Training squad for Windies tour announced

[hhm]

And where is Shingi Masakadza?

I'm extremely impressed by your observation! Indeed, to me the biggest scandal is the exclusion of Shingi. After his exploits in the NZ Test where the weak & tiring pair of Kyle & Brian were an absolute embarrassment, and the way he's recovered in the domestic competitions after a slow start, one would have thought his inclusion was a no brainer! These are his stats:
Logan Cup: Rank-5, Mat4, Wkt17, Avg28.11, Eco3.45
Pro50: Rank-9, Mat6, Wkt8, Avg28.25, Eco4.8
Twenty20: Rank-1, Mat6, Wkt18, Avg7.5, Eco6.37

Anyway, what to make of the 24 man training squad:
BATSMEN(6)
Tinotenda Mawoyo, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor(C), Sean Williams, Craig Ervine.
WICKETKEEPER-BATSMEN(1)
Regis Chakabva.
BATSMEN WHO BOWL PART-TIME SPIN(2)
Malcolm Waller, Timycen Maruma.
ALL-ROUNDERS(1)
Nathan Waller.
SEAMERS(9)
Proven Seniors - Edward Rainsford, Tinashe Panyangara, Christopher Mpofu.
Found out pretenders - Brian Vitori, Kyle Jarvis, Keegan Meth.
Trialists - Tendai Chatara, Mike Chinouya, Cuthbert Musoko.
SPINNERS(5)
Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Raymond Price, Natsai M’shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi.

It was impossible to leave out Eddie and Tinashe. More so with the latter being captain of DH's team, and he's had the privilege of watching this superb talent in training, as well as live games against the best available batsmen. Although raw and doubts hang over his commitment, Williams' class was too much to ignore so the selectors can be forgiven, and I doubt many here would complain.

Maruma gets just reward, so the shocking inclusion of Craig can only be tolerated if he misses out for Maruma, who must surely be packing his bags already. Like Maruma, Malcom Waller's spin will see him make the team ahead of a Mutombodzi who impressed with bat&ball in the Tri-series. However, with Taylor, Williams, Jarvis, Cremer & Price virtually certainties for the Test XI, form and racial balance means Maruma is destined for his Test cap. The only way Waller will play is if Williams is left out, but I don't see how how someone with a healthy mind and eyesight can make that mistake.

We've seen enough of Meth to know he won't make it. Domestic exploits earn Chinouya, young Musoko and M'shangwe a chance but the regular seniors are too good to miss out to either of these. I'm afraid Chatara will miss out for the same reasons. In Elton's absence, I'm sure the coaches are left with little choice but to take Vitori alongside the anointed Jarvis. Nathan Waller's inclusion is just an experiment to waste time. Nothing can and should come of it!

Test XI: Mawoyo, Vusi, Hami, Taylor(C), Williams, Maruma, Chakabva(wk), Cremer, Price, Jarvis, Vitori
RESERVE: Waller, Panyangara, Rainsford, Mpofu, Utseya.
In the end a 16 man squad since Rainsford's form means he must go, but his fragility demands travelling cover.

Limited overs teams from that squad:
ODI XI
Mawoyo, Vusi, Hami, Taylor(C-wk), Williams, Maruma, Waller, Utseya, Price, Panyangara, Rainsford
T20 XI
Mawoyo, Vusi, Hami, Taylor(C-wk), Williams, Maruma, Waller, Utseya, Price, Panyangara, Mpofu

BRM you forget that Elton & Matsi are not there. Only two of Craig, Williams & Waller can make the final squad, and of the two who make it, only one will be in the Test XI. Two spinners will always be played in the tests, and whoever does worse between Cremer & Price in the first match(predictably Cremer), will make way for Utseya in the next.

NB: Jarvis and Vitori both get to share the new ball in the Tests because I strongly suspect they'll be hidden from the limited overs games. However, you can bet your entire assets and savings that neither them will play in the next!

[Ming]

And where is Shingi Masakadza?

I'm extremely impressed by your observation! Indeed, to me the biggest scandal is the exclusion of Shingi. After his exploits in the NZ Test where the weak & tiring pair of Kyle & Brian were an absolute embarrassment, and the way he's recovered in the domestic competitions after a slow start, one would have thought his inclusion was a no brainer!

Indeed, wow! That being said, we have seen many strange things in training squads, and I hope that this will be rectified. This whole squad looks very lopsided.

[eugene]

What's the bet Elton still tours anyway despite not being in the training squad. I wonder if Craig has been included due to him being one of our best batsmen in foreign conditions?

