Second Test Team Selection

[CrimsonAvenger]

It does indeed make things difficult for team selection in the next match if both Taylor and Williams are available. Clearly, they must play on class and merit.

But can Taylor keep in a test match? Would be too risky for me, and Richie has done well behind the stumps. Dropping Waller or Raza would be cruel.

Chigs with his bowling gone was skating on thin ice, but his fighting knock in the first dig keeps him in. Otherwise, Williams could have replaced him for the "all rounder" slot. How do we get Williams in then? Drop Mawoyo whose lack of match practice got exposed (Vusi will have to do something special tomorrow though)? That would be too harsh too on Mawoyo.

But for me, Taylor does have to come in for Mutumbami, and be the no.4 batsman and keep wickets.
Tino Mawoyo has to be dropped purely on this match performance, and Hamilton to open - big risk, but he is the best suited among the rest.
Captaincy to go to Taylor / Masakadza based won who is willing to take up more burden.
Williams to slot into middle order

So, this is what I would go with:

Vusi Sibanda
Hamilton Masakadza (c)
Sikandar Raza
Brendan Taylor (wk)
Sean Williams
Malcolm Waller
Elton Chigumbura
Shingi Masakadza
Prosper Utseya
Tendai Chatara
Tinashe Panyangara

Solid batting till 7, plus Shingi and Prosper to contribute in trouble. Let us try and draw this one...

[takleg]

As much as I'd like to see Williams playing, i just don't see it happening.

[Googly]

It must play havoc with guys' minds when they announce the team the night before. Hard to play confidently when u are constantly playing for your spot. All teams are like that to some degree but Zim take it to an extreme.

[jimbo]

Mushangwe for utseya second test. Utseya did as well as could be expected but he is no matchwinner. Build for the future. Mushangwe did well against australia a team and deserves his chance. Gives it a good old rip too

[jaybro]

The batting is a hard one but I think they'll brin in Taylor for Richie n leave Williams out .....

The bowlers all Bowled so well but will struggle to back up after bowling so many overs maybe we might have to draft in another quick .....

[brmtaylor.com admin]

We need to wait and see how this innings pans out I think. Chigumbura, Waller and Raza all need to back up their first innings efforts. If they don't, then the selection decision becomes a bit easier.

I wouldn't touch the top three.

[Conant]

We can all select the teams we want but we must take into account selectors thinking, and general mood. Which is why Sean Williams wont feature in the second test.

A few would be feeling grumpy at him and since many players performed, by reasonably modest Zimbabwean standards, it means nobody will make way for him.

I mean, If Taylor wasn't the team captain and also best batsmen, he would be hard pressed to find a slot too.

Only the opener's slot is open, and none of those two will open. Which will mean that if Williams plays, Hammy has to be moved up the order, and that's only if he wants to. Most runs he has made have been at three, but I think they might be a case for Hamilton opening in all formats. He looks solid enough.

The toughest call is dropping the wicketkeeper for Taylor simply because Taylor doesn't look up for it. That the choice selectors have to make.

If Mtumbami plays, Hammy would be pushed up for Mawoyo. But take my word for it, Williams won't play.

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

What has Vusi done to merit selection at the highest level? He cant play spin, cant score more than 30 & importantly cant grind new ball like Tino. Cephas can do the first two but than test spots are 'earned'.

Simple work for me:

Taylor for richie
Williams for vusi
Mushangwe for Dots

I agree with Conant that Williams wont b picked (but for different reasons).

[jaybro]

in 16 innings Vusi has passed 50 only twice
in 18 innings Hami has passed 50 only twice

This from two of our most experienced batsman is just not good enough and I'm sick of the argument to drop Vusi down the order he would be even worst because he cant play spin .....

Mongongo said Vusi's head was n the chopping block for the tests so lets see if it's happens ......

Mawoyo
Hami
Raza
BRMT
Williams
Waller
Chigs / Mutumbami
Utseya
Shingi
Panyangara
Chatara

I still think it will be tough for the quicks to back up so young Vitori or Chinoyua are a chance to play ......

If Chigs doesn't bowl he shouldn't be in just for his batting even though he has played well this match his attacking style cant be relied on ......

Can BRMT keep in a test without missing any chances or effecting his batting ......

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Mulelaki Nkala: 'I've a sneaky feeling that one of the openers will be axed.'