimfan1]

Finally Waller delivers, been a very long time in coming and hopefully he kicks on after this knock and start challenging again for a national team place.

[sloandog]

He's a very talented player is young Malcolm Waller. In my mind he just needs some more first class matches under his bealt, and get used to scoring plenty of runs. When we've seen him on the international arena, his inexperience has show on occasions with a rash shot, or a poor judge of a run. The lads very young, but has a huge future with Zimbabwe Cricket.

[zimfan1]

Once again the burden is firmly placed on Cremer in the bowling stakes, allthough this guy is young and clearly loves bowling i am a bit worried on the long term effect on his body from bowling nearly 400 Overs in the Logan cup which is easily the most by any bowler and 100 more overs than Timmy Maurma has to bowl. He also has taken over 65% of the Rhions wickets which highlights the lack of contribution from the others.

One positive on the bowling front is that Andy Waller has picket up young Richard Muzhange fresh from under 19 duty, i saw him live on TV in the world cup and he look usefull, bowled around 80-81mph and on the whole seemed fairly accurate with good control, has an action similiar to the West Indian bowler Darren Powell.

Im looking forward to the T20 as this is where young Riki Wessels is in his element at the top of the order for Northamptonshire and i hope he gets the chance to open once more. It will be intersting to see the make up of our bowling line up. Would be nice to see Dylon Higgins in there but i think he is off to the UK soon but hopefully he has enough time to squeeze in two weeks off T20 as he and Cremer bowling together would be a good combination in the middle overs.

Even though Higgins did not have a good world cup, apart from the Canada game he only bowled about 4 overs which possibly was down the fact that as captain he did not want to over bowl himself. Its also a shame that Nathen Waller is at the High Performance Acadamy with PJ Moor in Turekes so we wont see him till next season at the soonest.

Im looking forward to see our boys perform live on TV (Internet Link Permitting)

Beware the Powerhouse of BT and the Wizardy of Cremer

[sloandog]

Yeah i agree with you as usual zimfan1, Graeme has had a lot to do on the bowling front. But i've been speaking to him and he's told me that he enjoys the responsability of leading the attack when Kyle Jarvis isn't in the team. But there's a difference of leading an attack and carrying it. Which, as you rightfully pointed out, is the case with the young man. People seem to be forgetting that he's only 23 years old. He seems to have been around for ever, perhaps the Rhinos need to pull together as a unit, and help the talented legspinner out.

[zimfan1]

Managed to watch a couple of our games and was left very frustrated with what i saw. The overseas players of Stevens and Wessels performed very well scoring runs and Stevens proving usefull with his semmers which he is famous for in the English county scene.

Overall i was impressed with what i saw in the bowling with the biggest surprise being Michael Chinoyou who i had allways assumed to me a very average not very quick bowler but was impressed with what i saw by him, he bowls a good line at a steady mediam pace and gets some decent swing. Cremer bowled well but without taking many wickets but at a good economy rate. The batting was frustrating with Taylor, Sibanda and Waller continually getting starts but not going on.

Looks like Ed Rainsford is in the fireing line at the moment as he let the last ball of the match against Tuskers through his legs for 4 when 3 runs were needed and his bowling was very poor, all those thinking that he should be recalled to the national team should think again, he is in very poor form.

The real disappointment was our big name signing Ollie Raynor (sorry Train Driver i know your a Sussex man) I just saw a very very limited cricketer who bowled very very gentle off breaks with very little spin and no changes of pace, i really cant see how he gets games for Sussex as he was one of the weaker spinners in the whole competition. His batting did not look great as he does not move his feet at all. Dont want to see him with the Rhinos again, we can spend out money elsewhere.

Another thing to note, why did we let Dylon Higgins go to the Tuskers??

[Train Driver]

I just have the opportunity this evening to say





YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!







Well done to the Rhinos

[zimfan1]

Good to have you back Train Driver

Fantastic performance by the Rhinos, all of us Rhinos fans have been dissapointed in Malcolm Wallers form this season but in the last two matches he has hit back scoring two hundreds.

Ed Rainsford was the key man in this voctory as he took early wickets in both innings and took the pressure of Cremer.

We should have a good chance in the final with a strong batting line up and with Taylor, Cremer, Sibanda, Waller and Wessels all in form with the bat and if Rainsford can strike early with the new ball then we have a great chance.

Credit to Andy Waller and Kenyon Zehl and Kweke is not known as a cricketing hot bed, but they have put together a good side built around Cremer Taylor and Sibanda and have signed up some good youngsters in Mugava and Chitmara.

Hopefully we will see Nathan Waller put in a apperance over the next season.

[sloandog]

Welcome back Train driver, it's been a while