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Zimbabwe's World Cup campaign is about to kick off:

4th Match, Group A: Australia v Zimbabwe at Ahmedabad
Feb 21, 2011 (14:30 local | 09:00 GMT | 20:00 EST | 19:30 CST | 17:00 WST)

Strangely Channel 9 aren't showing the game live or even close to live; normally they treat cricket well. Highlights from 11:40PM... live on cable (Fox Sports) though. I'm sure throughout the world this game will also be readily available.

So, how should Zimbabwe approach this game? First thing first... the lineup:

1. Taylor
2. Coventry
3. Williams
4. Taibu
5. Ervine
6. Chigumbura
7. Lamb
8. Cremer
9. Price
10. Utseya
11. Mpofu

12th man: Chakabva

Williams back up to number 3 and Ervine to stay at 5 so there's a good mix of left and right handers. We should persevere with Coventry because Zimbabwe isn't going to make an impact in this tournament by playing conservatively - there are too many good teams to overcome. So we need good starts, we need players capable of making big scores at the top of the order.

Death-by-spin as expected with the bowling. Against Australia who have recently come into some good ODI form, slowing the run-rate and forcing the outlandish shot is the key. Utseya, Price and Lamb maintaining economies in the region of 4 an over would be handy while Cremer can be more attacking as long as he takes wickets.

I'd go with Mpofu over Masakadza. Masakadza is just too wayward, we can't afford an 8-an-over bowler against Australia - he'll be torn apart. Perhaps against Kenya or Canada he's the sort of wildcard who could pop up and take 6 wickets. But he's too risky at this stage of the tournament in my opinion although he does offer a bit more with the bat. If any of the bowlers (outside of Price and Utseya who would be the most likely to recover quickly) start to get a hammering Chigumbura is an obvious bowling option, while Taylor has shown he can roll his arm for a few overs as well. Utseya and Mpofu to open (in that order, Mpofu is more likely to concede a boundary in his first over - so let Utseya get proceedings off to a good start).

In summary, I'm hoping for a closely contested match. I'm not too clued up about the venue, but I think scoring or chasing between 250-280 would be a good aim.

Good to hear from you BRM

My starting line up would be:

1. Taylor
2. Coventry
3. Williams
4. Taibu
5. Ervine
6. Chigumbura
7. Lamb
8. Utsea
9. Cremer
10. Price
11. Mpofu

Like you BRM, I think Mpofu is a better option.
We saw in South Africa that Mazakadza jnr does have the ability to take wickets, but his economy rate is just appalling!
Atleast Mpofu has better control, not to mention the fact that he had a very good ODI series against Bangladesh!
Our batting pretty much speaks for itself. Possible dynamite at the top of the order in the duo of Taylor and Chappie, and stability in Williams, Taibu and Ervine. If we're going to have a chance tomorrow though, Chigumbura has to fire at the end.
If he gets going like he did in the warm up game, he'll be too hot to handle, even for the mighty Australians.

I'm really looking forward to this. A win would be great, but in all honesty, I want the boys to perform. If we get trounced like the Kenyans did today, and like the Canadians are as i speak, then it'll be a huge disappointment. We should aim to win, but if not, do what Bangladesh did the other night against India and put up a might fight!

Whilst winning against Oz would be a fairlytale, I do have faith that our boys are more than capable of doing that. However, at this moment, all I'm expecting is just to put up a decent performance.

Let's hope that if we are going to lose, it wont be by much. Net Run Rate could be of vital importance in the standings and starting of with a hefty defeat would give us a major obstacle.

clikcspeed wrote:Whilst winning against Oz would be a fairlytale, I do have faith that our boys are more than capable of doing that. However, at this moment, all I'm expecting is just to put up a decent performance.

Exactly!

Unfortunately the candid truth is that we haven't seen the performance metrics increase to the levels where Zim is seen to be competitive against the likes of Australia. Somehow we haven't managed to fire up. I've tried to muster up all the possible positive thoughts regarding the game tomorrow, but nothing seems to come up. I'm prepared for the worst!

^^performance metrics in this thread.



im seriously excited about this...everyone of my boys knows im a zim nut and they been geeing me up all week.

time to show them im serious when i say price is a gun, and that taylor is elegant, and cremer is a prodigy.

Going to try and watch this in a pub since i dont have Fox.....if zim do well...its going to be talked about ALOT up here in this city.

ZIMDOGGY wrote:^^performance metrics in this thread.



im seriously excited about this...everyone of my boys knows im a zim nut and they been geeing me up all week.

time to show them im serious when i say price is a gun, and that taylor is elegant, and cremer is a prodigy.

Going to try and watch this in a pub since i dont have Fox.....if zim do well...its going to be talked about ALOT up here in this city.

lucky i work at a pub i be able to watch it.
i agree with your side Sloandog but would change lamb with Chakabva
, just feel that against aus we need another batter. Well of a better standard then lamb. Super excited about the match.

Best of luck ZImbabwe. Beat it. I think it's possible.

Winning against Aus will be great hopefully the boys can put up a challenge. Hopefully Death By Spin will work, and no batting collapses today.