Zim's World Cup Squad & One-And-Only Fantasy Squad Thread

[jamthala]

zin announced squad so early.

[ZIMALLTHEWAY]

We are certain that Zim will come back to test cricket by this year or maybe next year or two. But I am little worried, we will be left with more white players which may bring back the crisis we had after 2004. There is a rumor Ballance will be in test matches, we have talked about Duffin and chances of Anthony Ireland coming back too. Prosper might not get a chance in test matches as he is kind of an odi bowler..lets say Hammie struggles to comeback. We have slowly lost Matsi, Dabengwa, Maruma etc. I strongly believe Zim team should be based on quality players and best team should be selected regardless of race or ethnicity. Lets see how our team is likely to be in coming days.

Gary Ballance
Brandan Taylor
Craig Ervine
Vusi Sibanada(probably)/Mark Vermulean/Greg Lamb
Sean Williams
Taibu(certain)
Sean Ervine
AG Cremer
Ray Price
Ireland
Jarvis/Chitara

Taibu will certainly make in 11 but I am worried about other players. Chigumbura, Chakbha,Chibabha,Vusi, Prosper will have hard time finding spot in the test team. To be honest I dont think all these players are consistent enough to be in the team and are average players, no way better than the best 11 I am talking above. Sikander Raza, Horton, Ricki Wessels are other players who are trying to get into Zim cricket, if this happens than I am afraid we may have a crisis like 2004.

[clikcspeed]

Squad should and will be based on quality - if you are following Logan Cup and MetBank Series, you, like everyone else should have a "pointer" on who will make the test squad based on performances in the domestic competition. There will be no crisis.

[Conant]

also.....whats the over/under before someone starts crying racism?

8/15 are white.........thats the highest its been since 2004.

6/10 for complaints; 13/10 nobody complains. Which one u taking doggy?

[Tinashce Ruswa]

Forget racism rants numbers don't lie....

Think Zimcricket headed in the right direction.It's simple you don't perform you out....And with the FCsetup the test squad will eventually pick itself!

[sloandog]

I strongly believe Zim team should be based on quality players and best team should be selected .

You've, in a way, made a contradiction.
You say there's going to be a race issue over the white players, but if they're the best we have they should be selecte, something you also agree on...?
Very contradictive argument mate

[Boundary]

I wouldn't let Lamb open and I've got concerns about his ODI strike rate (45.57) but I'll include him - we need The Spin Quartet - instead of Williams (decent strike rate but in 45 ODIs only 11 50s and no 100s). Here's my world cup 11:

1. Brendan Taylor
2. Charles Coventry
3. Tatenda Taibu
4. Craig Ervine
5. Sean Ervine
6. Elton Chigumbura
7. Greg Lamb
8. Prosper Utseya
9. Graeme Cremer
10. Ray Price
11. Christopher Mpofu

Taibu needs the opportunity to bat in the middle of the innings properly and rotate strike (he's a keeper as well, so a lot will asked of him). Both Ervines need to halt the familiar collapse and stay with Taibu and the powerplay needs to be taken soon after Chigumbura walks onto the pitch.

As for the Test lineup that side is slowly picking itself and I'm leaning on making Vusi Sibanda its captain because if Chiggs has a bad world cup I can't see any justification of him being in the Test team, let alone leading it (but he'll always be in my one day sides). And oh, we're all past the racism issue, I've endured a black majority squad getting clobbered so I'd take a winning team regardless of its racial composition any day.

[ZIMDOGGY]

We are certain that Zim will come back to test cricket by this year or maybe next year or two. But I am little worried, we will be left with more white players which may bring back the crisis we had after 2004. There is a rumor Ballance will be in test matches, we have talked about Duffin and chances of Anthony Ireland coming back too. Prosper might not get a chance in test matches as he is kind of an odi bowler..lets say Hammie struggles to comeback. We have slowly lost Matsi, Dabengwa, Maruma etc. I strongly believe Zim team should be based on quality players and best team should be selected regardless of race or ethnicity. Lets see how our team is likely to be in coming days.

Gary Ballance
Brandan Taylor
Craig Ervine
Vusi Sibanada(probably)/Mark Vermulean/Greg Lamb
Sean Williams
Taibu(certain)
Sean Ervine
AG Cremer
Ray Price
Ireland
Jarvis/Chitara

Taibu will certainly make in 11 but I am worried about other players. Chigumbura, Chakbha,Chibabha,Vusi, Prosper will have hard time finding spot in the test team. To be honest I dont think all these players are consistent enough to be in the team and are average players, no way better than the best 11 I am talking above. Sikander Raza, Horton, Ricki Wessels are other players who are trying to get into Zim cricket, if this happens than I am afraid we may have a crisis like 2004.

i really dont know how to take this comment.
Do you mean you dont like zim cricket being white dominant?
or do you mean your worried should another crisis occur they will all leave?

On the contrary though...if all these white players are returning its a sign of health for the nations cricketing stocks.

Someone like ervine is probably sacrificing cash for the love of his country...a country whos leader doesnt want people like him there.

It speaks volumes on the improvements in the setup and the countrys health when a player has been lost but comes back after having made it elsewhere

[sloandog]

Exactly.
I think one of the main white players to have returned to Zimbabwe has been Gary Ballance.
His talent and opening batting technique should be used to our dvantage when we eventaull return to test cricket.

[maehara]

Exactly.
I think one of the main white players to have returned to Zimbabwe has been Gary Ballance.
His talent and opening batting technique should be used to our dvantage when we eventaull return to test cricket.

His "return" is a strange case, though - he's playing as an "overseas" player and isn't available for selection for the national side. Seems to still have one eye on qualifying for England.