Obviously they were/are worried about TK and Maru and Craig being able to go at 4's and 5's, but they should have at least dangled a carrot.
That was a lame declaration.
When they make national selections it always puzzles me why they don't consider batting a borderline front-line batter down the order who's been kept out by an incumbent 1-4.
I mean a really good 1-4 who's not in the side will surely be better than a guy who regularly bats at 7, doesn't always get to bat and regularly has an easier time of it with an older ball and tireder (is there such a word?) bowlers.
A 1-4 batter will take to the 6/7 slot like the proverbial duck, but a 6/7 has got fokoro chance of opening convincingly.
The outlandish way to go for me is for Raza to open in tests(if he wants to play) and move Gumbie to maybe number 6 so that he can keep as well. I think Gumbie will be annoying to bowl to if the first 4 wickets don't fall too quickly. He has to be our test keeper.
Raza has opened before in test matches and did fairly well actually.
Does Prince have another few tests in him? a lot of.things have to go right for him to score runs.
Is Faraz at 8 worth a shot, basically an all-rounder now, could a job as a 3rd pacer with Mavuta/Welly, Raza and Williams as the spin options. With even dome overs from Myers Campbell and Bennett if they both play.
Faraz is one of the better examples. No doubting he's a decent bat, but there are plenty better, and he's just not an international bowler. He can be ok with the new ball in swing conditions, but he just isn't threatening enough to open.
He keeps making runs though, he's a better batsman than people realize, yet content to bat down the order in domestic.
Raza is not an opener. Absolutely no danger. He will/does struggle in T20 as an opener unless the bowling is completely non threatening. Opening is a different game in all formats. I know many of you disagree about T20 but just my 10c