New Zimbabwe ODI allrounders?

[Conant]

I think Graeme Cremer. The raw batting talent is there, and as long as it didn't affect his bowling then maybe the batting coaches should be spending time with him to take his game to the next level.

Surely you are joking?! The man bats like Chuckie Coventry!

[eugene]

Piet Rinke. He can open both the bowling and the batting.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I think Graeme Cremer. The raw batting talent is there, and as long as it didn't affect his bowling then maybe the batting coaches should be spending time with him to take his game to the next level.

Surely you are joking?! The man bats like Chuckie Coventry!

The OP asked who could chip in with a quick 50 and take a few wickets, not who could provide the most elegant stroke play. Cremer is a more powerful hitter than Utseya, therefore fits the description more suitably. The fringe players (namely Meth, Maruma and S Masakadza) haven't shown enough at international level to be selected ahead of the current group (yet).

In fairness to Utseya, I think he is quite a talented lower order batsman who could prove more than handy in Test matches. At this stage in their respective careers I'd pick him over Cremer as the guy to bat through to stumps and save a Test match.

[Cribbage]

Panyangara? Just played a nice shot.

Seriously though I don't think it's a major issue. The lower order is quite good - it'd definitely be nice if one of Lamb, Cremer or Utseya was a more natural hitter to press the advantage in the last few overs, but they're all good enough to contribute down the order (even if Lamb hasn't quite shown it internationally yet).

Failing that, Williams and Chigumbura are allrounders. Playing seven batsmen is definitely an option if Chigumbura can sort his bowling out a bit more; he was Zimbabwe's best fast bowler at one point and was batting eight and opening the bowling. Williams has been under-bowled his entire career but the man can definitely bowl; if he worked on it more I don't think they'd be too much difference between what Lamb sends down and what he could.

Just please - no Butterworth and no more Dabengwa. Please please please.

[Zimfanatic69]

We need the man, the legend.

MATSI.