[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v NewZealand (3rd ODI)

[sillymid]

'Queens Sports Club' we hardly ever win anything in Bulawayo. On a flat pitch, we are probably going to chase 350+ or loose with over 10 overs remaining. I would have loved to be positive but when we play at Queens its almost like we are playing away against every touring team. Lets hope i am totaly wrong.

[andybligz93]

zims gonna win today

[FlowerPower]

I don't see why we should be on the back foot, whether we chase or set a total depends on the toss, and barring any rigging we should have 50% chance of winning it. Even if we lose the toss, QSC unlike HSC doesn't do much in the morning so conditions should be even batting first or second (mind you of 45 completed ODIs, 19 have been won by those batting first compared to 26 batting second...marginal in my books).

I think it boils down to who can out bat the other team. I would say we dismally failed to dismiss Guptill and McCullum in a sporting HSC pitch, we should throw away any notion of getting buckets of wicket in Byo, so containment, containment...call it negative but that's the only chance we will have, this coupled with agressive batting on what should be a tame placid pitch. And in the absence of Vetori (NZ) we should have a better slower department, and we should make it count.

I see we have Mushangwe in the squad, I would go with:

1. BRM Taylor*, 2. V Sibanda, 3.H Masakadza, 4. F Mutizwa, 5. T Taibu†,6. MN Waller, 7. KO Meth, 8. N Mushangwe, 9.P Utseya, 10. RW Price, 11. CB Mpofu

Nothing against Jarvis, but this isn't his surface, I think Mpofu and Meth are more suited to this surface, Chigs' batting is off, so based on bowling I would prefare the legbreak of Mushangwe, basically horses for courses...but I forsee Jarvis and Chigs comming in for Mutizwa/Waller/Mpofu/Mushangwe which would be a pitty. Chibhabha, I truely cannot see him force his way anywhere in the lineup. Where is Lamb? and how far with Creamer?

[Jemisi]

If it offers assistance to the spinners... Wehave a chance

[Jemisi]

Actually if we could catch a couple of sitters, we'd have a chance

[foreignfield]

Now then, Mushangwe and Ncube in - can't wait to see them bowl.

[Conant]

MUSHANGWE!!! Very exited

[FlowerPower]

Chigs survives again, Mpofu dropped for Ncube...can't complain too much, I would have dropped Chigs instead, but ok. Mushangwe in also, not a bad move, and glad Jarvis is spared the toil on a placid pitch, on the whole not bad lineup..

[EDIT] hold on a minute!! Its Pro sacrificed, Chigs survives!!! Can anyone tell me what Chigs is contributing?

[zimfan1]

Chigs survives again, Mpofu dropped for Ncube...can't complain too much, I would have dropped Chigs instead, but ok. Mushangwe in also, not a bad move, and glad Jarvis is spared the toil on a placid pitch, on the whole not bad lineup..

Jarvis is out with a foot injury.

Some news about Gerg Lamb as well, he has just had a hip operation and should be back in a couple of weeks.

Glad that Utseya has been droped he has been very poor since the World Cup with his bowling dropping it far to short all the time

[zimfan1]

Yes top throw from Waller, hopefully the fielding will carry on like this today