**Official**Zimbabwe in Bangladesh Thread

[andyc]

I think ZIM should be chucked out of test cricket. They simply will never have potential to become a powerhouse. They don't have the structures. They are a shambles. Even in their prime they still hovered between the bottem two spots in tests. Time to pull the plug until they manage to get some depth and develop their structures..which i believe won't happen for a long time, if ever. As for Bangladesh. Give them another five years before making any decisions. They haven't been around long enough yet and need time to prove themselves. No point in the ICC backtracking on that one.

If i was the ICC i would really give the game some decent exposure in Japan, China and America/ Canada and try globalise the game even further. They might as well give it a crack

I don't really agree with you there. Sure, Zimbabwe are not performing too well, but the only way they're going to get better is by playing tests, even if that means getting the snot beaten out of them by every team. They're performances have definetely increased since the new team was formed this year. Look at the tour match- Matsikenyeri picked up 4 wickets and then made 150, while Sibanda made 122. Compare this to their dismal performances against Australia and Sri Lanka at the start of the year. Granted they were only playing a tour match but surely with some more time Zimbabwe could improve considerably. I agree with your views on Bangladesh- their victory of India was testament to their talent and dedication, even though they may not show it all the time. But revoking a team's test status is only going to set their progress back considerably, and would do more damage to the game than good.

I completely agree with what you said about the ICC giving the game exposure in other countries. America will probably be the hardest to crack, with baseball obviously so popular there. But China, Canada and Japan are all good prospects- when we play at our club here in China the fence is normally lined with Chinese passer-bys looking in to see what they hell we're doing.

 

[Prince EWS]

if i was selector i'd pick that side too except i'd swap mpofu with utseya, if you've got two specialist spinners in bangladesh i think you should play them both even though they have the likes of matsikenyeri as back-up, i also wouldn't mind giving sibanda a go either since he has been scoring a few runs lately but i'm not sure were i'd fit him in

I dont rate Utseya as a wicket-taking threat. If he can improve his batting to where it once was, a spot could open up for him, but until then, I wouldnt be giving him any test matches.

As for Sibanda, Im almost 100% sure that he will play (despite not even officially being in the tour party), but I wouldnt pick him.

 

[bryce]

i just think that utseya on a turning track against bangladesh - really there isn't a better opportunity to see if he can take wickets at test level

 

[Prince EWS]

I think ZIM should be chucked out of test cricket. They simply will never have potential to become a powerhouse. They don't have the structures. They are a shambles. Even in their prime they still hovered between the bottem two spots in tests. Time to pull the plug until they manage to get some depth and develop their structures..which i believe won't happen for a long time, if ever. As for Bangladesh. Give them another five years before making any decisions. They haven't been around long enough yet and need time to prove themselves. No point in the ICC backtracking on that one.

If it wasnt for their hopeless administration, they could have a real decent team currently.

Grant Flower (3457 runs @ 29.54)
Mark Vermeulen (414 runs @ 25.87)
Murray Goodwin (1414 runs @ 42.84)
Stuart Carlisle (1584 runs @ 27.78)
Andy Flower (4794 runs @ 51.54)
Sean Ervine (261 runs @ 32.62)
Tatenda Taibu (666 runs @ 22.96)
Heath Streak (1814 runs @ 23.55, 202 wickets @ 27.58)
Andy Blignaut (638 runs @ 24.53, 51 wickets @ 32.62)
Raymond Price (224 runs @ 9.73, 69 wickets @ 35.86)
Scott Brant (111 FC runs @ 6.52, 60 FC wickets @ 33.46)

That gives them a batting score on average of 298, and an opposition batting score on average of 323 - which all in all isnt bad at all! It would be interesting to compare it the current West Indies or New Zealand team, especially the bowling. And if I wanted to I could cheat and introduce the likes of Marillier and Friend who have good averages in their short test careers, or play Taibu as a bowler and cash in on 1 test wicket at 27.

