Training squad for Windies tour announced

[foreignfield]

http://www.zimcricket.org/index.php?opt ... Itemid=151

Chigumbura has been left out, Matsi, Mutizwa and Coventry likewise, no sign of Querl. Cremer is in there, so let's hope he's fit again soon.

Panyangara and Rainsford are back in the fold, as is Sean Williams. Nathan Waller is the only all-rounder.


Brendan Taylor (Captain), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Mike Chinouya, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Keegan Meth, Christopher Mpofu, Natsai M’shangwe, Cuthbert Musoko, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Tinashe Panyangara, Raymond Price, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Nathan Waller and Sean Williams

[jimbo]

they have dropped the teflon king chigumbura!!!!!!! Great news. nice to see williams and Ed back

[aydee]

Whatever you may say about Chigumbura, he categorically is amongst the best 24 players in the country.

Hopefully this omission will be a valuable kick up the backside, and he will return soon to form and favour.

[foreignfield]

When you look at the make-up of this squad you get the feeling the top priority is to have as many net bowlers available as possible.

No mention of Sikandar Raza as well who is amongst the top three limited overs batsmen this season, so he probably still has got to "sort out his papers" (don't know how often we've heard that these last couple of years)

[aydee]

No mention of Sikandar Raza as well who is amongst the top three limited overs batsmen this season, so he probably still has got to "sort out his papers" (don't know how often we've heard that these last couple of years)

True... I'm sure that wouldn't be an ICC requirement either...

[aydee]

Also, the absence of Querl is a shame. None of us know the full story about his availability or otherwise, but whatever the reason, it is disappointing that a cricketer who dominated the local scene so completely is not in this squad.

[zimfan1]

Think Mutombodzi would also be proably classed as an allrounder as would Timmy Mauruma.

I am excited to see Nathan Waller in the sqaud and to be honest i would take him and blood him on this tour.

For me the real battles for selection is among the spinners with an injured Cremer and an out of form Price and Utseya battaling against Mutombodzi and Mushanwge.

Only 8 batsman in the sqaud including Chakabva?

[Ming]

...is the lack of batsmen a reflection of the weakness of batting in Zim right now leading to a lack of people who could be considered worthy of touring, or a reflection of the certainties we have in that department????

No Mutumbami - he can feel disappointed to not have been even seen as an outside shot: his first-class batting has been good, but his limited overs form has perhaps let him down.

[CrimsonAvenger]

And where is Shingi Masakadza?

[brmtaylor.com admin]

That's a very interesting preliminary squad. It virtually guarantees Ervine and Williams both tour otherwise there are no reserve batsmen. As Ervine is the incumbent (to some degree, I realise he missed NZ) he would probably get first nod over Williams too.

1st Test XI (and squad):

1. Mawoyo
2. Sibanda
3. H Masakadza
4. Taylor (c)
5. C Ervine
6. Waller
7. Chakabva (wk)
8. Cremer
9. Price
10. Jarvis
11. Mpofu

A very tough call. Do you play Vitori or two spinners? I guess it depends on the pitch, so if it's a seaming track then the selectors have an extremely difficult decision. Rainsford has got some very fine figures at domestic level this season too, but it's only enough to get in the squad. For him to displace an incumbent, most likely it's Vitori's spot he'd be eyeing, he'd need to really outbowl them in the tour match.

12. Vitori
13. Rainsford
14. Williams
15. Utseya (limited overs specialist)

1st ODI XI:

1. H Masakadza
2. Sibanda
3. Williams
4. Taylor (c)
5. C Ervine
6. Waller
7. Chakabva (wk)
8. Cremer
9. Price
10. Jarvis
11. Mpofu