[CrimsonAvenger]

These "training squads" are a joke. As we have seen even in the past, they have no balance and make no sense. As Ming noted, it is seriously short of batsmen. Yes, the cupboards are bare, but we could have thought of Mutumbami and Coventry (and even Matsikenyeri) at the very least for this "training squads". Chigumbura's exclusion is probably to spur him up, and hope it works the right way. But Even I expect him to make the final squad anyway. Clearly, ZC does not want to talk about the Querl and Raza situations. Craig Ervine's technique, and that of Williams too, suits slow wickets very well, so, if WI has those dry wickets again, these two in particular would have decent success.

But again, the most shocking is the exclusion of Shingi. What has he done wrong? In fact, he showed great improvements in the NZ tour, where he was clearly a much improved bowler than the wayward spell we were used to. Nathan Waller is a good selection in this bunch, but he is not getting proper focused exposure in the highly imbalanced Eagles team. One man who could have challenged for the all-rounder spot is missing from the local scenes too unfortunately, Mark Mbofana.

[CrimsonAvenger]

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/sport/cr ... place.html

...
Chief of selectors Givemore Makoni said that Chigumbura had been left out because of poor form and they were hoping he would work harder to regain his place.

“The squad has been selected based on for, for a long time Chigumbura has been off form,” said Makoni. “We hope that this is going to inspire him to work hard and regain his place, he remains one of the best players we have but he has to justify inclusion in the team.”
...

[bayhaus]

Trade offs thats all that is happening... They couldnt get to Hamilton so they settled for the closest Masakadza...

[sloandog]

1st Test XI (and squad):

1. Mawoyo
2. Sibanda
3. H Masakadza
4. Taylor (c)
5. C Ervine
6. Waller
7. Chakabva (wk)
8. Cremer
9. Price
10. Jarvis
11. Mpofu

Perfect.

1st ODI XI:

1. H Masakadza
2. Sibanda
3. Williams
4. Taylor (c)
5. C Ervine
6. Waller
7. Chakabva (wk)
8. Cremer
9. Price
10. Jarvis
11. Mpofu

Perfect again. But in one game I'd play Nathan Waller over Cremer to give him a go, then you also have Williams to bowl some handy off spin if needed

[takleg]

Though I'm delighted Elton has been dropped, his replacement Nate Waller is too inexperienced and he really hasn't done much on the domestic scene. Chigs has played in the Carribean and he was pretty successful there, so 1 more chance wouldn't hurt, would it?

[PieChucker]

Random Pies incoming...

Good to see that Matsi and Chigs have been dropped. Hopefully it will cause Elton to work hard and focus his talent. And for Matsi, well, he's had his chances.

It's a training squad so there's an abundance of bowlers to make the net sessions a bit more challenging for the batters. Most of them have no hope of actually going on the tour.

hhm you crack me up "Found out Pretenders". I disagree with you about Jarvis though - I think he has genuine ability and I think he will perform on this tour.

Vitori is an enigma - haven't seen him bowl so I can't comment, he started with a bang and has been nowhere ever since. He hasn't done nothing on the domestic circuit of late - the selectors obviously see something in him - hopefully Streak and the other coaches can have some input and get him back to his best.

Agree that Shingi should be in - one suspects that something is going on behind the scenes.

Glad that Williams is in the picture again - now it's up to him to show that he wants it. The talent and ability has never been in question.

Hope they take one of the young leggies along on tour. I met Jackie Du Preez the other day and he was telling me how impressed he was with both Mutombodzi and M'shangwe. That kind of potential needs to be groomed. South Africa can't find one decent spinner and we have Cremer, Price, Mutombodzi and Mshangwe( I don't include Prosper because he's one dimensional) Our bowling attack should be built around these guys.

Feels like the squad is short of a batter - does Coventry deserve another go? I assume Raza is disqualified by the beaurocratic idiots with rubber stamps.

My only other pie to chuck into the mix is the thought that the team did disastrously in New Zealand mainly because the man management was hopeless. This comes to the forefront on tour and the fact that Zim was credible at home while dreadful on tour points to the management of the team. Clearly the captaincy, coaching and management of the side is not up to scratch and the team does not have the right climate in the changeroom to enable them to get results on tour. This is perhaps the biggest challenge. I don't hold much hope that anything has improved - hope I'm wrong.

[ZIMDOGGY]

since when does prelim squad have any bearing on the zimbabwean final squad?


but i'll humour the forum...
-raza and the Cov must feel a little hard done by...

-and nathan waller? what am i missing about this dude? he performs satisfactorily but he never dominates the local scene...havent seen any centuries (even halvies) or 5 fers?

or is it just the fact they are desperate for a 'pace' all rounder