With one match left, what can we take out of this tour?

[brmtaylor.com admin]

We've had one great fast bowling performance from Jarvis, a very good batting performance from Ervine and a creditable batting performance from Mawoyo. Unfortunately that's not much to come out of 8 days of cricket.

Obviously a great team performance, and even a draw would count, would be a nice way to end what has been a poor tour. But considering it is unlikely, what other individual performances can we hope for?

I'd like to see a great batting performance (a century from Taylor or Masakadza would do quite nicely) and a top shelf spin bowling performance (a 5-fer for Cremer at under 3 an over would be a good way to bounce back).

[eugene]

Whatever we achieve in this final test is obviously important, but I can't help but think it will be deemed too little too late.

[TheCricketStoreZim]

Not much thats for sure !

[FlowerPower]

Personally I dont think we stood any chance, what our target should have been was to be competitive. Push the game to the fifth day, not lose by an innings, a few personal milestones ( fifties, hundreds, five fors) that was all that we could realistically achieve.

Alas except Tino's fifty and Jarvis five for, not much else, Mutombodzi and Mushangwe showed promise, Ervine and Waller doing very well in the ODIs, Mpofu started badly but came back very well, pit about the injury, Vusi's gotten starts but hasn't gone on, Hami hasnt done much, Taylor's had an atrocious tour, Creamer should have been hidden, alas Taylor seems to have a masochist side to him and continued Creamer's pain 10 overs too long,

But there's a game to go....all the best

[totoro]

I think Tendai Chatara's bowling so far this tour, is a positive. Hopefully he does well again in the second test. Bangladesh should have a tough time against him.

[totoro]

We really need Taylor to score some runs, his spot in the side will be secure either way. But he needs some confidence going forward.

[Jemisi]

Ervine and Jarvis. If Tino makes another 50, that will stand him in really good stead for the future. To have come away and backed up after his arrival on the international scene would be good.

Only a win will redeem the tour. Seeing as that is very unlikely, a draw would be something to take away. But that too isn't much chance without a day lost to rain.

An away century and another away 5 for would be good individual milestones to take away.

[lange22]

Yeah, the tour has been poor, when considering results and competitiveness. There is still plenty to salvage with some positive individual efforts.

These guys have the toughest job in world cricket - a test playing nation that hasn't played test cricket for over twelve months? Guys playing under huge political and administration duress as a well of lack of financial incentive.

To me it still looks like a good lead in to when Bangladesh tour Zim. We will find out more about how the team is traveling then. Home results have been reasonably good in recent years.

If anyone is feeling glum about current Zimbabwean cricket, just find the footage of Chatara's ball to Gayle. It is one I haven’t got tired of watching.

[Boundary]

Nothing except we are exceptionally weak mentally. Until that is sorted, we will always lag behind the rest; with Ireland, Netherlands, Afghanistan and even Kenya catching us up.