2nd T20I | Zimbabwe vs India | July 7, 2024

[Pat_Bee]

The closer it gets, the less convinced I am by Knackers Got to be in the top three though, nowhere else for him.

[Pat_Bee]

Bennett opened in that last Bangladesh t20 and got a 70. Raza was in at three that game (early) and got a 72*. He also opened in the qualifiers when it suited him. He needs to man up and do it for the team. Not hiding behind kids like Bennett, Myers and Knackers

[mnelson68]

Ya I can't remotely agree with guys getting run a ball for respectability. That's been ZC's default setting AND more importantly the players themselves.

That's one of the reasons I'm not rating Clive atm. Been his default as well, then everyone, particularly the "selectors" (and I use that term with a curled lip), go back over old scorecards and say he's averaging 25-30 at 110% so he must be good, but the reality is he's bogged the innings.

We have to forget about losing respectably because it's the very reason we have not improved. Look it depends on whether u bat or bowl first. Batting first the openers have to assess and play accordingly. They generally fuck it up and then 3-6 lose wickets as well and then everyone is consolidating at a run a ball and then Burl comes in and is supposed to go at 160 for 3 overs to set something worth bowling at. We're trying to get a respectable 140 to have something to bowl at. This I can understand.

Batting second I'd rather see us all out for 70 chasing 200 than being 120 all out so some dude guarantees he gets picked next game. Use the opportunity to try and play some shots and not pad your average.

You can't drop Myers. Give the dude all 5 games. Give Campbell and Bennett all 5 games.
You can drop Madhevere, Masakadza, Jongwe and Madande all day. They've had plenty opportunity and there's nothing new to see. They're good players, I'm not saying they're not, but unless Salamander has black magic we're seeing a ceiling with these guys. We need a higher ceiling. Or they need to go and reinvent themselves, but not in the national team, give the others a fair crack of the whip.
Just my 10c

Do you think that players play safe rather than with freedom because of the fear of being dropped after a couple of Innings if they don't make runs ?

[mnelson68]

Raza
Bennett
Knackers
Myers
Wez
Jonno
Marumani
Wellington
Faraz
Larry
Blessing

That team will beat India 4-1

Larry at 10 , 11 is too high for him

[Mueddie28]

Raza
Bennett
Knackers - did he get his passport
Myers
Wez - thought he was an opening batsman
Jonno
Marumani - thought he was an opening batsman
Wellington- is Mavuta still unavailable
Faraz - happened to Jongwe the best all rounder in Zimbabwe
Larry
Blessing

That team will beat India 4-1

Larry at 10 , 11 is too high for him

[Googly]

Ya I can't remotely agree with guys getting run a ball for respectability. That's been ZC's default setting AND more importantly the players themselves.

That's one of the reasons I'm not rating Clive atm. Been his default as well, then everyone, particularly the "selectors" (and I use that term with a curled lip), go back over old scorecards and say he's averaging 25-30 at 110% so he must be good, but the reality is he's bogged the innings.

We have to forget about losing respectably because it's the very reason we have not improved. Look it depends on whether u bat or bowl first. Batting first the openers have to assess and play accordingly. They generally fuck it up and then 3-6 lose wickets as well and then everyone is consolidating at a run a ball and then Burl comes in and is supposed to go at 160 for 3 overs to set something worth bowling at. We're trying to get a respectable 140 to have something to bowl at. This I can understand.

Batting second I'd rather see us all out for 70 chasing 200 than being 120 all out so some dude guarantees he gets picked next game. Use the opportunity to try and play some shots and not pad your average.

You can't drop Myers. Give the dude all 5 games. Give Campbell and Bennett all 5 games.
You can drop Madhevere, Masakadza, Jongwe and Madande all day. They've had plenty opportunity and there's nothing new to see. They're good players, I'm not saying they're not, but unless Salamander has black magic we're seeing a ceiling with these guys. We need a higher ceiling. Or they need to go and reinvent themselves, but not in the national team, give the others a fair crack of the whip.
Just my 10c

Do you think that players play safe rather than with freedom because of the fear of being dropped after a couple of Innings if they don't make runs ?

I think it might be a factor with some players certainly. It implies a serious losing mentality.
Bennett went in there grimly determined to chase that total. Wes was there not showing a lot of intent. Maybe the intent was there but he wasn't seeing the way forward- good deliveries not in his areas.

We don't play enough T20's domestically. I don't know how many times we have to say this. When we do they're back to back to back and it's over in a week. Then most of our internationals are T20- how the fuck are we supposed to compete?

Then the bowling in our T20's is mediocre. You're going to get hit me balls often enough that you don't often need to be inventive or go after a good ball. Now trying to get after a class bowler who gives you very little is extremely difficult for someone not used to it.

They need to identify who could possibly open (say 5 guys), and say to them (I'm talking in our domestic t20) be as attacking as you can. Be sensible but try and hit boundaries.
How else are you going to get openers used to going hard in the power play, without being stupid.

Salamander could of course get 4 or 5 guys that have opening potential and work with them for a couple of weeks and they get quality throwdowns and see who has the ability to hit good balls and say "right these guys we can develop and work with" because our main problem is poor power plays. How often are we 35-40 for 3. Most times. You're losing from there most times.
If he was our right coach he'd say to ZC- line them up I want to see for myself. Or he could rely on Mutendira and Mangongo to feed him information. I think we know the answer

I've been around this game long enough to know that there's only a small handful of guys with the talent to despatch good deliveries. You only gotta hit a couple and even a good bowler will change it up and start to make mistakes.
They just bowl at us with confidence because we can't hit it off the square.

[Pat_Bee]

Raza
Bennett
Knackers - did he get his passport
Myers
Wez - thought he was an opening batsman
Jonno
Marumani - thought he was an opening batsman
Wellington- is Mavuta still unavailable
Faraz - happened to Jongwe the best all rounder in Zimbabwe
Larry
Blessing

That team will beat India 4-1

Larry at 10 , 11 is too high for him

Faraz is there because his dad wired me some dollars when I was picking the team. Wez and Marumani have consistently failed up top but have some runs in them elsewhere. Knackers was waiting on some ICC paperwork I believe.

[Pat_Bee]

The thing is with Wez and Marumani, they’re ZC’s golden boys and get picked no matter what. If it isn’t working for them up top then trying them elsewhere might be more productive.

[Googly]

Middle order is full. I know Maru has the shots. He's been unable to take it into an international so far, and maybe he can't, but I think he can be developed into a really attacking front line T20 batter.
He reverts to that pick up pull behind square a lot, it's a go to shot for him, and I think when he's feeling pressure he brings it out instead of looking in front of square more often.

Maru is not a golden boy, they pick him because he dominates at domestic level. Wes is a golden boy, lost some sheen of late with his personal issues, but he has Steve in his corner now. He's not a big hitter and you need them in T20.
Same as Shumba- he likes to nudge it around as well. Not quite an accurate description, they can hit the shit balls, they struggle to score off tight bowling- ones and twos, but boundaries are limited. Really hard to change that. You are what you are at this level and hard to go up a notch.

[sam_ahm]

So Naqvi has got the ICC Approval now?