Won both white ball series. Would have taken that at the start of the tour.
When are our next T20s? Need to fix a couple of areas ahead of the qualifiers.
Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
According to the ftp thread the was a t20 series in Zimdesh next month. Didn’t those white ball series get dropped in favour of tests though?
Other than that there is a tri series in July.
Doesn’t seem much cricket.
Other than that there is a tri series in July.
Doesn’t seem much cricket.
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
The players are there , no need to play Wellington in this format. There are other spin options who can bat. Campbell for Wellington is one change. N.Welch for Wes is another , Higgins for Gwandu and Mayavo for Marumani
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
I think what I like about Musekiwa is that if he connects, it's a six without question. To me that's the most important role of a T20 batsman coming in at number 7. When it comes off then you have a good chance of winning. His stats in T20 internationals so far are actually ok. I doubt Ireland were going to chase that. Those extra plus or minus 20 runs would have made a difference in my opinion unless their top order really went hard.
If you have your number 7 having to come in early and play a conservative knock initially then the top order would have failed. That's not supposed to be his job. Still all have them have to "upskill" like the coach keeps saying
his favourite word. Better teams will not giving you a sniff but against the smaller teams you need guys like that. I'm sick and tired of guys who just don't have enough power to clear the ropes being expected to win us matches.
If you have your number 7 having to come in early and play a conservative knock initially then the top order would have failed. That's not supposed to be his job. Still all have them have to "upskill" like the coach keeps saying
his favourite word. Better teams will not giving you a sniff but against the smaller teams you need guys like that. I'm sick and tired of guys who just don't have enough power to clear the ropes being expected to win us matches.Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
That rain interruption was annoying to say the least. It's not like either country is that busy, they should have a 5 match T20 series and if rain interferes they should reschedule. We desperately need good opposition and time to try different players and combos.
I wish they'd move that square boundary rope in 10m, especially for T20's. We currently have one of the biggest grounds in the world. I know we're at altitude, but it is enuf of a factor that it changes batters' stats a bit.
Ya Ireland needed just under 8 an over with a really slow outfield, which was a tall order. Sterling does not enjoy facing either of our seamers. He got squared up time after time.
If our seamers had brought their A game in the power play we were in with a good shout, but you just never know with them. I was looking forward to seeing if Gwandu was going to bowl well again. He was bowling some excellent slower balls.
Upskilling is an interesting word, if only it were that easy. One decent innings from Musekiwa and two from Munyonga should not be enough to lock them in, they just weren't that convincing for me. Munyonga played well for his 40 but yesterday's innings was nowhere near as fluent, it was lucky in fact. I'll take the runs obviously, but there were a lot of poor shots in those innings. You can go run a ball and two 6's rescues your strike rate. I know those selectors will be rubbing their hands together and saying job done.
Being able to clear the boundary eventually shouldn't make you get too excited, thats a low bar. The one thing I like about Musekiwa is that I can see there's a lot of self belief there. He looks determined and up for the fight, great outfielder as well.
I wish these guys would make a deal with Higgins, he's a good player and he'd make a difference to our team as the seaming all-rounder in all formats that we so desperately need. I wish someone would realize that. It's so frustrating that they don't seem to understand or care what constitutes a good side.
Maru has surely shot his bolt as the keeper batsman up the order for now. They could of course play him down the order and give him a lifeline. Down the order he's still better than Mayavo in my view. Mayavo is just not a good enuf bat atm unless he's a good candidate for "upskilling."
The only other guy they haven't had a look at and don't seem to intend to is Matt Welch. If he'd had the 30-60 games the others have had he'd have locked in that spot a long time ago.
It's just ridiculous that we play our franchise T20 at the end of the season. We need to have multiple games at the start so we can see who to select for our internationals. They should back to back them with the NPL T20's.
Masakadza is a tricky one, he's a "containing" bowler in T20, he's not a wicket taker. He's a good player, but he shouldn't be making the side just as a container. He can bat a bit as well, but not good enuf to justify a spot as a batsman.
