2nd Test | Zimbabwe V/s Pakistan | Harare

[ZIMDOGGY]

The way I see it, Musakanda has an opportunity of a lifetime to seal a permanent slot in the XI by scoring big in both digs here. Massive opportunity. And it is quite easy to better the incumbents too.

i just think he will fail, he seems the ultimate version of the talented player that just cannot step up, kinda like Hick.

[zimlover]

Chisoro has no Vernom,just bowling like a machine. He is good enough to slow the scoring,rate but I don’t think he has wicket taking ability.

We need a Leg Spinner, I miss Creamer

[ZIMDOGGY]

''Proven failure'' Chakabva has a higher Test average than anyone else other than Taylor in this team lol. If he's a failure then I dread to think how you'd describe the rest of the XI.

Clutching at some serious straws there. There are 4 bowlers in this side, 3 brand new guys. A couple of youngsters and a guy who has no competition because we barely have a domestic scene.

Anyone on this forum would have good stats with side.

Averaging 25 in Tests for Zimbabwe is very good. Doing so whilst a wicketkeeper and mostly batting at number 7 or 8 is even better.

Against oz, SA, etc like the old crew is fine, but in the new era of tests v bdesh and afg i dont think it is

[Rajkumar Sharma]

4 pacers and 1 spinner positive approach but in asian look like track. Curator is hurting Zim plan. Pak batters is feeling playing in Karachi or Lahore

[secretzimbo]

[


Averaging 25 in Tests for Zimbabwe is very good. Doing so whilst a wicketkeeper and mostly batting at number 7 or 8 is even better.

By Zim standards, as you say, there are others with better stats and ability. I'm not saying failure, just that the point you're making is weak

There are other current players with better stats and ability? Who are these magical people.

- Murray? Hasn't played cricket in god knows how long. Not interested.
- Moor? Hasn't kept wicket in a Test since 2016 I think. Is not as good as Regis with the gloves. Has not performed for the past two years. Shows very little effort or application in his game. Don't think he's ever getting into this team as a keeper. So as a batsman it's not a straight comparison with Regis.
- Mutumbami? Worse record
- Gumbie? Poor cricketer.
- Tsiga? Poor record
- Cunningham Ncube? LOL!

Who are these other options.

Regis has batted at number 7 or 8 for years. I stand by that averaging 25 in Tests as a wicketkeeper for Zim at that batting position is a really good record.
He's made a few mistakes recently with the gloves but generally through his career he has been an excellent keeper with the gloves.

[secretzimbo]

Clutching at some serious straws there. There are 4 bowlers in this side, 3 brand new guys. A couple of youngsters and a guy who has no competition because we barely have a domestic scene.

Anyone on this forum would have good stats with side.

Averaging 25 in Tests for Zimbabwe is very good. Doing so whilst a wicketkeeper and mostly batting at number 7 or 8 is even better.

Against oz, SA, etc like the old crew is fine, but in the new era of tests v bdesh and afg i dont think it is

How many times has he come in at 7 or 8 and we are 100-6 or something though? Pretty difficult for anyone.

[CrimsonAvenger]

How many times has he come in at 7 or 8 and we are 100-6 or something though? Pretty difficult for anyone.

I'm a self confessed Regis fan for ages on these forums. But can't allow that to stop me from criticizing him. Especially in our last 3 tests, he was our second most experienced player. What stopped him from putting his hand up and come in at 5? I think the 100 he scored in BD along with Hammy - he came in at 5 or 6.

Also, though he comes in at 6 or 7, he doesn't always gets stuck with the tail if we see the history. He has gotten out and that is how we get to see the heroics of someone like Tiripano more often. And he has proven to be completely oblivious to the concept of farming the strike when he is indeed stuck with the tail, taking singles in the first or second delivery of the over. If he does not offer to come higher up the order and is happy with whatever he can get that keeps him in the side, it is not good enough.

Having said all this, there is of course no other option available in tests at least, so his average of 25 gets him into the team anyway.

This test is another opportunity for him to step up. Let us see how he goes. Apart from that BD 100 and 70+* to save the game vs WI, there is nothing much of note. May be his very first test vs NZ where others were going down like ninepins.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

[


Averaging 25 in Tests for Zimbabwe is very good. Doing so whilst a wicketkeeper and mostly batting at number 7 or 8 is even better.

By Zim standards, as you say, there are others with better stats and ability. I'm not saying failure, just that the point you're making is weak

There are other current players with better stats and ability? Who are these magical people.

- Murray? Hasn't played cricket in god knows how long. Not interested.
- Moor? Hasn't kept wicket in a Test since 2016 I think. Is not as good as Regis with the gloves. Has not performed for the past two years. Shows very little effort or application in his game. Don't think he's ever getting into this team as a keeper. So as a batsman it's not a straight comparison with Regis.
- Mutumbami? Worse record
- Gumbie? Poor cricketer.
- Tsiga? Poor record
- Cunningham Ncube? LOL!

Who are these other options.

Regis has batted at number 7 or 8 for years. I stand by that averaging 25 in Tests as a wicketkeeper for Zim at that batting position is a really good record.
He's made a few mistakes recently with the gloves but generally through his career he has been an excellent keeper with the gloves.

they can't be said poor unless they are tested, after Taibu departed. Zim hardly played any A series or unofficial test to groom those players, its to early too call such player poor. Tsiga was among top 4 run getters in Pro 50 One dayers 2017/18 season 300 runs with avg of 42, before he became unavailable, Mutumbami was finding his rhythm back in T20s but was dropped after few innings. Its too early to declare them not good enough.In that Pak squad player like Dhani, Abdullah Shafique has'nt represented domestic cricket properly are finding place in national team based on their skills.

[secretzimbo]

they can't be said poor unless they are tested, after Taibu departed. Zim hardly played any A series or unofficial test to groom those players, its to early too call such player poor. Tsiga was scoring runs in domestic cricket before he became unavailable, Mutumbami was finding his rhythm back in T20s but was dropped after few innings. Its too early to declare them not good enough.In that Pak squad player like Dhani, Abdullah Shafique has'nt represented domestic cricket properly are finding place in national team based on their skills.

Mutumbami has played 6 Tests, 36 ODis, 27 T20Is. He's not as good as Chakabva and this seems very very clear to me. Tsiga averaging 22 in Logan Cup. I don't know how you can suggest these people are better than Reggie. I would guess you have never watched any Logan Cup cricket.

Chakabva averaged 56 in this years Logan Cup batting up the order. Also the 4th highest run scorer in the domestic T20. I am the number 1 critic of our domestic cricket and how weak it is. But it is what it is and he performed better than others.

What stopped him from putting his hand up and come in at 5?

Agreed, but he's been asking to bat higher for years, frustrated at batting low. He looks like he will bat at 2 or 3 in this match, so here's his chance!


For the record I'm not saying Chakabva is world class or even 'good enough'. But he's very clearly better than any other current option and I think criticism is unfair. His record is good.

I'd love to have a better player than him, but we don't.

There are much bigger issues in this team.

[zimlover]

Muzarabani off the field hopefully he is fine