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I thing slow scoring at the top sets us up for a colapse as pressure builds up mawoyo is a first pick in test cricket but he is slow for odi cricket as wrong as it sounds i think we need vusi sibanda or or make masakadza open he seems to score more runs with raza a the top

very few Zim players have ever proved themselves as openers. It is a problem with no easy solutions. Vusi could have another run over Mawoyo - it wouldn't hurt and his fielding is better.

zimstarr wrote:I thing slow scoring at the top sets us up for a colapse as pressure builds up mawoyo is a first pick in test cricket but he is slow for odi cricket as wrong as it sounds i think we need vusi sibanda or or make masakadza open he seems to score more runs with raza a the top

Mate, you just said a few days ago, that Tino Mawoyo is a better option that Hammy for ODIs (Alistair Campbell school of thought).

Raza and Hammy looks like the best option available, but Hammy and Taylor at 3 and 4 across formats just gives a lot more stability and confidence. Not sure who can partner Raza in that case though. A fair run for Tino is not bad, but yes, Vusi might come back into contention again.

Hami and Raza open BRMT at 3, I can't remember the last time BRMT passed 50 batting @4 in ODI's ......

Mawoyo is no good for ODI's it is very clear .....

Mawoyo is absolutely not suitable for limited over cricket. The difference between him and Vusi is Mawoyo's strike rate will always put pressure on his partner. Zim are better off trying other openers from domestic cricket but for some reason they are happy to experiment with middle order batsmen to open in international cricket. Look at Raza, he is still finding his feet in international cricket but he is playing is his familiar position and he looks promising.

CrimsonAvenger wrote:

zimstarr wrote:I thing slow scoring at the top sets us up for a colapse as pressure builds up mawoyo is a first pick in test cricket but he is slow for odi cricket as wrong as it sounds i think we need vusi sibanda or or make masakadza open he seems to score more runs with raza a the top

Mate, you just said a few days ago, that Tino Mawoyo is a better option that Hammy for ODIs (Alistair Campbell school of thought).

Raza and Hammy looks like the best option available, but Hammy and Taylor at 3 and 4 across formats just gives a lot more stability and confidence. Not sure who can partner Raza in that case though. A fair run for Tino is not bad, but yes, Vusi might come back into contention again.

it was a reaction to the dismal perfomance vs south africa in bulawayo i tht we needed stability but after i saw mawoyo bat i just saw a test opening batter he would be great as the 12th man at the world cup running around with drinks e.t.c . i didnt say mawoyo is better than masakadza he is consistent but slow scoring

Indeed, Mawoyo should be one of the first names on the team sheet for test matches.

jaybro wrote:Hami and Raza open BRMT at 3, I can't remember the last time BRMT passed 50 batting @4 in ODI's ......

Good point you make there. I dug into stats of last 2 years of ODIs on the day BRMT was dropped, and these were the averages of our top 4 in that period (15+ matches played) :

Williams: 44
Hammy: 34
Vusi: 31
BRMT: 24

Vusi's is obviously ballooned up a bit by that not out hundred he got, but Taylor is struggling since that decision to bat in the middle order. So, Taylor is probably better served facing faster bowlers upfront (i.e., bat at 3) and ease into spinners later on, so too Hammy.

A problem with all 3 of BRMT, Hammy and Williams is that they play a lot of low percentage and high risk shots against the spinners. It comes off on their day, but they look like idiots when they don't like the last match for Williams.