Campbell definitely offers more as a batsman in my opinion. We have Raza and Burl that bowl and Bennett needs more exposure. Thats 3 ok spinners, with Cambell as a 4th. That makes Welly a passenger. You could actually select a pure batter in his place, I'm just saying Campbell because he's in the squad. Teams like Australia get upset if one guy doesn't quite fit. The alarm bells only go off here when there's 3 or more players that are not the best options.
We have to assume Naqvi will buy a passport at some point or he wouldn't still be here. Where does he slot in in T20?
Logic dictates he replaces Welly, but we won't see that. He may well go up the order as a pure batter to replace Wes or Maru perhaps, but NW should be there. I can almost guarantee they'll shuffle the chairs so Welly stays. I'm not saying he's shit, he's a good player, but if we ever needed more proof that selections stink, this will be it...again and again and again.
If BT does come back and he's up to speed that changes things, especially if he can still keep. Williams needs to come out of forced retirement for T20's as well. We need to try and win some T20's and not use it as a "development" format.
I mean here's a good team-
Bennett, Welch, Williams, Raza, Naqvi, BT, Burl, Higgins, Ngarava, Mazarabani. That's 10 proper players right there.
Pick anyone out of Munyonga, Musekiwa, Campbell, Welch Jr, Curran, K-Long, Wes, Maru, Gwandu, Myers, Bawa for that last slot.
We've done the Wish list teams ad nauseum, and always with players that are unavailable. Here's a really really strong team in-country on our door step. How sad is it that ZC would rather hacksaw their arms off than consider this?
I wish they'd move that square boundary rope in 10m, especially for T20's. We currently have one of the biggest grounds in the world. I know we're at altitude, but it is enuf of a factor that it changes batters' stats a bit.
Ya Ireland needed just under 8 an over with a really slow outfield, which was a tall order. Sterling does not enjoy facing either of our seamers. He got squared up time after time.
If our seamers had brought their A game in the power play we were in with a good shout, but you just never know with them. I was looking forward to seeing if Gwandu was going to bowl well again. He was bowling some excellent slower balls.
Upskilling is an interesting word, if only it were that easy. One decent innings from Musekiwa and two from Munyonga should not be enough to lock them in, they just weren't that convincing for me. Munyonga played well for his 40 but yesterday's innings was nowhere near as fluent, it was lucky in fact. I'll take the runs obviously, but there were a lot of poor shots in those innings. You can go run a ball and two 6's rescues your strike rate. I know those selectors will be rubbing their hands together and saying job done.
Being able to clear the boundary eventually shouldn't make you get too excited, thats a low bar. The one thing I like about Musekiwa is that I can see there's a lot of self belief there. He looks determined and up for the fight, great outfielder as well.
I wish these guys would make a deal with Higgins, he's a good player and he'd make a difference to our team as the seaming all-rounder in all formats that we so desperately need. I wish someone would realize that. It's so frustrating that they don't seem to understand or care what constitutes a good side.
Maru has surely shot his bolt as the keeper batsman up the order for now. They could of course play him down the order and give him a lifeline. Down the order he's still better than Mayavo in my view. Mayavo is just not a good enuf bat atm unless he's a good candidate for "upskilling."
The only other guy they haven't had a look at and don't seem to intend to is Matt Welch. If he'd had the 30-60 games the others have had he'd have locked in that spot a long time ago.
It's just ridiculous that we play our franchise T20 at the end of the season. We need to have multiple games at the start so we can see who to select for our internationals. They should back to back them with the NPL T20's.
Masakadza is a tricky one, he's a "containing" bowler in T20, he's not a wicket taker. He's a good player, but he shouldn't be making the side just as a container. He can bat a bit as well, but not good enuf to justify a spot as a batsman.
Campbell definitely offers more as a batsman in my opinion. We have Raza and Burl that bowl and Bennett needs more exposure. Thats 3 ok spinners, with Cambell as a 4th. That makes Welly a passenger. You could actually select a pure batter in his place, I'm just saying Campbell because he's in the squad. Teams like Australia get upset if one guy doesn't quite fit. The alarm bells only go off here when there's 3 or more players that are not the best options.
