Zimbabwe are Improving!

[brockley]

zimbabwe are improving against kenya lol,fat chance a lot of the associates can beat kenya these days.

 

[Shri]

I have been noticing their performance in the last few ODI series and I am glad to see they are a improving side, hopefully this trend will continue and they will reach the 1999 level success

 

[NUFAN]

I don't think this has been mentioned anywhere on these forums yet.

Zimbabwe to play three Tests this year

What's everyone's thoughts? I think it's an excellent idea, although I wouldn't mind at least one of the series to be more than 1 Test.

Anyway, who should make the Zimbabwe Test XI? I think it's difficult to know.

 

[Chubb]

I welcome it and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action again. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

TEST XI

Taylor
Ballance
Masakadza
Williams
C Ervine
Chigumbura
Taibu
Lamb
Panyangara
Price
Rainsford


Too many bits-and-pieces but worth a shot. Ballance deserves the first go as opener if he stays in Zim. Toss up between Panyangara and Mpofu, but Panyangara has always been an impressive talent. I went for play ers of test experience or who have the ability to play long innings - no telling if it will work though. If Sean Ervine made himself available he would bat at 5, replacing Lamb in the team.

You have the likes of Sibanda, Chakabva, Malcolm Waller, Chibhabha, Matsikenyeri, Duffin, Coventry, Mawoyo, even Vermeulen competing for batting spots. Shingi Masakadza, Mahwire, Nicolson, Utseya, Cremer, Maruma and a few other handy cricketers for bowling. It will take a sort-out but the nucleus of something.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

They need to find a couple of pacemen from somewhere or they will really struggle. Yes the spin attack is ok but you can't go into tests with too many spinners and no decent pacemen or you will get hammered. Good luck to them though when they do return.

 

[Phantom]

I think they'll struggle, batting is clearly their strength, but batting in tests is another thing. They don't have any decent seam options, and their spinners are more containing dart bowlers rather than wicket takers, their best spinners are just tidy.

I did a best of XI once upon a time of the Zimbabwe team after the exodus of their best players, it was impressive.

For a country so clearly passionate about the game judging by the crowd support at the World Cup, Bangladesh are really no better than when they started, better than ZImbabwe but only just. Perhaps it's time to get some proper structures in place and get rid of Siddons. Their batsman obviously don't listen to him and continue to play rash stupid shots.

 

[NUFAN]

1 Visu Sibanda
2 Brendan Taylor
3 Hamilton Masakadza
4 Grant Flower
5 Sean Williams
6 Craig Ervine
7 Tatenda Taibu
8 Graeme Cremer
9 Ray Price
10 Ed Rainsford
11 Chris Mpofu

I really like Cremer, I think he's the most threating spin bowler from Zim.

Ervine might be lucky to be in the XI, perhaps Taibu to 6 and Lamb at 7 as an extra bowling option too. I can't really see Chigumbura playing any more Test Cricket, I would love it if Grant Flower somehow makes a comeback. I've never seen Ballance, but his stats look good.

 

[Prince EWS]

I welcome it and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action again. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

TEST XI

Taylor
Ballance
Masakadza
Williams
C Ervine
Chigumbura
Taibu
Lamb
Panyangara
Price
Rainsford


Too many bits-and-pieces but worth a shot. Ballance deserves the first go as opener if he stays in Zim. Toss up between Panyangara and Mpofu, but Panyangara has always been an impressive talent. I went for play ers of test experience or who have the ability to play long innings - no telling if it will work though. If Sean Ervine made himself available he would bat at 5, replacing Lamb in the team.

You have the likes of Sibanda, Chakabva, Malcolm Waller, Chibhabha, Matsikenyeri, Duffin, Coventry, Mawoyo, even Vermeulen competing for batting spots. Shingi Masakadza, Mahwire, Nicolson, Utseya, Cremer, Maruma and a few other handy cricketers for bowling. It will take a sort-out but the nucleus of something.

Grant Flower's done; Chigumbura in for him. I like your team otherwise though.

Ballance definitely plays if he's available, too. Probably won't be though.

