Can Cremer be selected as an allrounder?

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Working on the assumption that Price is an automatic selection in Tests and ODI's - and I think he deserves to be - the selectors need to find a way to include Cremer in the Test and ODI first eleven. He's shown in the past, and has further demonstrated in this current series, that he has all the tricks with the ball including a ripper of a wrong-un which only now he's starting to use with any frequency.

He's also shown that he's no mug with the bat. Has he done enough to earn a position in the top seven? If he's competing with Lamb or Chigumbura then I think he has.

In his last six ODI innings he's scored 0 not out, 14 not out, 22, 26, 37 and 24 at an average of 30.75. Admittedly these ODI's were over a year ago, but it did include the likes of Australia and New Zealand. He got 3 and 26 in the recent Test against New Zealand.

In a perfect world, he does seem like a suitable number eight batsman. But if it's a choice between not having him in the side or having him in the side if it means he bats at seven, then it has to be the latter. I think his bowling is just too good to not have in the side.

[tawac]

At the moment Cremer is more of an allrounder than Elton. I think th no. 7 or 8 wld sort him well. Elton seriously needs to up his game or be droped

[eugene]

Cremer is a better bowler and batsman than Greg lamb so I certainly think he is ahead of him. Cremer at 7 seems a bit high for tests but at 8 he would give our tail a bit more bite. If we can get Jarvis to bat a bit then we shouldn't be losing our last 4 wickets for 6 runs so often.

[nashfire]

i think Chigumbura has used his nine lives he has not performed at international level for a while.If need be he may need to be relegated to domestic cricket like Matsikinyere and when he gets back he would have found his mojo.

[bayhaus]

problem with E is that he does JUST enough to stay in the team watch him score a 60 or a quickfire 30 and he secures his place for the T20 world cup.

[zimlover]

I think creamer deserves a spot with Price they could be a formidable combination,that will mean Utseya can sit out i dont mind he has been underperfoming for a while. Lets give Lamp and Shingi Masakadza or Meth a chance and take out Chigumbura

[foreignfield]

Cremer should not bat any higher than 8 imo -- and given the fact that Price is definitely on the wane (he's not getting any younger, his back problems are not getting less, and his mobility in the field, while never great, is not going to improve), Cremer will soon enough be the no. one spinner. In fact for the upcoming T20 WC I'd already pick Cremer and Pro over Pricey.

[Zimfanatic69]

I see him as a bowler who can bat a bit so that puts him above the likes of Prosper and Keith Dabengwa irrespective of their bowling talents. I do not think he is a better batter than Grig Lamb, but he will contribute more.

[ZIMDOGGY]

I love Alexander Graeme as much as the next person here
Maybe even more


But it might be too much pressure to expect a leggie to carry the middle order burden,
And if not that- wasn't it just a year ago people thought prosper was good enough to be numer 7 after just one purple patch in the 'desh?

This could just be Alexs purple patch

[Boundary]

Personally I think he has to fight for his place. Granted, he is talented and will no doubt cement his place eventually but he hasn't yet. Just like Vitori. I think Cremer's time will truly arrive when Price retires, which should be next year really. And we have a younger (than Price, I mean), revitalised Prosper in the wings too. However, the number 7 spot is up for grabs because Chigs isn't doing enough for me and his chief competition is Meth, not Cremer or Prosper. We really don't need part time batters at 7 just because they may do better than the guy whose job is to bat proficiently at that spot.