The John Ward column

[eugene]

Yes, I am still in touch with him and he still works for ZC as far as I know.

[jaybro]

Yes, I am still in touch with him and he still works for ZC as far as I know.

Still happy to answer questions from the forum ??

If so can we ask him are there any bowlers in the franchise system who seem to be good at bowling at the death ?? And why does he think we're struggling at this on the international scene ??

I put it down to our guys not being exposed to high quality t20 cricket, would be interesting to see if he agrees ......

[eugene]

John's reply here:

Question: Are there any bowlers in the franchise system that are good at bowling at the death? And why do you think we struggle so much with this aspect of the game? Is it because our players are not exposed to high quality T20 cricket?

I can’t think right now if any franchise bowlers who may be good at bowling at the death – my mind is not wired for one-day cricket! I will try to remember to ask some experienced players their views at the match tomorrow.

I spot an oxymoron in your last sentence – high-quality T20 cricket?!!! My feeling at the moment is that ZC have got the domestic programme right, in scheduling regular matches for the franchises in four-day and 50-over cricket (it would be better in separate blocks, but that would be too expensive), and just having a four-day T20 extravaganza. Even top international players have difficulty in coping with THREE different versions of the game, and when our players are so inexperienced and struggling to cope with one version of the game, let alone three, it’s just too much and I’m glad to see T20 at the moment distracting the players so little.

[jaybro]

John doesn't seem to have a high opinion of t20 cricket, The point I was making is that because our guys don't play IPL, CPL, BBL or any other high quality t20 comps they're not exposed to guys like DeVilliers, Gayle and co. going after their bowling. I feel like our boys are still playing 50 over cricket like its the mid 2000's the game has changed especially the last 15 overs where we are struggling with bat and ball ......

Thanks Eugene

Can we ask for John's Test XI ??

[eugene]

John had this to say regarding death bowling and his test xi.



Yes, that may well be correct that we are 10 years behind, but we got so little international cricket nowadays that we don’t get much chance to catch up. Dav Whatmore should be up with the game.

The general feeling about the best death bowler in the franchise system right now is Chris Mpofu (when fit!), followed by Trevor Garwe.

Any Test team right now would be rather an experiment, but I would try Taylor opening, as he did successfully at the start of his career, and nobody has any real answer why that hasn’t been done, except the thought that as supposedly the best batsman he should be protected and used to strengthen the middle order. So I would suggest we start with Taylor, Raza, Masakadza, Williams, Ervine, Mire, Chakabva, Chigumbura, Nyumbu (or Mushangwe, if conditions are more suitable for him, but Nyumbu is a better batsman and fielder), Panyangara, Chatara. It’s a bit thin on specialist bowling, but Masakadza could be used a bit more and perhaps Mire as well.

If another bowler proved necessary, we have pretty good reserves in Mupariwa (but maybe too much like Panyangara), Garwe, Vitori (IF he can get his act together; he is not a good team man and lacks heart when things are tough), Chinouya, Tiripano, and Jongwe is improving rapidly as batsman and seam bowler. Mumba perhaps in a year or two.

[jaybro]

Thanks Eugene and also John, Interesting that Garwe is seen to be a good death bowler he has been on the scene for ever it seems but never been able to break into the national team ( except for a match against kenya ) ......

Vitori lacks heart aye, not surprised and guess that's why he isnt there in the squad .......

He also mentions Carl Mumba as a future test player, can we ask john for some info on Mumba ? is he quick? Tall?

[eugene]

John Ward rates Carl Mumba very highly. He wrote this piece about him recently.



Carl Mumba is a 19-year-old pace bowler for Mid-West Rhinos who has been making a name for himself by bowling with considerable speed and skill this season. Today, at the Old Hararians Sports Club ground in Harare, he ripped through the Mashonaland Eagles top-order batting to take his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, at a cost of only 24 runs.

Carl was born in Kwekwe, but then his family moved to Kadoma, and he learned his cricket at Lady Tait Primary School there. His coach there was Adam Chifu, who is now coach of the Mid-West Rhinos team. He progressed to Jameson High School, and was successful enough to make the Zimbabwe Under-19 squad. He says, “We went to India for the Under-19 quadrangular series. We had Australia, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe.” He also plays for Kadoma Cricket Club.

For most of his cricketing life Carl has been a medium-paced bowler. But, tall and whippy, he decided at the beginning of the present season to try to increase his pace, and the results have been impressive. His pace is becoming a weapon in itself now, but he also says, “I like to use the new ball because I can get movement and hope to nick someone off with the ball that takes fuller length.” He can swing the ball away from the batsman, but generally relies more on seam movement.

Carl says of the pitch for the current match, “It’s slow and it’s spinning. It’s assisting the seamers as well. It helped me a bit with the movement of the ball.”

What was his game plan when he went on to bowl today, as he did with the new ball opposite Neville Madziva, as Mike Chinouya is out of the side injured? “With the new ball I had to try and make the batsman play as much as possible, and then get the wickets by creating pressure and bowling more dot balls.”

He feels his best wickets of the day were those of Mark Pettini and Ryan Burl. “I nicked them both off, straight to second slip,” he says. “For Burl the ball didn’t move much, but he didn’t commit himself to the shot. For Pettini I think he played away from his body.” Which batsman on the Mashonaland Eagles side played him the best? “It was Greg Lamb.”

For the future, Carl says, “I need to be more consistent and try to bowl six out of six. For now I think my future is bright because I’m bowling well. I’d like to thank my senior players for their support, and my coach as well.”

[jaybro]

Great stuff there on Mumba ......

Can we ask John if he knows if any more cricket apart from the NZ and India tours being organised ?? I've looked at all the future tours programs and looks like everyone is pretty much booked out .....

Is John or ZC concerned of another player drain after the WC ??

[ZIMDOGGY]

Whats he do at ZC?

[Jemisi]

He is still in a cricket writing, match covering role.