Who should bat at 6 in the upcoming Test?

[bayhaus]

You'd hate to admit it guys, but this lineup gives you more confidence than having a Tino, Waller, Craig & Forster somewhere in there!

Mawoyo will ride on his 160 for another 5 tests or so just like Coventary has been riding on his 194 for the past however many years since he scored it. Ignoring Mawoyo after that knock is the same as peeps who insisted Vusi shouldnt be in the test team even after his phenomenal year where he stacked up the runs.

Duffin instead of Mawoyo? Does Mawoyo have to score a triple century for you to back him?

[ZIMDOGGY]

So clearly it's a case of "Malcolm in the middle"

[eugene]

I hadn't posted a lineup yet, Flower Power.

My team for the test would be

1. Tino Mawoyo
2. Vusi Sibanda
3. Hamilton Masakadza
4. Brendan Taylor
5. Craig Ervine
6. Malcolm Waller
7. Tatenda Taibu
8. Keegan Meth
9. Prosper Utseya (Cremer if he was fit)
10. Ray Price
11. Kyle Jarvis (I could also see Mpofu here if Jarvis is unfit)

I'd go with this team, except I'd include Chigumbura instead of Utseya. Waller can be the 5th bowling option.

I reckon the allrounder needs to be at seven. Taibu is too good to play so low in the order. So either Chigumbura or Lamb for mine. I don't know if Meth is ready for a Test spot just yet; but if he plays in the warm-up and gets a 4 or 5 wicket haul I'd definitely think about changing my stance on that.

I still think Lamb, Price, Vitori, Jarvis, Mpofu is the ideal lineup but the Queens pitch and obviously injuries need to be taken into account. So it's almost guaranteed that one or two of Utseya, Chigumbura, Meth and maybe a dark horse like Ncube will play on Tuesday.

My allrounder is at 7. Taibu is the wicketkeeper-batsman allrounder just like Adam Gilchrist was for Australia.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Okay, but Australia had the likes of Waugh, Martyn, Clarke, Hussey in the middle order so they could afford to have him come in at seven. Taibu is one of Zimbabwe's most important batsmen; it is a waste if most of his time at the crease is spent with a tail-ender.

[Conant]

It seems almost certain that Waller has nailed down a Test spot after that match winning performance yesterday. I was willing Foster to make just 40 yesterday , and he would have made a huge case for himself but clearly Malcolm Waller has leapfrogged him in this one.

Not that it’s a cause for complaint really: isn’t this what we want of our favourite players: to pick themselves so that we don’t have to constantly defend their inclusion in these forums. Which is why the five votes garnered by Craig Ervine is very puzzling.

Brian Vitori cannot be considered at this point, even if he has recovered fitness. You do not pick a fast bowler, or even batsmen for that matter, when he has not played cricket in four weeks against a composition that has been playing day in and day out for the past two weeks.

Even in football matches, Wayne Rooney would be considered as a 60th minute replacement first.

So the line up for one-off Test should look something like this:

1. Tino Mawoyo {He’s due a failure soon. Its mystifying to me how very ordinary First Class stats are translating to Test performances where he's punching well above his weight (no pun intended)}

2. Vusi Sibanda

3. Hamilton Masakadza {who really should reconsider about playing T20s: they just seem to take his away his form and create unnecessary pressure for him (and selectors) in other formats }

4. Brandon Taylor {Say what you will but this man is best in the middle order, across all formats}

5. Tatenda Taibu {If he's still unfit to keep wicket it will create a VERY big headache for everyone}

6. Malcolm Waller

7. Elton Chigumbura {He should toil hard, should be the least affected bu this wicket}

8. Kyle Jarvis {Am worried about this man; can he handle he toil of five days Test on an unresponsive pitch?}

9. Raymond Price

10. Natsai Mushangwe

11. Christopher Mpofu

[eugene]

Is it M'Shangwe or Mushangwe or both?

[hhm]

Tino Mawoyo {He’s due a failure soon. Its mystifying to me how very ordinary First Class stats are translating to Test performances where he's punching well above his weight (no pun intended)}

Agreed!

Kyle Jarvis {Am worried about this man; can he handle he toil of five days Test on an unresponsive pitch?}

He cannot!

Natsai Mushangwe

Poor child Cremer should probably give him a call

[Jemisi]

Okay, but Australia had the likes of Waugh, Martyn, Clarke, Hussey in the middle order so they could afford to have him come in at seven. Taibu is one of Zimbabwe's most important batsmen; it is a waste if most of his time at the crease is spent with a tail-ender.

But 7 doesn't look so low with Chigs and Meth coming in afterwards. And with a four man attack plus Waller, You have to fit the batsmen in somewhere. You could have Waller at 7, Taibs at 5, Ervine at 6. Or Ervine 5 Taibu 6 Waller 7. But how ever you manage the middle order, I think the team is better with all of them in there. If Ervine is dropped, I'd have Mutizwa in at 7, with Waller 6 and Taibu 5.

[Jemisi]

That would save Taylor from having to keep if Taibu can't and makes an easier test entrance for Mutizwa at 7.

[Boundary]

Why is Lamb being ignored? His strike rate isn't good enough for one dayers, but in the test at Byo he did ok. Is it a matter of Chiggs vs Meth vs Lamb? On a slow pitch at Queens, I think Lamb will get in.