[Discussion] Test failure reason of M Waller & H Masakadza ?

[Detective RDS]

Both M Waller & H Masakadza have healthy FC records. H Masakadza has 4 test centuries, has debuted 15 years ago.

Theoretically, with that kind of FC record, they are expected to deliver in tests.

Both are talented, specially H Masakadza, has been an ex captain also. H Masakadza is part of the shorter format team. M Waller in & out in ODIs & more regular in T2OIs.

What are the reasons of their failure in recent home tests ? Please discuss.

This is a big let down. Heath Streak, Lance Klusener will have this issue to think about.

[Kriterion_BD]

I'm easily the biggest Hamilton critic here. And I have only harsh words.

He averages about 25 across formats against the top 8 established sides. I'm not quite sure why people are suprised when he fails. Generally speaking, the elite batsmen average 50+, world class batsmen 45+, very good players 40+, and good players 35+. In order to be "recognized" as a batsman you need to average 30 or more. Because all rounders average around there, and a specialist batsman should be somewhat better than an all rounder (Kallis, Sobers excluded).

Purely for comparison, Chaminda Vaas averaged 24.32 with the bat, and he wasn't even really considered an all-rounder. Kumble and Harbhajan both averaged around 18. Wasim Akram averages 22.64. These are all specialist bowlers.

Hammy's average did once go above 30. But was it sustainable, and did it reflect true batting ability? Many on this forum will say he was talented, so yes. I disagree.

Mohammad Ashraful was hella talented. At age 17 (OK perhaps he was slightly older) he took on Murali and Vaas in Sri Lanka and hammered a century. His 158* against Zaheer, Kumble, Bhajji was a match-defining innings. 3 of His other 4 centuries were also against Murali, both home and away. But at the end of the day he averaged less than 25. He had the talent to average 40+, but did not have the mental toughness. He even had a great work ethic and batted for hours in the nets. He was twice as fit as Hamilton ever was. Yet in the end, Ash was still a failure.

Hammy also hit a ton on debut as a teenager (striking parallel to Ash). But who were the bowlers in that attack? No one anyone has heard of. His other 3 tons have come against a pretty pedestrian Bangladesh attack, with two being at home. Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain are quite poor. Only his 158 in Khulna was against what you might say is a "decent" attack with Shakib, Taijul, and Jubair.

His best knock was against Pakistan in that famous win, and I give him full marks for the 75 and 44 he hit there. Context is crucial. Those runs in a 600 run wicket aren't as valuable.

But that is about the only marquee performance he has, two or three solitary innings, from a career that spans nearly 300 innings across formats.

The same could be said of BRM Taylor as well. In a decade long career, he won one T20 against Australia, contributed to the win vs Pakistan, but won almost nothing else against any other top side. But Taylor still had a significantly larger volume of runs than Hamilton.

It is unfair to single out a batsman in an 11 man sport. But at the end of the day, averages, and the glaring absence of match-defining or match-winning knocks says everything you need to know.

Williams and Chigumbura fall into the exact same category as Hammy and BRMT, just that BRMT is still a class above everyone else.

__________________

For these reasons, so far, I think C Ervine is doing a much better job...so far. His consistency is Taylor like, played some match defining/winning knocks. And if he keeps it up, he will go down as one of Zimbabwe's finest bats.

[Conant]

I'm easily the biggest Hamilton critic here. And I have only harsh words.

Hammy also hit a ton on debut as a teenager (striking parallel to Ash). But who were the bowlers in that attack? No one anyone has heard of. His other 3 tons have come against a pretty pedestrian Bangladesh attack, with two being at home. Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain are quite poor. Only his 158 in Khulna was against what you might say is a "decent" attack with Shakib, Taijul, and Jubair.

His best knock was against Pakistan in that famous win, and I give him full marks for the 75 and 44 he hit there. Context is crucial. Those runs in a 600 run wicket aren't as valuable.

I agree with plenty you say. Hammy's 119 came in the second innings after a first in which they had been rolled out for 130. I also remember another innings, an 85 against as strong SOUTH Africa two months later. And another 47 two innings after on a turning pitch, to save a Test match with Andy Flower. Errr, context...?

[TapsC]

have to agree with the Ashraful comparison. we might just have to accept he will never reach the height we want him to at a consistent level. to me dropping him would be more symbolic than anything. hami might he one of the more talented batsmen we have but for us to mentally move on we have to get rid of him in ODIs and Tests to send a message to the younger guys we are going in a different direction. I don't know why we are shocked when he couldn't even get runs against Pakistan A.

