Zimbabwe Vs Ireland | 1st T20I | 12th Jan 2023

[sloandog]

Wow. Sean Williams showing his class in that knock. He looks like he's in unreal form

[sloandog]

Ballance looked scratchy but wow, seeing him in a Zimbabwe shirt!?

[jaybro]

Gutted for Marumani, sounds like a bad decision? He will go big one of these days. I know it.

Yeah it was rotten

[jaybro]

Ervine's on thin ice when Raza is back.

He’s not in the best XI for this format plain and simple.

The only thing keeping him there is the lack of other real options to open the innings. Especially now that Ballance seems to taking the No.4 spot.

[jaybro]

Ballance looked scratchy but wow, seeing him in a Zimbabwe shirt!?

Yeup never thought we’d see the day

I must say he’s no where as big as I thought/ remembered. I always remembered him as a really big lad, but he didn’t seem to stand out like I thought he would.

Is my memory playing tricks on me or has he slimmed down a heap?

[jaybro]

Yes although Wellington bowled well yesterday, and generally does a good job when selected, there’s really no need for him once Raza returns.

Zimbabwe definitely need the extra batting, especially with Madande & Evans still very much unproven at this level with bay in hand. The question still stands though about Ervine and who would replace him up top?

If Ballance is going to bay middle order then I’d say Wes opens when Raza returns. But I’m not sure opening is Wes’ best point just yet (I can imagine Hhm right now “white cowards sending young black batsman up to open blah blah blah)

Ultimately this comes back to two problems we’ve spoken about at length recently, the lack of t20 cricket played in Zimbabwe and the poor quality of the pitches. If we saw faster decks and more t20 matches I think we’d unearth more players capable of opening in limited overs cricket.

[secretzimbo]

Yes although Wellington bowled well yesterday, and generally does a good job when selected, there’s really no need for him once Raza returns.

In T20's, probably you're right. I'd still want a specialist spinner in ODIs though. A toss up between Masakadza and Mavuta at the moment, with Masakadza the safe option - he's always pretty reliable.

If Ballance is going to bay middle order then I’d say Wes opens when Raza returns. But I’m not sure opening is Wes’ best point just yet (I can imagine Hhm right now “white cowards sending young black batsman up to open blah blah blah)

I like Wes at 3 and Ballance at 4. Actually I think the batting order today was exactly as I asked for a few days ago.
I agree Ervine probably the weak link at the moment (Well, there are others - but they are young so you can justify giving them a longer run). Could bat Raza at 6 and have Burl open. It's worth a try? Might not work.

No offence to Slug - he's still one of the first names on my Test and ODI teams but he looks so uncomfortable in T20s it's quite painful to watch at times.

[secretzimbo]

Worth noting that Wes' best returns in T20Is have been when opening. He's struggled batting lower.

Whereas in ODIs his best innings have been at 5 or 6.

[jaybro]

Worth noting that Wes' best returns in T20Is have been when opening. He's struggled batting lower.

Whereas in ODIs his best innings have been at 5 or 6.

That's true, but he just seems to be really struggling at the moment in the middle, yesterday's innings from him was so painful to watch, it was like he was trying to get himself out every ball.

Wes is certainly in the midst of his first real lean patch at this level (although it's been going on since the Afghanistan Tests in 2021). I've put it out there before that the first half of his ODI career he averaged like 36 IIRC but now his average is down at 19 or 20. I'm sure he's been through lean patches before, but at this level they're harder to come out of.

I still believe he will evolve into a great batsman and he has the shots to play fast bowling really well, but again I don't think the pitches he plays on in Zimbabwe are helping his growth as a batsman.

[secretzimbo]

He's frustrating. He looks every inch a world class tallent but then just....somehow doesn't deliver very often.

It's a big puzzle. Maybe a world-class batting coach could solve it?