We have to assume Naqvi will buy a passport at some point or he wouldn't still be here. Where does he slot in in T20?
Logic dictates he replaces Welly, but we won't see that. He may well go up the order as a pure batter to replace Wes or Maru perhaps, but NW should be there. I can almost guarantee they'll shuffle the chairs so Welly stays. I'm not saying he's shit, he's a good player, but if we ever needed more proof that selections stink, this will be it...again and again and again.
If BT does come back and he's up to speed that changes things, especially if he can still keep. Williams needs to come out of forced retirement for T20's as well. We need to try and win some T20's and not use it as a "development" format.
I mean here's a good team-
Bennett, Welch, Williams, Raza, Naqvi, BT, Burl, Higgins, Ngarava, Mazarabani. That's 10 proper players right there.
Pick anyone out of Munyonga, Musekiwa, Campbell, Welch Jr, Curran, K-Long, Wes, Maru, Gwandu, Myers, Bawa for that last slot.
We've done the Wish list teams ad nauseum, and always with players that are unavailable. Here's a really really strong team in-country on our door step. How sad is it that ZC would rather hacksaw their arms off than consider this?
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
Agree, Googly. That’s a bloody strong team. Surely Sammons knows and wants this? Who are the fuckwits blocking this? Mutendera?
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
Well Higgins they clearly feel should come here and play for a year for free like Welch has done. His record speaks for itself.
Naqvi has his passport issue to resolve, but I'm guessing that's imminent.
Williams I guarantee is forced retirement to "phase in" the next generation, which then in theory should also apply to Taylor. I understand the "phasing in" thing because when the Big 3 go (soon to be Big 4) it's going to look untidy.
The guys they've hung their hats on, aside from Bennett, have been very ordinary.
If you had that team I suggested and then had their favorites-
Myers, Madande, Shumba, Munyonga, Marumani, Gwandu, Madhevere, Masakadza and then other guys like Curran, Welch Jr, Campbell x2 , Frost x2, Kaia, K-long etc making up an A side that genuinely had a full fixture list against good opposition you'd soon see who would come thru the ranks.
Don't completely discount Ballance coming back, nor Schadendorf nor Byrom.
I mean that's how any other nation would surely go about it?
I mean we've got some good players floating around now. These sides they keep picking I could pick an alternative side that would likely beat them. When have we ever been able to say that? You could almost pick a 3rd side that wouldn't be too bad either.
Naqvi has his passport issue to resolve, but I'm guessing that's imminent.
Williams I guarantee is forced retirement to "phase in" the next generation, which then in theory should also apply to Taylor. I understand the "phasing in" thing because when the Big 3 go (soon to be Big 4) it's going to look untidy.
The guys they've hung their hats on, aside from Bennett, have been very ordinary.
If you had that team I suggested and then had their favorites-
Myers, Madande, Shumba, Munyonga, Marumani, Gwandu, Madhevere, Masakadza and then other guys like Curran, Welch Jr, Campbell x2 , Frost x2, Kaia, K-long etc making up an A side that genuinely had a full fixture list against good opposition you'd soon see who would come thru the ranks.
Don't completely discount Ballance coming back, nor Schadendorf nor Byrom.
I mean that's how any other nation would surely go about it?
I mean we've got some good players floating around now. These sides they keep picking I could pick an alternative side that would likely beat them. When have we ever been able to say that? You could almost pick a 3rd side that wouldn't be too bad either.
Re: Zimbabwe vs Ireland | 3rd T20I | 25 February 2025
Williams is one of the very best but don't see the need to have him back really. Even the whole BT move, these resources can be used better in different capacities. Is Jarvis still a scout i wonder how many players he has scouted so far. ZC just has a stupid way of doing things. We have a lot of players who can surely fit in the side before the qualifiers come along. Pity we hardly play domestic T20 to see how they all stack up. Jury is still out on Naqvi and Higgins can we really make them part of the conversation.
CHRISTOPHER MPOFU: 'The problem was fear of failure. I used to think that when I played, if I didn't do well in one game, I would lose my place for the next one but now I've let go of that'