Voting begins - Best First XI competition

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Thanks everyone for getting their XI's in on time. As mentioned in the previous topic, it's all anonymous and the order is randomised so nobody except me knows who all the XI's belong to.

Voting is open for 5 days and the objective is simple: vote for what you think is the strongest first XI on offer.


Team A

1. Hamilton Mazakadza
2. Tino Mawoyo
3. Craig Ervine
4. Brendan Taylor
5. Sean Williams
6. Tatenda Taibu (c/wk)
7. Sikandar Raza
8. Graeme Cremer
9. Keegan Meth
10. Kyle Jarvis
11. Tendai Chatara

Team B

1. Sikandar Raza
2. Craig Ervine
3. Brendan Taylor
4. Vusi Sibanda (c)
5. Hamilton Masakadza
6. Elton Chigumbura
7. Regis Chakabva (wk)
8. Shingi Masakadza
9. Prosper Utseya
10. Tinashe Panyangara
11. Tendai Chatara

Team C

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Hamilton Masakadza
3. Craig Ervine
4. Brendan Taylor
5. Sean Williams
6. Sikandar Raza
7. Regis Chakabva (wk)
8. Graeme Cremer (c)
9. Shingi Masakadza
10. Kyle Jarvis
11. Tendai Chatara

Team D

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Hamilton Masakadza
3. Craig Ervine
4. Brendon Taylor
5. Sikandar Raza (c)
6. Tatenda Taibu (wk)
7. Sean Williams
8. Graeme Cremer
9. Kyle Jarvis
10. Tendai Chatara
11. Ray Price

Team E

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Sikandar Raza
3. Hamilton Masakadza
4. Brendan Taylor
5. Craig Ervine
6. Tatenda Taibu (c/wk)
7. Graeme Cremer
8. Ray Price
9. Brian Vitori
10. Kyle Jarvis
11. Tendai Chatara

Team F

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Vusi Sibanda
3. Hamilton Masakadza
4. Brendan Taylor (c)
5. Craig Ervine
6. Sean Williams
7. Tatenda Taibu (wk)
8. Ray Price
9. Kyle Jarvis
10. Tinashe Panyangara
11. Tendai Chatara

Team G

1. Hamilton Masakadza
2. Tino Mawoyo
3. Craig Ervine
4. Brendan Taylor (c)
5. Sikandar Raza
6. Sean Williams
7. Tatenda Taibu (wk)
8. Tinashe Panyangara
9. Ray Price
10. Kyle Jarvis
11. Tendai Chatara

Team H

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Hamilton Masakadza
3. Brendan Taylor (c)
4. Craig Ervine
5. Sikandar Raza
6. Sean Williams
7. Tatenda Taibu (wk)
8. Graeme Cremer
9. Tinashe Panyangara
10. Kyle Jarvis
11. Tendai Chatara

[grant]

You don't need to be a genius to figure out whose XI team B is

[jaybro]

You don't need to be a genius to figure out whose XI team B is

Zero votes too

[Tom91]

Awkward no votes for team B. Unlucky Hhm

[eugene]

Interesting that Masakadza is so popular as an opener despite his poor record opening.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Interesting that Masakadza is so popular as an opener despite his poor record opening.

Was thinking exactly that, and while watching him play yesterday evening. It was a lose-lose situation to come out like that for 5 overs.

And his record in tests make for painful viewing if you are a fan, because he has a more than credible show at no. 3 from Zim standards (an average of 36 over a decent number of tests too):
.

HM3.jpg (37.61 KiB) Viewed 3732 times

ZC selectors have constantly shafted him in tests by forcing him to open. And by agreeing to do so, he has been selfless like Dravid was for India in many cases (keeping, opening in overseas tests, etc.). But has he inadvertently put his career on line now?

[Kriterion_BD]

Interesting that Masakadza is so popular as an opener despite his poor record opening.

Was thinking exactly that, and while watching him play yesterday evening. It was a lose-lose situation to come out like that for 5 overs.

And his record in tests make for painful viewing if you are a fan, because he has a more than credible show at no. 3 from Zim standards (an average of 36 over a decent number of tests too):
.
HM3.jpg

ZC selectors have constantly shafted him in tests by forcing him to open. And by agreeing to do so, he has been selfless like Dravid was for India in many cases (keeping, opening in overseas tests, etc.). But has he inadvertently put his career on line now?

IMO its very simple. Is Hami a better #3 than Ervine? No. Is he a better #4 than Taylor? No. Is he a better #5 or 6 than Raza? No. Is he a better #5 or 6 than Williams? No (at best equal). So there isn't room unless he opens because he is better than Chari and Vusi (or at least not any worse).

[CrimsonAvenger]

IMO its very simple. Is Hami a better #3 than Ervine? No.

There is unfortunately a minor flaw in that argument. Ervine is yet to play at no. 3 in a test match.

That fact makes this situation even more tragic.

[eugene]

Masakadza is proven at 3, Ervine is good enough to flourish at 3, 4, 5, or 6 I think. Hammy at 3 seems obvious to me.

[Kriterion_BD]

IMO its very simple. Is Hami a better #3 than Ervine? No.

There is unfortunately a minor flaw in that argument. Ervine is yet to play at no. 3 in a test match.

That fact makes this situation even more tragic.

But I doubt Ervine's performance is dependent on batting position inside the middle order (3-7). All Ervine has to do is average 25 or so and he would likely top Masakadza in any middle order position.