 

[Prince EWS]

I welcome it and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action again. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

TEST XI

Taylor
Ballance
Masakadza
Williams
C Ervine
Chigumbura
Taibu
Lamb
Panyangara
Price
Rainsford


Too many bits-and-pieces but worth a shot. Ballance deserves the first go as opener if he stays in Zim. Toss up between Panyangara and Mpofu, but Panyangara has always been an impressive talent. I went for play ers of test experience or who have the ability to play long innings - no telling if it will work though. If Sean Ervine made himself available he would bat at 5, replacing Lamb in the team.

You have the likes of Sibanda, Chakabva, Malcolm Waller, Chibhabha, Matsikenyeri, Duffin, Coventry, Mawoyo, even Vermeulen competing for batting spots. Shingi Masakadza, Mahwire, Nicolson, Utseya, Cremer, Maruma and a few other handy cricketers for bowling. It will take a sort-out but the nucleus of something.

I wonder if the likes of Anthony Ireland can be coaxed into coming home if the lure of Test cricket is there. You didn't mention Meth either; he's definitely in the mix IMO.

 

[Chubb]

Ireland's made a go of county cricket so yeah, if he came back he'd make the side. I may be a bit defensive in my selection, which I'm not sure will be Alan Butcher's approach.

Does anyone know what Ballance's intentions are? There's no doubt he is the best opener in Zimbabwean cricket at the moment, but he still has a contract at Yorkshire?

I'm not sure Vusi wants to open now; I really rate him though. All he ever needed to do was learn to concentrate - these days he can play those long innings, be a captain and a senior player. Purely because he may not be at his best as opener I'd sooner play someone like Duffin or Mawoyo (at first) if Ballance is not around.

 

[Prince EWS]

Mawoyo is dire IMO. I'd sooner play a half-fit Sibanda with one arm and no legs out of position than him.

 

[Chubb]

He's had big wraps on him for a while, though. And they called him up to the World Cup squad so he must be in their thoughts as an opener. But of course you're not disputing how he's regarded, just how good he is. And he is no Vusi.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I like the idea of them playing home tests against (to quote the article) mid-table test sides (rather flattering to Bangladesh, but hey ho) rather than the pointless overseas thrashings Bangladesh continue to suffer.

 

[Howe_zat]

I like the idea of them playing home tests against (to quote the article) mid-table test sides (rather flattering to Bangladesh, but hey ho) rather than the pointless overseas thrashings Bangladesh continue to suffer.

Quite. Could turn out to be a good argument for divisional test cricket.

 

[Bringbackbondy]

I was thinking about this just the other day so this is what i would go with assuming everyone is available.

1. Brendan Taylor
2. Gary Ballance
3. Nick Compton
4. Sean Williams
5. Craig Ervine
6. Sean Ervine
7. Tatenda Taibu +
8. Graeme Cremer
9. Ray Price (C)
10. Tendai Chatara
11. Anthony Ireland

 

[Prince EWS]

Gotta play Rainsford; one of the first picked.

 

[Chubb]

I was thinking about this just the other day so this is what i would go with assuming everyone is available.

1. Brendan Taylor
2. Gary Ballance
3. Nick Compton
4. Sean Williams
5. Craig Ervine
6. Sean Ervine
7. Tatenda Taibu +
8. Graeme Cremer
9. Ray Price (C)
10. Tendai Chatara
11. Anthony Ireland

Nick Compton was playing in the Logan Cup as an overseas player.

 

[Bringbackbondy]

Nick Compton was playing in the Logan Cup as an overseas player.

I'm sure I read somewhere he wanted to play for Zimbabwe.



Edit: This is all i could find..http://www.theindependent.co.zw/sport/29281-compton-keen-on-zim.html

 

[Chubb]

Interesting, but I'll believe it when I see it. I didn't realise his mother was Zimbabwean, actually. Assumed she was a South African like Compton. You do have to be careful around reports in Zimbabwe's newspapers, though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Interesting, but I'll believe it when I see it. I didn't realise his mother was Zimbabwean, actually. Assumed she was a South African like Compton. You do have to be careful around reports in Zimbabwe's newspapers, though.

It was mentioned on the Zimbabwe Cricket forum a while back before that article though, IIRC.