You need at least 3 seamers. And considering Bulawayo is spin friendly and we have absolutely no spin all-rounders, then we have to play both Welly and Mavuta. That gives us a very long tail indeed, with Tsiga unproven at six.
Oh well, you just know they'll pick fucking Tiripano anyway
Jonathan campbell could be a good addition to the squad, but don't know why they didn't selected him at least in the warm up match
Like every one saying he offers exactly what burl doing so in the absence of burl he will be good choice?
Surprising to see no Madande, his FC record is good compared to white ball..
Truth is it's a poor squad. There is some doubt over Ervine's fitness for the first Test apparently too.
I'm not sure who thinks Tsiga & Gumbie are better keeper-batsmen than Marumani and Madande. That's incredibly harsh on the two youngsters. Madande has an excellent first class record.
Makoni/Maunze are udnerwhelming too but we have literally nobody else seemingly available.
I don't want Maruma anywhere near the squad, but he outperformed everyone else in the warm-up game, so you have to wonder what the point of that game was at all? He must be pretty annoyed.
All in all I think it is extremely disappointing that Burl & Raza are not available. You can understand it for Raza at his age and with him being so in demand globally, plus he's earnt the right to choose. But Burl should be here, 100%.
I never again want to hear Raza or Burl say how proud they are to play for their country - they have chosen to become mercenaries.
This is literally a side that would be typically picked for a Zimbabwe XI/Zimbabwe A game. Feels like a throwaway series, it's a shame as we rarely play test cricket
Jonathan campbell could be a good addition to the squad, but don't know why they didn't selected him at least in the warm up match
Like every one saying he offers exactly what burl doing so in the absence of burl he will be good choice?
Surprising to see no Madande, his FC record is good compared to white ball..
Ya Campbell wouldn't get near the squad usually, but with literally all of our spin bowling all-rounders out I really think he should have been considered. I don't know if there's still bitterness between ZC and his old man. Who knows - that seems to change by the week.
Madande must be upset too. This is his best format and I'm confident he is of similar ability to Gumbie/Tsiga already and with much more long-term potential.
Also Munyonga and Marumani. Neither have been great in the recent white ball stuff but they are surely worth persisting with a while longer. Munyonga is a very consistent, solid red-ball performer in particular.
Shumba got 3 wickets against windies in warm up. Lil expensive though. He has to play.
I would bat kaia and chibhaba as openers.
Maunze can come in at 5
Obviously ervine and ballance at 3 and 4.
Chivanga evans and ngarava mavuta as bowlers.
Mavuta and evans can hold a bat. Adds a bit to tail.
Tsiga to keep. He has good tempement.
Yeup this squad is disappointing, but this is Zimbabwe for you and there is a long list of reasons of why we have ended up with this squad. But nonetheless let's have a look at the squad and what XI we will end up seeing -
Openers
Innocent Kaia opens 100% and will likely take the role of part time leg spinner at some stage when the Windies are 400-2, I'd expect Kudzai Maunze will also debut alongside Kaia as he's been around for a while and he can also add some part time spin. Makoni is a chance, and from what I've seen of him he's actually got some talent, he's also had the benefit of facing 40-balls against the Windies pace attack.
Middle Order
Picks itself really as the squad only contains four-middle order batsman (unless of course they play five bowlers). I'd assume Chamu will bat at first drop with Ervine & Ballance hidden away in the middle order with Shumba to bat at No.6 and also provide the left-arm-spin that Williams would normally do. It's actually not the worst thing in the world that we've ended up with Shumba in this role, with father-time ticking on Raza & Williams, we really need Shumba to start evolving as a middle order-spin bowling-allrounder.
Keeper Batsman
Has to be Tsiga right? But honestly how the hell did he end up here? I would have thought he was the last guy who would have gotten picked to keep in a Test match. Madande was obviously everyone's choice (Surely he must be injured?) But if he were to miss surely Mutumbami or Mayavo would have come in in front of Tsiga! This also provided the perfect chance to extend the olive branch to PJ Moor, ZC must realise the depth isn't there to pick and choose, and with a combination of injuries, t20 Gigs and retirement all lurking around the squad surely Moor would be a valuable asset.
Tsiga did however score 21 off 95 not out v the Windies, although it was mostly the spinners bowling to him by then, but honestly he was paying $101 to be the Test keeper and he's come from no where to get there. He's not even keeping for the Rocks!!!!
Spinners
The big call will be if they play both Mavuta & Wellington or if they choose one, and which one would they choose? If they want someone to control the score and bog down one end then it's definitely Wellington, but if they want a more attacking option it's Mavuta. With Shumba there to bowl left arm spinners, they might decide to go with Mavuta for variation, although neither Shumba or Mavuta seem the type to 'hold up one end'.
Pace Attack
Apart from missing Blessing, this is actually Zimbabwe's best pace attack we've seen for a Test series in a long time, in fact I actually think if we were playing on a more seam bowler friendly deck we'd have more of a chance of winning (yes I know Windies have a much better attack). Evans IMO must play as his batting will add valuable lower order runs, much like Tiripano did for many years. Tiripano might also play and bat at 6 or 7, this would allow Zim to play 3-seamers and 2-spinners.
It's a shoot out for the other spots, Ngarava seems like the most likely, although his numbers still aren't great in any format really, but he seems to be spearhead without Blessing. Nyauchi for me will be ineffective on a flat QSC deck, the series v Afghanistan was a perfect example of how effective he can be on a deck that offers assistance, and how in-effective he is on one that doesn't. If Zimbabwe decide to go with 3-seamers, I'd pick Chivanga over Nyauchi & Tiripano as he was easily the best bowler in the warm=up game and he can too hold a bat.
