*Official* Zimbabwe in Australia Thread

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'd much prefer see Grant Flower and Gripper opening, or maybe Gavin Rennie if he's still playing.

Grant Flower has struggled in his more recent opening efforts. He's been more consistent down the order.

 

[Eclipse]

What is the difference between missed lbws, missed stumpings and dropped catches? They are all instances of dismissal being got away with. "Let-off" is a better term.
If you want to deny to yourself that Gilchrist is more lucky than most by holding-out that let-offs aren't luck, fine by me. Fortunately, most people who have so far commented seem to disagree.
As for trying that one about watching games enabling better analysis of whether runs were earnt or not, that's complete tripe. You don't have to watch someone to know whether they're good or not. If someone scores runs at a level of the game, it's pretty obvious that they're good at that level. And by "scores runs" I mean earnt them, not been gifted them by incompetant fielding-sides and Umpires.

Yeah well luck seem's to have a away of evening itself out so if Gilchrist is really that lucky you would expect him to stop making so many runs pretty soon.

He has had luck at times just like any other batsman some may argue and probably correctly that he has been droped rather more than some but there is a good reason for it and it's not just his "good luck" it's just obserd to suggest that without his good luck he his avrage would drop 20 runs especialy since he has now been playing for quite some time.
Your argument would be quite reasonable if he had only played 10 or so games.

Any way I dont here many people agreeing with you they seem to agree he has had his luck witch I agree with but nothing to the degree you suggest.

Lets just see what he avrages in 2 years time by then I am sure his luck must have turnt at least a few time's if not then It's certainly not just luck.

 

[iamdavid]

Ebrahim has 7 fifties in 17 Tests. IMO he's a useful batsman, but in the context of Zimbabwean cricket, he's a good bat.

In the context of Zimbabwean cricket he maybe , however there is no way he is a test standard opener , his defensive technique needs all sorts of work , he dosent move his back foot across to cover the line of the ball so he is suspect to balls which swing away , he also gets the angles all wrong when he defends of the back foot , gets into a really awkward position & chops across the line of the ball a bit , because that foot dosent come across he also finds himself being late on his shots a bit (clearly evident when he was playing Gillespie). Really I would prefer to see Vermeulen open with Carlisle at 3 , Wishart at 4 , Streak at 5 & Ebrahim at 6.

 

[anzac]

A lot of Zimbabwe's runs came from edges running along the ground down thru 3rd man for boundaries. As the pitch dries up those same edges would carry further in the air as potential catches - on Day 1 they just catch the edge & head for the turf well short of where any sane fielder would be.

Interesting to see now that OZ has lost their entire first choice seam attack with Lee out for a month.

Bichel, Williams & ??? for the 1st Test v India? More importantly who will they pick for the Tri-Nations tour to India????

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Streak at 5 & Ebrahim at 6.

IMO it's ridiculous to ask Streak to bat at 5.

 

[marc71178]

Really I would prefer to see Vermeulen open with Carlisle at 3 , Wishart at 4 , Streak at 5 & Ebrahim at 6.

Streak at 5?!

 

[Richard]

Yeah well luck seem's to have a away of evening itself out so if Gilchrist is really that lucky you would expect him to stop making so many runs pretty soon.

He has had luck at times just like any other batsman some may argue and probably correctly that he has been droped rather more than some but there is a good reason for it and it's not just his "good luck" it's just obserd to suggest that without his good luck he his avrage would drop 20 runs especialy since he has now been playing for quite some time.
Your argument would be quite reasonable if he had only played 10 or so games.

Any way I dont here many people agreeing with you they seem to agree he has had his luck witch I agree with but nothing to the degree you suggest.

Lets just see what he avrages in 2 years time by then I am sure his luck must have turnt at least a few time's if not then It's certainly not just luck.

The notion that "luck evens itself out" is complete nonsense - most batsmen receive more good luck than bad throughout a career, and in Gilchrist's case, believe me (I actually saw most of the instances in which he had luck) he has received far more than his share in his career to date. And it has been much less in the last year than it was in the year before. In the last year Gilchrist has averaged 60 with the bat quite through his own skill. However, he has only been playing Pakistan Third XI, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, almost exclusively on dream batting wickets.
In the period of 2000-2002, when playing attacks with a bit more accuracy (and venom in some cases) he got most of his runs (not all, but most) through luck. This period was inclusive of 7 Test-series and, as you point-out, something that happens for this long is probably something which is going to happen most of the time. Every time he was missed, I screwed-up my fists in frustration, but by the time I reflected on it, I sort of resigned myself to the fact that it was almost inevitable.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

So you're saying that Gilchrist has had good luck with his batting for the better part of 2-3 years? Sort of like Flintoff has been unlucky with the ball of late?

 

[Langeveldt]

Unfortunatly Gavin Rennie retired after being badly treated by the selectors so he isnt an option...

Id never bat Streak at five...

Id bat Ewing higher up... (ok he didnt do much first innings)

Ebrahim wont set the world alight, but he is test standard and if he scores consistant 20's and 30's for Zim, then that is something at least, basically they cant afford to ditch him...

