*Official* West Indies in Zimbabwe Thread

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Anyone watching the game right now? Is 229 a good score on that pitch? Vermeulen is really showing he's got the goods.

229 should not have been a good score on that pitch. Perfect for batting.

Thank God I had my Biology exam today. The joy from getting it over with has just about neutralized any feeling of disappointment. Sarwan needs to be addressed immendiately. He's barely done anything in his last few ODI's.

 

[garage flower]

What a nonsense it has proved to not have Ganga and Banks in the squad, particularly when - as I understand it - they have stayed on with the team.

We need to have the option of an "all rounder" and, given the equally strange decision not to call Hurley up for the 1-dayers, Banks is the closest we've got.

I'm very disappointed with Sarwan and Chanderpaul on this tour, though Shiv seems to have had some bad umpiring calls.

Powell continues to be exposed as a pure slogger, incapable of building an innings or performing under pressure. This should be his last series, pending a significant improvement.

For the present, I'd still suggest that shiv should open, but there's not much else that can be done.

Batsmen need to show far more application and intelligence.

Missing out on this tour and what promises to be a thoroughly depressing tour of South Africa, could prove to be a huge boost to Devon Smith's career!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Missing out on this tour and what promises to be a thoroughly depressing tour of South Africa, could prove to be a huge boost to Devon Smith's career!

And you call yourself a West Indies fan? Yes you may be upset. Granted the boys have performed poorly, but to write off the South Africa series already is ridiculous! There is much cricket to be played before South Africa and they aren't in the greatest of form themselves. Alot can still be done before that tour.

 

[Legglancer]

And you call yourself a West Indies fan? Yes you may be upset. Granted the boys have performed poorly, but to write off the South Africa series already is ridiculous! There is much cricket to be played before South Africa and they aren't in the greatest of form themselves. Alot can still be done before that tour.

Granted .... but Its going to be quite an uphill battle. Probably a losing one, sad to say.

 

[garage flower]

And you call yourself a West Indies fan? Yes you may be upset. Granted the boys have performed poorly, but to write off the South Africa series already is ridiculous! There is much cricket to be played before South Africa and they aren't in the greatest of form themselves. Alot can still be done before that tour.

Mr M, give me some real cause for optimism and I'll gladly take it.

How can a lot be done before the tour? The first test starts in a fortnight! It will take a lot longer than that to produce a couple of clones of the Prince and, given the consistent ineptitude of our batting, I can't see any other solution.

 

[Langeveldt]

Great stuff by the Zims, world cricket will be stronger if they can string a load of performances together and finish the WI off before they go to SA... Maybe those exiles have opened doors for new talent?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I just saw the highlights. I was under the impression from watching the scorecard that the Windies gave away their wickets yet again. I was wrong though.

Lara and Powell received a couple of awesome yorkers. It's not easy for a right arm bowler to bowl a decent yorker at a left hander from over the wicket. This is even more so compounded when that left hander is Brian Lara in the form he's in right now. Now, Lara got out at a crucial point and it was disappointing and all, but when you see bowling like that, you have to appreciate it. Top stuff from Streak. I can only imagine how much more success he would have had at this point in his career if he actually had some decent support.

Powell got a quick straight yorker first up, that he couldn't do that much about. Yes, he gets himself out many a time, but you can't rightly fault him on this occasion.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Streak started his carear really well, but has petered off a bit recently

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

But he really hasn't had any consistent support over his career.

Any bowler who can york an in-form Brian Lara not once, but twice in one series (in 4 innings actually) is definitely worth something in my book.

 

[Mister Wright]

But he really hasn't had any consistent support over his career.

Any bowler who can york an in-form Brian Lara not once, but twice in one series (in 4 innings actually) is definitely worth something in my book.

Don't know if you saw it or not...but were these yorkers similar to the one he got Gilchrist with in the 2nd test between Aus & Zim?

If so it is a virtually unplayable ball to any left hander no matter how well they are hitting the ball.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Unfortunately I missed that, but I was chatting with Hoggy this morning and I quote:

streak molested gilchrislt with a pearler int he sydney test in oct

That sounds like what he did to Lara twice. It seems as though Streak has added a new dimension to his game which few bowlers have. I dare say that even Pollock and McGrath would fall short in this area.

 

[Mister Wright]

Unfortunately I missed that, but I was chatting with Hoggy this morning and I quote:



That sounds like what he did to Lara twice. It seems as though Streak has added a new dimension to his game which few bowlers have. I dare say that even Pollock and McGrath would fall short in this area.

Molested is a very apt description to how Gilchrist was dismissed that day.

I fully agree with you that Streak would be a much better bowler and have much better figures if he had much, much, much better support at the end.

For all of Zimbabwe's negatives they do turn out quality players every now and then. One Andrew Flower is close to one of the greatest ever, Streak is a class bowler, who is becoming a class allrounder. Goodwin, even though he played most of his cricket growing up in Australia.

I don't want to put a jinx on Vermulen, but from what I saw of him in Australia this guy has great potential, he is almost a Martin Love clone - wonderful balance, great off the front and back foot and good in the V. Only downfall is his shot selection - something that troubles all batsman who have all the shots.

 

[marc71178]

Streak started his carear really well, but has petered off a bit recently

I actually think he's picking back up again to be honest.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I actually think he's picking back up again to be honest.

Well now he has Blignaut coming in from one end and he's a bowler of big potential.

 

[Eclipse]

I actually think he's picking back up again to be honest.

yeah he had a bit of a flat patch were he lost his swing and a little pace after injury but he looks to be on the up at the moment.

 

[Tim]

Streak reminds me a bit like Mark Richardson & is perhaps another example as to why sticking to the basics can make you successful if you work hard enough.

He's honest & loyal, plays to his strengths & is very disciplined.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

My XI for the 4th ODI:

CH Gayle
S Chanderpaul
BC Lara
WW Hinds
RR Sarwan
MN Samuels
RD Jacobs
VC Drakes
M Dillon
CD Collymore
FH Edwards

We tried the 7 specialist batsmen idea and it failed. We might as well invest some more in the bowling department. However, if it is a pitch like the one on Saturday, I would pick Powell over Edwards as the seam bowlers would struggle on the pitch more than the spinners.

IMO Hinds is underused.

 

[garage flower]

Didn't Hinds bowl his full quota in the last game?

I'd probably go along with your team and batting order Mr M, but I doubt that they'll risk dropping a - *coughs* - batsman.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Hinds got his first decent bowl of the ODI series last game. IMO he should have bowled in the first game.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Drakes injured so Rampaul is in the XII.

Hopefully Edwards will slot in ahead of him though.