***Official*** New Zealand in Zimbabwe & Zimbabwe/New Zealand/India ODI Tri-Series

[cricket player]

I never said "in 2005", but since you want to pick on my wording, Ill pick on yours...

:"Give me a game that he had done well in 2005?"

A first class match is definately a game, so...

Ebrahim Cracks Hundred

Im not in favour of picking him, but I can see why they do..

Logan cup he did well,

International cricket a big flop.

 

[Woody_cloudofsm]

Dion ebrahim may have one of the most dodgy techniques in the world he has similar batting ability to brett lee and if im not mistaken they must have similar test averages i would think that andy bichel is a better batsman than dion ebrahim but having said that he is one of the most electric feildsman in teh world today at the backward point region and zimbabwe could do with at least that aspect of their game being strong also he is a veteran and has a lot of experience at international level and the zimboks could also do with some of that. I would suggest a batting coach maybe even his own coach phil simmons working on him with his technique in the nets. Where the hell is trevor gripper he would have at least been able to take some shine of the new ball as for brendan taylor he has a lot to learn at least neil ferreria survived 90 balls in that second innings i would have opened with him and trevor gripper anyway my team for the next test provided blignaut and hondos fitness would read.
1gripper
2ferreria
3.carlisle
4.Maskadza
5.wishart
6.Ebrahim
7.Taibu
8.Streak
9.Blignaut
10.Utseya
11.Hondo
no time for graham cremer. By the way kiwis Shayne occonnor was the last genuine swing bowler you had who could trouble top class batsman. You could call jimmy franklin a poor mans shayne occonner chris martin is an amazing bowler when he gets it right so is tuffey bond and i think there was a paul hitchock what happened to him he had some good variations. Shane Bond is all class you newzelanders are looking staunch.

 

[Smudge]

By the way kiwis Shayne occonnor was the last genuine swing bowler you had who could trouble top class batsman.

Injury curtailed his career.

i think there was a paul hitchock what happened to him he had some good variations.

Stuck in domestic cricket - seems to have lost his accuracy.

 

[Tim]

The big concern for me is that even though the NZ bowlers were quite good..they weren't exactly at match fitness so the next test could be even worse.

 

[Tim]

Hitchcock is struggling to make the Auckland side even. And he'll be struggling even more now that Auckland have added Styris & Martin to their team this season.

 

[Prince EWS]

1gripper
2ferreria
3.carlisle
4.Maskadza
5.wishart
6.Ebrahim
7.Taibu
8.Streak
9.Blignaut
10.Utseya
11.Hondo

You bag the sh*t out of Ebrahim and then pick him anyway?? Zimbabwe's batting is bad enough without having a specialist fielder at number 6!

Utseya isnt test standard with the ball - hes too toothless really. I'd consider him if he could get his batting more consistant. Cremer has potential, I'd stick with him for a while.

I'd definately recall Vermeulen and Gripper, and I'd consider Marillier. Taylor has to be in there somewhere.

1. Trevor GRIPPER
2. Neil FEREIRRA
3. Mark VERMEULEN
4. Stuart CARLISLE
5. Hamilton MASAKADZA
6. Brendon TAYLOR
7. Tatenda TAIBU
8. Heath STREAK
9. Andy BLIGNAUT
10. Blessing MAHWIRE
11. Graeme CREMER

12. Craig WISHART / Dion EBRAHIM / Elton CHIGUMBURA
13. Douglas MARILLIER / Gavin EWING
14. Douglas HONDO
15. Edward RAINSFORD / Tinashe PANYANGARA / Chris MPOFU

 

[meatspx]

James Franklin got a 6-wicket bag against Aus not too long ago, he can't be that bad.
He just needs to develop some more consistent pace.

 

[cricket player]

good line up prince.

I would have exactly picked the same line up,

Trust me next test match Zimbabwe will be much better then it was in the first test.

 

[Shane Warne]

By the way kiwis Shayne occonnor was the last genuine swing bowler .

I remember him in ENgland 99. I don't think I've ever seen a more dramatic display of swing.

He swung it round corners.

 

[Tim]

Franklin is definately getting better. He at times tends to lose control but I think against most sides he'd be a tricky customer.

 

[bondshanebond]

" You could call jimmy franklin a poor mans shayne occonner "

disagree, O'conner could swing it brilliantly eg when he bowled steve waugh out with that unforgettable ball for 90. But His line and length was very inconsistant a lot of the time and he relied too much on his swing. He was either on or off and I don't think his bowling average is that good. Franklin is also a bit inconsistant but he showed some good signs vs australia and Srilanka. I feel southafrican series will be ther eal test for Franklin to see how much he has developed.