Waller has a flawed technique which seems get out the same way almost every time. his foot movement is suspect which leaves him very vulnerable to the LBW. Hami always plays with hard hands which sees him caught behind multiple times. however both these guys are key t20 players along with Elton

[Kriterion_BD]

I'm easily the biggest Hamilton critic here. And I have only harsh words.

Hammy also hit a ton on debut as a teenager (striking parallel to Ash). But who were the bowlers in that attack? No one anyone has heard of. His other 3 tons have come against a pretty pedestrian Bangladesh attack, with two being at home. Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain are quite poor. Only his 158 in Khulna was against what you might say is a "decent" attack with Shakib, Taijul, and Jubair.

His best knock was against Pakistan in that famous win, and I give him full marks for the 75 and 44 he hit there. Context is crucial. Those runs in a 600 run wicket aren't as valuable.

I agree with plenty you say. Hammy's 119 came in the second innings after a first in which they had been rolled out for 130. I also remember another innings, an 85 against as strong SOUTH Africa two months later. And another 47 two innings after on a turning pitch, to save a Test match with Andy Flower. Errr, context...?

The problem is that in a career spanning nearly 250 innings, you need more than just 3 knocks (one of which isn't even a half century!) to call a player class. If those knocks were substantive, he'd have added at least a few more in the past several years. Right now, I wouldn't expect him to survive Moeen Ali on a turning pitch.

Inexperienced guys like Chari can point to an 80 odd against Herath on a flat pitch as a sign of class. But if thats all he has 10 years from now, it wont cut if.

The average always tells the story.

[gargamel]

We are all clever here some less than others but this nit picking at players is a waste of time. T

The Lack of First Class Cricket or any competitive Cricket
The truth is simple we have not played any first class cricket in Zimbabwe since the 2nd of March. Our guys are grossly under prepared and it takes them so long to get back into the groove that by the time we get into day 3 a test is gone. The continued failure to align our season to our international calender is to me a fundamental failure to plan. I draw your attention to Australia and England who have the home summer series start a good 3 weeks or 4 weeks before a touring side arives allowing the national guys time to get some competetive game time that we always moan about and do not do anything to rectify.

Poor Bowling
It’s quite clear from the scores that most visiting teams are able to run up 350 plus scores against our poor bowling attack as we simple are not good enough. Our bowling coach is an absolute dunderhead with a cockroaches brain who has no idea of being a coach at this level. He has failed to inspire our bowling attack or teach them to express themselves no new variations, no aggression, just the same old blandness in our attack. Our boys are simply soft no one bowler seems to be able to intimidate or show aggression or an attitude that they want to hurt a bowler. There seems to be no clear bowling plan or special consideration or attention on getting a batsman out with all the access we have to video and stats I failed to see a field sets to get a batsman out. I bet you we could all come up with a plan to get their top 3 out by lunch. The continued non selection of Victor "Vicky Jo" Nyauuchi who is the form bowler in Zimbabwe must be addressed.

Batting
They say go for the head of the snake and so my first chop goes to Zulu who was never a top class batsman , will never be considered a top batsman who was best known for plundering runs at the back of the innings and when called up by the Proteas was asked to teach the tail to bat. Simply Zulu is not a batting coach and should never be near it none of our top 4 have passed fifty consitently and have not scored a hundred unlike what GOBS is doing with Pakistan. Then the fluke hundred by the so called SIR DIRTY Joe Cremer you all want me to vomit as firstly to be Knighted you need to be a winner which he and the rest of the team are not. It has become clear to me that our captain lacks the brains to win games and has shown it ever since that day that Simmons pulled him from class at PE saving the teachers from having to teach Cremer with flash cards to make him understand. The captain had a simple task on day 5 block and be sensible and see us home after his fluke hundred he should have had the brains and confidence to do so. Instead sir DIRTY JOE decided to show us his party trick Michael Jacksons Moon Walk against Herath .NOT VERY CLEVER

[Mr Twig]

Masakadza has been out of form for a while now and needs to go back to FC/List A and score runs. Should not play the tri-series.

Waller isn't up to standard. His international stats are woeful. He got his chance and failed, again. But we have no depth so he keeps getting picked.

[watermelon]

Waller failed because he is a useless failure and a quota player.

Hammy failed because he is lazy and doesn't care.

Cast them both out. They can go and live in the park behind the toilet block with that Matambanadzo loser.

-watermelon.

[CrimsonAvenger]

It has become clear to me that our captain lacks the brains to win games and has shown it ever since that day that Simmons pulled him from class at PE saving the teachers from having to teach Cremer with flash cards to make him understand.

[mightymaido]

Waller failed because he is a useless failure and a quota player.

Hammy failed because he is lazy and doesn't care.

Cast them both out. They can go and live in the park behind the toilet block with that Matambanadzo loser.

-watermelon.

classic