And as we have seen, they have some decent up-and-comers like Taylor, Rainsford, Panyangara and Chigumbura.

The fact is though, in a perfect world, we would see East and Central Africa (Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya) play together as a test nation. This side would have the capabilities to become a powerhouse.

 

[Deja moo]

The fact is though, in a perfect world, we would see East and Central Africa (Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya) play together as a test nation. This side would have the capabilities to become a powerhouse.

But would it work? Zim has the quota system, while Kenya and Namibia do not. Selection would be complicated .

 

[Prince EWS]

I did say "in the perfect world".

It wont happen, not under the current administration anyway. Zimbabwe and Kenya have serious admin problems, and Namibia's cricket board is probably just a bunch of relocated South Africans.

The only way it would work under the current situation would be if the ICC actually appointed a selection panel, of people they trusted, or even non-Africans that would be posted there. But the ICC would never take such a big risk, let alone the political effects of it, and the dangers to the appointed panel.

We will only see an East Africa side is when Zimbabwe fix up their political problems, and the Kenyan board stops fighting amongst itself.

 

[crickmate]

does any one know whether sgstream or any one else will live webcast this series?

 

[Neil Pickup]

The same Scott Brant who's been released by Essex for not being very good?

 

[Richard]

Not very good by English domestic standards.
I reckon he'd do pretty well in Zimbabwe domestic-cricket.

 

[Langeveldt]

Not forgetting Neil Johnson, who is currently in the western cape.. Thats an even better Zimbo team..

The politics of Africa will never let there be a combination of teams.. Anyway, I want Namibia to become a quality side without the rest of Africa's problems botching them up..

 

[Prince EWS]

Honestly, why isnt this pinned?

Anyway..

Those who selected their Zimbabwe teams (incuding myself) have completely forgotten that Ebrahim still has one match to serve of his two match ban for his comment on Muralitharan.

Cricinfo is saying this:

Teams

Bangladesh 1 Habibul Bashar (capt), 2 Javed Omar, 3 Nafees Iqbal, 4 Rajin Saleh, 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Khaled Mashud (wk), 7 Aftab Ahmed, 8 Mohammad Rafique, 9 Mashrafe bin-Mortaza, 10 Tapash Baisha, 11 Enamul Haque Junior 12th man: TBA.

Zimbabwe 1 Barney Rogers, 2 Stuart Matsikenyeri, 3 Vusi Sibanda, 4 Brendan Taylor, 5 Hamilton Masakadza, 6 Tatenda Taibu (capt/wk), 7 Elton Chigumbura 8 Mluleki Nkala, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Douglas Hondo, 11 Chris Mpofu 12th man: Prosper Utseya.

But I find it very hard to believe that Nkala and Mpofu have been selected ahead of Panyangara!

If these team selections are accurate, Bangladesh will definately have their first test win.

 

[bryce]

man nkala must be a good fielder

 

[Prince EWS]

He is a decent fielder actually!

But I cant believe Panyangara wasnt picked.... surely hes injurred!

Also:

1 Barney Rogers, 2 Stuart Matsikenyeri, 3 Vusi Sibanda, 4 Brendan Taylor, 5 Hamilton Masakadza

Despite the fact that Vermeulen was left out (which is a disgrace, especially considering they were already one batsman - Ebrahim - down, and Sibanda isnt even officially on the tour party), that order is completely wrong! Rogers and Matsikenyeri are both middle order batsman (who can open if required IN ONE DAY GAMES), while Taylor is an opening batsman, and Masakadza and Sibanda are both openers or first drop.

With those players selected, the order should be:

1. Taylor
2. Sibanda
3. Masakadza
4. Matsikenyeri
5. Rogers

 

[crickmate]

so you think, if just Panyangara was playing, it would have been very tough for BD to win?

Honestly, why isnt this pinned?

Anyway..

Those who selected their Zimbabwe teams (incuding myself) have completely forgotten that Ebrahim still has one match to serve of his two match ban for his comment on Muralitharan.

