[Match Thread] New Zealand v Zimbabwe: 2nd ODI

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Picking Matiskinyeri is like that old Simpsons episode when Lisa wires up a cupcake to a electrical charge and Bart, upon seeing the cupcake try's to pick it up and gets an electric shock. Instead of learning his lesson he keeps attempting to pick up the cupcake only to get zapped over and over and over and over again. When will the selectors learn? How many times does Matiskinyeri have to fail before they realise that maybe, just maybe he ain't up to it.

What are your thoughts about Watters so far?

[The Saint]

What are your thoughts about Watters so far?[/quote]

Hard to judge, i guess i will reserve my opinion until the season progresses.

[ZIMDOGGY]

It's just been one of those tours. When Price and Utseya have economy rates of 6.7 and 7.1 you know the team is having a bad time of it. It was bound to happen sooner or later, it's a shame it has been so comprehensive but nonetheless I think some good has come out of all of this carnage.

Despite being expensive in the Test, Cremer impressed. Turn, bounce, dip, the wrong-un - all of this on a first day pitch in overseas conditions. That's very pleasing, and his batting was more than adequate. Jarvis has been by far the best of the seamers this series. His pace has gone up as the series has progressed, he's still getting it to swing away considerably from the right handers and he's generally held tight lines. S Masakadza has shown himself to be a suitable squad member - he still needs to work on his bad balls because they are still too regular, but on the whole he's improving and he's been decent with the bat too. Vitori needs to work on his stamina but while he has the ability to swing the ball both ways at will he should always be an automatic selection in my opinion. In three years time any combination of Cremer, Jarvis, Vitori, Mpofu and S Masakadza is a mouth watering prospect. With 20 odd Tests under their belts they will be much more confident and threatening bowlers.

Nothing to write home about in the batting. The usual suspects bar Masakadza have all done something decent even if not consistently. Chakabva has been a bit of a revelation; he's overtaken Mutizwa and is finally demonstrating what the selectors have seen in him for so long. He is an exciting prospect and will get better with exposure; although I see him right now as more of a Test batsman he appears to have the talent to cross that over into ODIs. Masakadza is in a bit of strife - his bowling is more valuable than his batting at the moment. Unfortunately Matsikenyeri has lived up expectations so far. He's opened 30 odd times in ODIs; there's no excuse. Chigumbura's return to form is timely; a good allrounder is beneficial to any team.

The difference between this squad and the one of last year is that this is a squad of individuals (which is why everything seems so haphazard in this tour), last year it was a squad performing as a team. This tour will be a huge wake up call. This group, which is almost the best group Zimbabwe has to offer, looks mentally broken. The worst thing to do would be to shake things up as it won't achieve anything. I'd like to see the same squad during the next tour, with the exception of Sibanda back in for Matsikenyeri - and barring any spectacular antics in domestic cricket.

Where we watching the same game here BRM?

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I was talking about the tour to date, not just the 2nd ODI.

[eugene]

Watching Matsi bat is like watching Saturday morning school cricket. You would never guess he has played 8-10 years worth of ODI cricket, has he learnt anything? Matsi is finished as far as international cricket is concerned, unless he scores a double century in the next ODI. I don't care if people say he has been made to open, Ray Price could do a better job at the top of the order. Hamilton Masakadza is close to being finished also, at least in ODIs.

[hhm]

When the whole world was watching the cream of Zim cricket on display alongside some top imports, Matsi outshined every single one of our batsmen in the Stanbic T20! Why else do you think a man who has no idea what the top three looks like for over 3 years, was thrown in to open in his very first innings away - to stifle his progress!

[eugene]

I hate to tell you this hhm but T20 isn't really cricket. Anyone can get hot in T20 cricket. How many times have we seen T20 stars fail miserably in other forms of cricket. Plus the Stanbic T20 isn't international cricket. Matsi doesn't even display a good technique when he plays internationally, and his technique is supposedly his strong point.

[aydee]

When the whole world was watching the cream of Zim cricket on display alongside some top imports, Matsi outshined every single one of our batsmen in the Stanbic T20! Why else do you think a man who has no idea what the top three looks like for over 3 years, was thrown in to open in his very first innings away - to stifle his progress!

Where did he bat in said Standbic t20?

[ZIMDOGGY]

I was talking about the tour to date, not just the 2nd ODI.

Whatever drugs you are on..
may I please have some?

[hhm]

I was talking about the tour to date, not just the 2nd ODI.

Whatever drugs you are on.. may I please have some?

I've been battling to understand why on earth BRM still has so much positive to say, but I guess the failures of the team have hit some here harder than we thought!