[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v Bangladesh: 2nd Test

[brmtaylor.com admin]

When we field next, and unfortunately with the way Robiul is bowling that could well be within half an hour after lunch, what should the approach be? Defensive fields to take time out of the game or try and roll them for 150?

If we concede a lead of 120, Bangladesh would only need to bat for a day at their run rate to have us chase in the region of 470 in the fourth innings. Never going to happen, so we'd need to bat out 5 sessions to draw. Again, I don't think that can happen short of Taylor pulling a Faf and playing a dead bat for 2 days.

Now that BD have their tails up, I don't think we can skittle them for 150 again.

[TheBradDevil]

1st target 34runs after lunch
2nd target 300runs team total
3rd target anything after that is a bonus,psychologically and otherwise
with chigz there we had 350, however its good to see we have batting consistently in the middle and lower order

[Jemisi]

Avoiding a loss is pretty much dependent upon the tail making a considerable 1st innings contribution. They essentially have to get us to at least Tea and make 75 in the process. Unless we rolled BD that would then have us needing to bat more like 100 overs to save it.

[Boundary]

Losing a wicket soon after lunch would be crushing. Let's just try to get to 300, let BD declare whenever they want to and then hang on for dear life. In order to give Robiul time to rest, BD aren't going to declare until tea tomorrow, so we might have 4 sessions to survive. England did it and that tends to feel like a win given the circumstances.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Avoiding a loss is pretty much dependent upon the tail making a considerable 1st innings contribution. They essentially have to get us to at least Tea and make 75 in the process. Unless we rolled BD that would then have us needing to bat more like 100 overs to save it.

Yep, I agree. For us to have any chance of drawing it's vital we find a way to make it through to tea. Time from for Cremer to really stand up and make that half-century he has been promising in his earlier innings.

I think taking time out of this match is as important as reducing the deficit. Taking 20 runs off the deficit in 20 overs is going to be more valuable than taking 30 runs off in 10 overs purely because of the quick rate that the Bangladeshi batsmen score at.

I wouldn't count Zimbabwe out having to survive somewhere between 3 and 4 sessions. If we take runs completely out of the equation, then I think our guys would be more likely to knuckle down than Bangladesh batsmen could. Having to survive any longer than that though, I think there's too much time for something to go wrong.

[Boundary]

Well, back after lunch. We should look at it this way: the 2nd innings batting for survival starts now. Cremer and Meth are the opening partnership and we have 13 wickets in hand. Don't lose all of them.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Well, back after lunch. We should look at it this way: the 2nd innings batting for survival starts now. Cremer and Meth are the opening partnership and we have 13 wickets in hand. Don't lose all of them.

Good way to look at it.

[Jemisi]

Meth does look limited by that knee

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Meth does look limited by that knee

Extra incentive to keep batting then, because he won't want to be doing too much bowling.

I didn't like seeing him throw the kitchen sink at the wide one a minute ago. Those balls are no threat, let them go.

[Zimfanatic69]

It will be interesting to see how Taylor goes about this task. The requirement is really Herculean from him now, and so far he's stepped up to the challenge. This wicket seems to suit us more than the first one - I guess this is our "Bulawayo" Test, or conversely the first test was our "tour match". With Waller, Mutumbami, Chigs, and the tail there is still some batting left. Bangladesh will have to bowl out of their skin for a follow on to be a question. That said, with this start, I'd be heavily disappointed if we didn't get a substantial lead of around 100. That said, ZIM bat all the way down to #10, that will force Rahim to keep thinking.

I am quite perplexed as to why Hamilton gets so much adoration. His hundred against WI was ages ago, wasn't against Walsh or Ambrose, and he's a senior player. Hindsight might be T20, but I am inclined to think ZIM would have been better off axing him and giving his central contract to Craig Ervine instead, who would not have jumped ship.

Ervine has hardly been a resounding success at international level.

He took Matsi's place and played worse than Matsi did.

Played worse than Matsi? Ervine is clearly superior in all three formats.

Ervine averages:
Test: 29.00
ODIs: 35.10
T20s: 21.16

Matsi averages:
Test: 23.00
ODIs: 22.05
T20s: 7.60

Proves nothing.

When Ervine has played against the Saffers, Aussies and England then let's compare his record.