 

[Woody_cloudofsm]

prince you are right i bagged the sh-t out of dion ebrahim but as i said would andy bichel make that zimbok side as a specialist batsman i think he would so i dont see why ebrahims limited batting ability mixed with his experience and feilding should get him another chance not that he hasnt been given enough already. Mark Vermulen is so talents but after he got hit by brett lee i dont think he has even been half that player he was before he had real potential before that incident but i dunno im down to see him give test cricket another shot. u would really play blessing mawhire ahead of eddie rainsford or dogie hondo?
as for utseya didnt he recently score a 100 his offspin is steady he can dry up runs without really being devestating. Gavin ewing played a test here in sydney i was there and when his first class batting average came up of 50 something plus and then saw him bat i thought his figures were flattered by probably piling on runs in the logan cup. his offspin was ordinary. He reminds me of gareth batty in everway if batty can play for england i dun see why ewing cant for the zimboks

 

[Woody_cloudofsm]

bondshnebond ur comments are fair enough occonner did pitch the ball up so much that if it didnt swing hed be serving up half volleys. but to tell you the truth i just can see jimmy franklin getting smashed all over the park if he even gets it slightly wrong somedays he looks lethal its hard to get a gauge of how good he is time will tell i guess. What is occonner doing these days he musnt be older that his early 30's

 

[shaka]

Nice to see Bond back to international cricket, he did a great job and bowled at a decent pace.

 

[Prince EWS]

prince you are right i bagged the sh-t out of dion ebrahim but as i said would andy bichel make that zimbok side as a specialist batsman i think he would so i dont see why ebrahims limited batting ability mixed with his experience and feilding should get him another chance not that he hasnt been given enough already.

I think you left out a word or two there, so Im not sure what point you are trying to make. Either way, Zimbabwe cant afford to carry a player based on fielding.

Mark Vermulen is so talents but after he got hit by brett lee i dont think he has even been half that player he was before he had real potential before that incident but i dunno im down to see him give test cricket another shot.

He absolutely OWNED the Logan and Faithwear Cups after his injury. They gave him another shot in the ODI side, but he kept getting run out... dont ask me why... Theres no point picking someone like Ebrahim when you have Vermeulen in the ranks.

u would really play blessing mawhire ahead of eddie rainsford or dogie hondo?

Theres something about Mahwire that makes me think he could completely run through a side if the pitch offered a bit. I never rated Hondo at all, and Rainsford is injured more than hes fit.

as for utseya didnt he recently score a 100 his offspin is steady he can dry up runs without really being devestating

I dont think he scored a hundred... 89 or something I think. But his batting just isnt consistant at all. Hell play a beautiful innings one day, and then the next day completely struggle to get bat on ball. His bowling isnt suited to tests... Gripper could easily play the same role with the ball if you needed him to.

Gavin ewing played a test here in sydney i was there and when his first class batting average came up of 50 something plus and then saw him bat i thought his figures were flattered by probably piling on runs in the logan cup. his offspin was ordinary. He reminds me of gareth batty in everway if batty can play for england i dun see why ewing cant for the zimboks

I put that down to being nervous. This kid can really bat - hes shown it against Bangladesh and even glimpses in South Africa. I dont rate his bowling very much, but he has a lot of potential with the bat.

 

[cricket player]

Vermulen he can bat and can bat I say as good as any body in the team,

Really I cant see why a player such as Dion is in the team,At this moment the team is struggling they need a seriouse change,

The openers for me will be

Brandon Tylor
Vermulan

 

[Woody_cloudofsm]

Why do u all hate on dion ebrahim?

 

[Prince EWS]

Why do u all hate on dion ebrahim?

Because he cant bat.

 

[Prince EWS]

Vermulen he can bat and can bat I say as good as any body in the team,

Really I cant see why a player such as Dion is in the team,At this moment the team is struggling they need a seriouse change,

The openers for me will be

Brandon Tylor
Vermulan

Vermeulen shouldnt open. Hes a born number 3.

 

[lord_of_darkness]

Hitchcock is struggling to make the Auckland side even. And he'll be struggling even more now that Auckland have added Styris & Martin to their team this season.

Yeah.. he was my coach for N.Harbour last year.. a real great guy , lots of good talk with him.... and i trained with him a couple of weeks back aswell cause he was doing some batting practise and needed some spinners. Plays for the premiers at my club along with Vincent and Adams.

Yeah, he was injured during last season.. and with recovery process etc.. hes not finding his rhythm yet.. and with martin and styris included as you said just makes his competition a lot tougher...he might make his way back though if he gets stuck in..