Cricinfo is saying this:

Teams

Bangladesh 1 Habibul Bashar (capt), 2 Javed Omar, 3 Nafees Iqbal, 4 Rajin Saleh, 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Khaled Mashud (wk), 7 Aftab Ahmed, 8 Mohammad Rafique, 9 Mashrafe bin-Mortaza, 10 Tapash Baisha, 11 Enamul Haque Junior 12th man: TBA.

Zimbabwe 1 Barney Rogers, 2 Stuart Matsikenyeri, 3 Vusi Sibanda, 4 Brendan Taylor, 5 Hamilton Masakadza, 6 Tatenda Taibu (capt/wk), 7 Elton Chigumbura 8 Mluleki Nkala, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Douglas Hondo, 11 Chris Mpofu 12th man: Prosper Utseya.

But I find it very hard to believe that Nkala and Mpofu have been selected ahead of Panyangara!

If these team selections are accurate, Bangladesh will definately have their first test win.

 

[Prince EWS]

No, not just Panyangara.

Mark Vermeulen, Tinashe Panyangara and Edward Rainsford.

And its not as simple as "if they were playing, it would be very tough for Bangladesh to win."

IMO, if they were playing, Bangladesh would still probably win.

But now that they are not playing, I dont give Zimbabwe a hope in hell. I wouldnt really rule a draw out all together though.

 

[crickmate]

Bangladesh off to solid start

BAN: 72/0 in 30.0 overs (Run Rate: 2.4)
Batsmen: J Omar - 27 *N Iqbal - 43

Mods please make this sticky.

 

[bryce]

No, not just Panyangara.

Mark Vermeulen, Tinashe Panyangara and Edward Rainsford.

And its not as simple as "if they were playing, it would be very tough for Bangladesh to win."

IMO, if they were playing, Bangladesh would still probably win.

But now that they are not playing, I dont give Zimbabwe a hope in hell. I wouldnt really rule a draw out all together though.

yeah i agree on everything you've said about the zimbabwe selections, but the selectors have always been very unpredictable and quite often make the wrong decisions and i've been used to it for a while now and it's very frustrating

 

[Craig]

Bangladesh off to solid start

BAN: 72/0 in 30.0 overs (Run Rate: 2.4)
Batsmen: J Omar - 27 *N Iqbal - 43

Mods please make this sticky.

Don't worry it will happen when they see this thread and/or come online.

 

[Craig]

I think ZIM should be chucked out of test cricket. They simply will never have potential to become a powerhouse. They don't have the structures. They are a shambles. Even in their prime they still hovered between the bottem two spots in tests. Time to pull the plug until they manage to get some depth and develop their structures..which i believe won't happen for a long time, if ever. As for Bangladesh. Give them another five years before making any decisions. They haven't been around long enough yet and need time to prove themselves. No point in the ICC backtracking on that one.

If i was the ICC i would really give the game some decent exposure in Japan, China and America/ Canada and try globalise the game even further. They might as well give it a crack

It is China that interests me.

They have said themselves at some point they would like to be the best in the world. They have the population to do so, and I would like to see what their plains for starting off their grass roots cricket to have the depth and talent to go onto the big time.

 

[Chubb]

I find it completely astonishing to drop Vermeulen. Mpofu and Nkala should not be playing either. Panyangara and Rainsford have proved they have the talent to succeed against a team like Bangladesh, Mpofu and Nkala have done nothing in their time in international cricket- I know Mpofu's on debut but there is no way he's a better bowler than Rainsford.

It's wrong to say Zimbabwe don't or rather didn't have the structures to develop cricket- It's the administrators and the politicians that are at fault. Steve James, James Kirtley and Mark Wagh have all said that the Zimbabwe domestic system in its old form was a great finishing school, and the league cricket was very strong. Zimbabwe have produced four truly world class players in their time in test cricket, the two Flowers, Dave Houghton and Streak and maybe Ray Price as well. They had what it took. It's the Zanu PF that's ruined the game and the country as well.