Test XI - Windies series

[CrimsonAvenger]

Regis is a serious loss in this format. Would have slotted in nicely at 5.

Why stop dreaming? If Vermeulen can make a comeback into the fold, pretty much anyone can. So, this is what I would do as a selector in the absence of the big names, going with the gut feeling:

I Kaia
Marumani
C Ervine (C)
Ballance
Moor
Shumba
Madande (wk)
Evans
W Masakadza
Ngarava
Nyauchi

Punting on Marumani. Nothing to lose. If Moor thing does not happen (obviously it won't), get Makoni to open and push Marumani to 6, promoting Shumba to 5. Bats decently till Wellington at 9. Not convinced with Mavuta still, very high avg and economy rate for Logan Cup standards. I'm sure he's still dishing out those half trackers / full tosses once in a while.

[jaybro]

Ok here goes

I.Kaia
K.Maunze
C.Chibhabha
C.Ervine c
G.Ballance
M.Shumba
C.Madande wk
B.Evans
B.Mavuta
R.Ngarava
V.Nyauchi

This is of course assuming Burl, Raza, Williams & Blessing are all unavailable

[secretzimbo]

^ Don't think theres enough spin in that side Jay. Maunze/Kaia/Shumba's bowling arent really good enough to bowl a lot of overs.


I still have faith Raza will come for the 1st test. He's committed to the entirety of the PSL (so will miss the 2nd) but is he really that bothered about this low quality league in dubai?

[zimfan1]

https://www.newsday.co.zw/sport/article ... est-series

Report states that Raza will miss both tests.

[secretzimbo]

They've moved the final round of Logan Cup fixtures right to the end of March. Big 5-week gap in the calendar - I assume that means those three counties are still coming? Interesting to see what the format of games and calendar look like for those tours.

Bit off topic for this thread I know.

[sam_ahm]

I've lost interest in this series ever since I came to know that Williams, Raza, Burl, and may be Blessing will be missing. WI are no good side but they will still finish this in 3 days.

Very disappointed with Sikki. I understand the idea is to let him and Burl have the exposure so that it helps during the Qualifiers but let me tell you that ILT20 is literally being played in empty stadiums and at least in India barely anyone is watching or even cares or even knows that this tournament is happening.

[Kriterion_BD]

Very disappointed with Sikki. I understand the idea is to let him and Burl have the exposure so that it helps during the Qualifiers but let me tell you that ILT20 is literally being played in empty stadiums and at least in India barely anyone is watching or even cares or even knows that this tournament is happening.

Thats what I can't figure out. If India is a the fulcrum of cricket fans, then the majority of cricket fans worldwide (ie Indians) they don't give a shit about PSL, BPL, ILT20, The 100, and BBL...so how do these leagues keep on going? At some point these T20 leagues (the smaller ones in unsustainable places like UAE) have to collapse, right? That should return international cricket to some degree of normalcy like it was 10-15 years ago, shouldn't it?

[Googly]

No I think the IPL owners will end up owning most of these tournaments, like they've done in SA. It's a winning formula for them.

[CrimsonAvenger]

No I think the IPL owners will end up owning most of these tournaments, like they've done in SA. It's a winning formula for them.

Yes, but the question is, if nobody in India cares to watch, why are they buying them? How is it a winning formula?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Back to the text XI topic, yeah, except for the Zim test debut of Ballance and his fitness over the period of test matches, there isn't much to look forward to in this potential carnage waiting to happen.