[Match Thread] OnIy Test: SL vs ZIM

[pariah]

Most of Cremer's captaining decisions seemed to be coming from the top, I guess they read it all wrong or maybe it just didn't come off

Sean was bound to go for plenty. Most bowlers tend to do that if bowled for as many overs as he did.

Nope. Not unless they're taking key wickets like Moeen Ali, or when Zimbabwe bowled Greg lamb like that against Pakistan
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/523731.html

I think you only need to read the macth reports, the cricinfo ball-by-ball commentary and the neutrals' comments to appreciate that all Williams was is a liability.

You're actually inviting more harm than good with that Cremer comment. Why do Zimbabwe need someone to captian a Test side if in major or key situations they only implement what they are told?

Root said he wanted Ballance in the England Test side and he got him. He also felt he needed Dawson because to him Ali is not much of a spinner, and Root has either bowled him very late or very little - with Ali proving him wrong both times. So if England lose this Series, then the Ashes in Australia, no doubt struggle against Boult and Southee in NZ, plus go on to struggle as they host Pakistan and India - Joe Root will be to blame. Why? Because Root will then have to go back and bat 3 - meaning instability, and they are still struggling with a partner for Cook which means he'll be exposed and suffer while batting 3. Eventually Root will be sacked as captain, but because of his own decision-making.

In Zim's case, as things stand, nothing is captain Cremer's fault.

[Train Driver]

What a way to throw away 4 days of hard work, the Sri Lankan batsmen had it handed to them on a plate as the same two bowlers wheeled away non stop, why on earth didn't Waller or Masakadza get a few overs? a different bowler, different action, different angles, that's why fill in bowlers make breakthroughs, because they force the batsman out of his happy little world and make him think, Musakanda probably stood more chance of taking a wicket than Cremer and Williams

Was it Cremer or was it the dressing room giving the orders? whichever it was needs a good kick in the backside for throwing this game away

[eugene]

Agree with most of the sentiments here, well except for some from pariah who as usual is blaming everything on the whites - no mention of Chakabva's errors. I really thought we would pull off the victory despite our one-man bowling attack of Cremer. Expecting Sean Williams to bowl 43 overs effectively is a huge ask of a part-timer, why did Raza, Tiripano, Mpofu, and especially Waller not bowl more? Were there injuries we are not aware of? In the end our positive scoring rate with the bat did us in, we had enough runs but left SL too much time to win the match - we really wanted to go into the last day with only a draw or victory being the only possible results for us.

[tawac]

Who is the convener of selectors on this tour. Taibu clearly has his hands full with the Academy hardly gets to see the players play. Hardly gets to watch the first class matches in the country. On his twitter account if asked about a player he clearly says I have never seen them play. I am missing some thing here?

[celsito]

What is next Zimbabwe Cricket ????.

[jaybro]

We definitely stuffed up not bowling the seamers in the 2nd innings. After a poor start with the new ball in the first innings they both actually bowled well and the tactic to stack the off side and bowl wide of off stump was working well to dry up the runs. Not sure who's idea it was but usually in a cricket team the coaches, captain & senior players devise plans & Zimbabwe obviously had a lot of plans some very unorthodox so laying the blame on one guy isn't fair. Some of the plans worked some didn't but the boys did us proud the way some people are going on you would have thought we got pumped .....

[Jemisi]

Still gutted.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Having slept over the frustration of yesterday's loss, I'm beginning to accept the "punching above the weight" we achieved on this tour. Very happy for that. But that does not take away from the fact that the last 3 tests we played, all against SL, were our best chances for wins given how miserable their form and team is at the moment. These were golden opportunities. We threw away a draw and a win.

4th innings tactics left a lot to be desired, as many have noted. It is gold to be able to bowl accurate lack of pace on unresponsive pitches and we must have tried Tiripano and Masakadza. No excuse for that. Not even a couple of overs each was massive lack of imagination. We must have opened the bowling with Mpofu too with the new ball. Just because it was the subcontinent and 4th innings it does not mean that you follow the game plan of the local teams. We did not have the quality of spin bowlers to do that clearly. So, things that should have been done:

1. Mpofu with some overs when the ball was new.
2. Tiripano and Masakadza when the runs were flowing fluently and a partnership was on.
3. More overs of Williams shared with Waller / Raza. Waller in particular.
4. Obviously if Wellington was fit, he would have played so not having a variation in the spin contingent was a handicap to begin with.

Clearly the entire team management and not only Cremer should take the blame for not being imaginative in the 4th innings, and some luck finally ran out too.

Anyway, well done boys on a brilliant tour. Massively exceeded expectations when we look at recent results.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Still gutted.

Yeah, can't get over that feeling. Something that can't be put to words too. My father's a big fan of Zim too and he watched the stuff unravel yesterday. We haven't spoken a word about it till now.

[jaybro]

Having slept over the frustration of yesterday's loss, I'm beginning to accept the "punching above the weight" we achieved on this tour. Very happy for that. But that does not take away from the fact that the last 3 tests we played, all against SL, were our best chances for wins given how miserable their form and team is at the moment. These were golden opportunities. We threw away a draw and a win.

4th innings tactics left a lot to be desired, as many have noted. It is gold to be able to bowl accurate lack of pace on unresponsive pitches and we must have tried Tiripano and Masakadza. No excuse for that. Not even a couple of overs each was massive lack of imagination. We must have opened the bowling with Mpofu too with the new ball. Just because it was the subcontinent and 4th innings it does not mean that you follow the game plan of the local teams. We did not have the quality of spin bowlers to do that clearly. So, things that should have been done:

1. Mpofu with some overs when the ball was new.
2. Tiripano and Masakadza when the runs were flowing fluently and a partnership was on.
3. More overs of Williams shared with Waller / Raza. Waller in particular.
4. Obviously if Wellington was fit, he would have played so not having a variation in the spin contingent was a handicap to begin with.

Clearly the entire team management and not only Cremer should take the blame for not being imaginative in the 4th innings, and some luck finally ran out too.

Anyway, well done boys on a brilliant tour. Massively exceeded expectations when we look at recent results.

And argue with any of that .....