zimcricketforums.com

via Tristan Holme (Twitter @tristanholme)

Test
Taylor, Mawoyo, Sibanda, H Masakadza, Chakabva, Waller, Jarvis, Meth, Chatara, Mpofu, Utseya, Williams, Maruma, Price and Cremer

ODI
Taylor, Mawoyo, Sibanda, H Masakadza, Chakabva, Waller, Jarvis, Meth, Chatara, Mpofu, Utseya, Ervine, Chibhabha, Mutombodzi, M'shangwe

If this is the squad, well, god save us. The stage was set for a Jarvis - Rainsford potentially lethal combo, but no, the selectors don't think so... And no Price in the LOI squad. Meth had no reason to be there. Shambles.

Test XI
1Mawoyo, 2Sibanda, 3Masakadza, 4Taylor(c), 5Waller, 6Maruma, 7Chakabva(wk), 8Cremer, 9Utseya, 10Jarvis, 11Mpofu
12Chatara, 13Meth, 14Williams, 15Price

ODI XI
1Mawoyo, 2Chibhabha, 3Sibanda, 4Masakadza, 5Taylor(c-wk), 6Craig, 7Maruma, 8Utseya, 9Mutombodzi, 10Jarvis, 11Mpofu
12Chakabva, 13Waller, 14Meth, 15Chatara, 16M'shangwe

- It's a first for ZC to announce a squad this early, and the reasons are obvious. Smart move by Chingoka & Makoni to announce the squad before Coltart's empty madness threatened on the 1st of Feb.
- That Price would be excluded was predictable. I doubt if he'll play a single Test. If he will, it will be in place of Cremer, who will fetch heavily. anyway, smart of them once again to make sure he'll only be a selection after the LOIs, so Mushangwe and Mutombodzi can get a run.
- happy to see Cremer left out of the LOIs as well.
- At least Ervine was excluded from the Test, while Williams was excluded form the LOIs since he hasn't even played much T20s, and barely impressed in the Pro50
- Why is Meth there? Inevitably, Elton's exclusion made Meth's supposed allround ability a "must".
- Glad Vitori wasn't selected, disappointed Jarvis is there. Not so disappointed that he's been deemed suitable to receive a pasting ahead of the Tests. Perhaps a way of slotting Chatara ahead of him in the Test XI. The skiddy pacier Chatara is bound to be more economical and threatening.
- No Panyangara & Rainsford. Chatara had better be the real deal because he will be selected ahead of Meth for the other seamer slot in the second game after our first defeat.
- It's a good thing Meth is in the LOIs squad. They thump him on those wickets!
- After his decent run in the Tri-Series, I expect Mawoyo to slot in the top alongside Chibhabha, with Vusi dropping to 3 during the ODIs.

Congratulations to Chatara and Maruma, You've earned. Well done to you to Chibhabha - you've done well season. You may have done it by hook and crook, but you limited overs form got you in there Craig!

NB: I don't think you will at any stage see anything but a 7black-4white setup. That's just a suspicion of mine, not what I wish for.

No Raisford in Test side Big fan as I am is Meth better than Raisnford??? Waller lucky. No Chigs (with all their lefthanders and hos glimpses of form with bat) no Coventry? No Craig in ODI?....okay you are pulling our legs right? Had me for a while!

edit Craig in ...and just noticed Chibhabha snuck in....

Chibhabha fortunate. Rainsford ridiculously unlucky. How does he not deserve to get picked ahead of Chatara?? I'm not sure that 3 spinners were needed in the test squad, I would have taken an extra seamer. Agree with Vitori's non inclusion. Hasn't really been in any form or fitness all season. I'm a Meth fan though. He is slow, but I don't car. His Logan Cup record is better than everyone bar Querl. Not just better, but a lot better. Over a significant period of time. This demands selection, he can't really have done much more. I doubt his batting will have much impact at international level though. I like Chatara, but he is perhaps a little fortunate. Others (Rainsford!) do have superior numbers to him, but he has been on the fringes for a while, and hopefully will take his chance. The selections of Williams/Ervine for the 2 different formats makes a lot of sense, and seems a sensible decision. If Maruma plays, I hope he bats at 6. He is used to the middle rather than the top order, and on his brief chance on the previous Windies tour looked some way out of his depth up there. Will be interesting to get a look at the young leggies in the ODIs. With Utseya the only other spinner, they are bound to play. I do think Price is a little unlucky here as well.

My mistake, Maruma not in the LOIs squad.

ODI/T20 XI
1Mawoyo, 2Chibhabha, 3Sibanda, 4Masakadza, 5Taylor(c-wk), 6Craig, 7Meth, 8Utseya, 9Mutombodzi, 10Jarvis, 11Mpofu
12Chakabva, 13Waller, 14Chatara, 15M'shangwe

Looks like Meth is set for a very long run! Is Chatara big enough to replace both Meth & Jarvis? We might have a 3 spinner strategy here - meaning Waller might be expected to bowl 10 overs, with Chibhabha & Masakadza chipping in - 7Waller, 8Utseya, 9Mutombodzi, 10Mpofu, 11Chatara. I can't see how Jarvis and Meth won't fetch more than 7rpo!

- No prices for guessing the Price-Cremer for Mushangwe-Mutombodzi was a trade-off.

- I have a feeling Chibhabha was slotted in to ensure both Williams and Craig weren't in the full squad. Waller's being recently active with his underrated spin saved him from all of this!

- I can understand their thinking where Meth is concerned, but why didn't they exclude Jarvis from the LOIs, and include Rainsford/Panyangara?

No Vitori, Haa from here it maybe difficult for him to come back in. Chibhabha's only way in was to play for Eagles. Next up, Panyangara for Eagles then back in the national team. I would have had Rainsford over meth.

Not bothered about Panyangaras absence... But Rainsford? What does the man have to do?

Meth is getting a match per tooth lost, methinks.

I must say, form has to be rewarded with a national call up in terms of first class cricket, and in fairness to Rainsford he has indeed done very well and i must say i'm shocked he's nowhere to be seen! Panyangara I'm not bothered about.

Don't like Chibahba, i've never liked his batting nor his bowling; but maybe he's applied himself more or changed the way he bats, will be interesting to see none the less.

Sensible decisions regarding Williams and Ervine, and im glad the selectors are now choosing players for all different formats. Shame about Razor, surely an indication that his days are numbered now as an international cricketer.

Nice to see Mutombodzi, Chitara and Mushangwe in!

What's nice to see here is that selectors have chosen a squad that has performed domestically, obviously barring the unlucky ed rainsford. Would still like to see Sean Williams playing in the ODI's. I just think form is temporary, and class is permanent

So Price who is a holding bowlings gets picked for the Tests but left out of the ODI's.

Im fully behind Mushangwe's inclusion but what has Maruma done to get in the side, he has virtually given up bowling and is a medocre batsman at best!!!

My Test XI would be

1. Sibanda
2. Mawayo
3. Masakadza
4. Taylor
5. Waller
6. Williams
7. Chakabva
8. Cremer
9. Meth
10. Jarvis
11. Chatara

ODI

1. Sibanda
2. Chibhabha
3. Masakadza
4. Taylor (WK)
5. Waller
6. Ervine
7. Mutombodzi
8. Meth
9. Utseya
10. Jarvis
11. Mpofu