Im glad that Zimbabwe are doing better than in the first test, and at least they have Carlisles ton to take back with them...

 

[Chubb]

This is my order:
Vermeulen
Masakadza
Carlisle
Flower
Ewing
Matsikenyeri
Taibu
Ervine
Streak
Blignaut
Price

Stuart Matsikenyeri has real talent, Masakadza will be back from Uni soon and Ewing should bat 5 unless he is proved unsuitable or adapts. That guy Mahwire who is playing in this test is absolute **** and shouldn't even be playing provincial cricket (He doesn't play for a Logan Cup Province even! He plays for Masvingo, the equivalent of a minor county) and is only in the team for the quota. I wish Pommie Mbangwa was playing instead of him. Where is he? he was in the top 20 bowlers for a while, and as far as I know he is still in Zimbabwe. Those Zim selectors are F-ed up!

 

[Langeveldt]

Yeh, Mahwire is possibly one of the most substandard players of recent times.. I didnt think the quota system was alive and kicking really until he ended up playing...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Mbangwa has been doing a fair bit of commentary recently, so he may have retired. Eight Zimbabwean cricketers have officially retired this year from International cricket.

 

[iamdavid]

Streak at 5?!

Yes you heard right , he has really improved his batting alot to the point where I reckon he's as capable as most of Zimbabwe's middle/lower order , it would help balance the side as they could play the extra bowler , why who would you put there , Craig Evans :P

I do of couse only mean for this match , after Ervine is fit again I would bat him at 5 & move Streak back to 7 or 8.

 

[age_master]

The notion that "luck evens itself out" is complete nonsense - most batsmen receive more good luck than bad throughout a career, and in Gilchrist's case, believe me (I actually saw most of the instances in which he had luck) he has received far more than his share in his career to date. And it has been much less in the last year than it was in the year before. In the last year Gilchrist has averaged 60 with the bat quite through his own skill. However, he has only been playing Pakistan Third XI, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, almost exclusively on dream batting wickets.
In the period of 2000-2002, when playing attacks with a bit more accuracy (and venom in some cases) he got most of his runs (not all, but most) through luck. This period was inclusive of 7 Test-series and, as you point-out, something that happens for this long is probably something which is going to happen most of the time. Every time he was missed, I screwed-up my fists in frustration, but by the time I reflected on it, I sort of resigned myself to the fact that it was almost inevitable.

you are talking nonsense, hes played 46 tests and he averages over 61, with a SR of 83 and he makes his runs through luck, mate i think you need your head checked. those stats are phonomenel, there are NONE better, Adam Gilchrist is the best wicketkeeping batsman ever... and one of the most talented batsmen around. up there with the best. he is the only wicket keeper that would make his national team based on batting alone. he is the only wicket keeper around that would challenge for a spot in a World XI for batting alone

 

[Eclipse]

The notion that "luck evens itself out" is complete nonsense - most batsmen receive more good luck than bad throughout a career, and in Gilchrist's case, believe me (I actually saw most of the instances in which he had luck) he has received far more than his share in his career to date. And it has been much less in the last year than it was in the year before. In the last year Gilchrist has averaged 60 with the bat quite through his own skill. However, he has only been playing Pakistan Third XI, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, almost exclusively on dream batting wickets.
In the period of 2000-2002, when playing attacks with a bit more accuracy (and venom in some cases) he got most of his runs (not all, but most) through luck. This period was inclusive of 7 Test-series and, as you point-out, something that happens for this long is probably something which is going to happen most of the time. Every time he was missed, I screwed-up my fists in frustration, but by the time I reflected on it, I sort of resigned myself to the fact that it was almost inevitable.

I really cant be botherd arguing on this anymore it's pretty obviouse that a man with over 3000 test runs at 60 has a little bit more going for him than luck.

He is not going to stop making runs I will tell you that wether you think it's luck or not.

 

[Craig]

Who saw Streak's balls to get rid of Gilchrist? It was brilliant.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yes you heard right , he has really improved his batting alot to the point where I reckon he's as capable as most of Zimbabwe's middle/lower order , it would help balance the side as they could play the extra bowler , why who would you put there , Craig Evans :P

Streak is a good lower order batsman, but has no place batting at five. I would bat it with Gripper, Vermeulen, Carlisle, Wishart, Ebrahim/Ewing, Ewing/Ebrahim, Taibu, Streak, Ervine, Blignaut, Price and jack. When Flower returns, you drop whichever of Ewing or Ebrahim has struggled more and you bat Flower at 4, Wishart 5.

It's unfortunate the resources Zimbabwe possess currenty, because the presence of a Goodwin alone would make a HUGE difference, and if Goodwin and Andy Flower were there, Zimbabwe would still be a very good team.

 

[Craig]

Australia 8/390. Lee has surprisingly come out to bat.

 

[Craig]

Aus 9/394. Bichel gone for five and Price has five wickets.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

6/121 to Price. Australia 403 all out.

Zimbabwe took 7/158 today which is an exceptional effort from such a weak bowling attack.