Name your Test XI

[betterdays]

Praveen Kumar and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar of India.

I think those 2 would average about 12 with the ball in the Logan Cup...

probably not - we've had guys in the logan cup who play in the couties and don't do anything outrageously special in Zim.

but they'd almost certainly make the Zim side!

[foreignfield]

I was impressed that he was still swinging the older ball considerably.

It will be very, very interesting to see how he fares against better sides and in different conditions. If he can get that sort of movement anytime, everywhere he will have a bright future in Test cricket.

I was as worried about his lack of pace as the next fool, but I'm starting to believe it's all rather a problem of labeling: Meth is clearly not a "pace" bowler, even the term medium pacer is somewhat misleading. Players like him or Praveen Kumar are something entirely different, in between spin and pace, how about "RS" = Right Arm Swing? Or "RIOS" = Right Arm In- and Outswing" -- there are never too many four-letter acronomys out there.

[takleg]

Cremer for me has to go. He drops catches, leaks runs and takes no wickets. His bowling speeds are too slow for international cricket, averages 1 long hop every 4-7 balls, definitely not good enough.

Elton. A bits and pieces alrounder whose game is better suited to limited over cricket. He's a NO for me in Tests. In his place comes Sean Williams and I believe Hamilton is a better bowler than him so that's that.

Waller. He sticks around, but will probably never really excel. I like him, I really do, but, I'd rather have somebody with a much better technique and ability than him. So Craig Ervine replaces him.

Mawoyo
Sibanda
Hamilton Masakadza
Taylor(c)
Ervine
Williams
Mutumbami(wk)
Meth
Shingi Masakadza
Price/M'shangwe
Jarvis

[betterdays]

Mawoyo
Sibanda
Hamilton Masakadza
Taylor(c)
Ervine
Williams
Mutumbami(wk)
Meth
Shingi Masakadza
Price/M'shangwe
Jarvis

I find myself surprisingly swayed by this team. I like it. Pro is genuinely one of my all time favorite Zimbabwean cricketers but I'm not sure bringing him back is the wisest decision ... on the other hand, as someone else said, leggies work best when they have big totals behind them so we may struggle to fit a leggie in as our regular spinning option. Still, this fool maintains doubts over Meth and as' big brother George O' says; "Harken unto a fool, lest he be wise in his own contempt"

[Jemisi]

Cremer for me has to go. He drops catches, leaks runs and takes no wickets. His bowling speeds are too slow for international cricket, averages 1 long hop every 4-7 balls, definitely not good enough.

Elton. A bits and pieces alrounder whose game is better suited to limited over cricket. He's a NO for me in Tests. In his place comes Sean Williams and I believe Hamilton is a better bowler than him so that's that.

Waller. He sticks around, but will probably never really excel. I like him, I really do, but, I'd rather have somebody with a much better technique and ability than him. So Craig Ervine replaces him.

Mawoyo
Sibanda
Hamilton Masakadza
Taylor(c)
Ervine
Williams
Mutumbami(wk)
Meth
Shingi Masakadza
Price/M'shangwe
Jarvis

But with Ervine unavailable this winter you'd keep Waller?

[foreignfield]

Still, this fool maintains doubts over Meth and as' big brother George O' says; "Harken unto a fool, lest he be wise in his own contempt"

I'm not sure I've come across a forumite yet who does not have his doubts about Meth.

In fact I struggle to name a Zimbabwean player about whom I have no doubts at all. Maybe Andy Flower in his pomp ... but then he had a certain weakness against agressive pace bowling ...

Like the fact that almost everybody goes for Mutumbami as the Test keeper .

[aydee]

Still, this fool maintains doubts over Meth and as' big brother George O' says; "Harken unto a fool, lest he be wise in his own contempt"

I'm not sure I've come across a forumite yet who does not have his doubts about Meth.

In fact I struggle to name a Zimbabwean player about whom I have no doubts at all. Maybe Andy Flower in his pomp ... but then he had a certain weakness against agressive pace bowling ...

Like the fact that almost everybody goes for Mutumbami as the Test keeper .

I'm definitely a Meth fan. His pace is not an issue for me. He deserved his chance, as he has been outstanding at getting batsmen out in first class cricket, couldn't care less that he did so without threatening 80 mph. He then backed this up by performing excellently in these test matches.

[betterdays]

Like the fact that almost everybody goes for Mutumbami as the Test keeper .

I'm definitely a Meth fan. His pace is not an issue for me. He deserved his chance, as he has been outstanding at getting batsmen out in first class cricket, couldn't care less that he did so without threatening 80 mph. He then backed this up by performing excellently in these test matches.

we have been a little generous to Mutambami (considering Chaks' contribution in NZ) - but he really looked the part the other day!

re Meth, we can wait and see. he DID deserve his chance but he got it in far more favourable conditions than Chatara (ie home vs BD!). He was not overly threatening in the BDs second innings (1st test) and is batting in the second test wasn't quite up to an 'allrounders' standard. His bowling was good overall and for that reason one would suppose he'll get another chance but even in favourable conditions he was not unplayable by any stretch (a little maybe at the top of the first test)...but he kept the RR down so the average looks a lot better than the SR.

FF, we still have to judge by zim standards: Zim played, Flower played! Zim plays, Taylor plays! but I guess the rest we can say we have doubts about ... however, batting I see few alternatives to the main 6/7 whereas 'pace' bowling we have genuine back-up

[brmtaylor.com admin]

For the next Test series:

1. Mawoyo
2. Sibanda
3. H Masakadza
4. Taylor (c)
5. Waller
6. Chigumbura
7. Chakabva (wk)
8. Cremer
9. S Masakadza
10. Meth
11. Jarvis

Mawoyo: automatic selection in Tests

Sibanda: need to persevere with him, but if he still hasn't made any substantial contributions in Test cricket by the end of the year then his position needs to be looked at

H Masakadza: automatic selection

Taylor: automatic selection

Waller: old school Zim grinder that has a place in the side. He's doing enough to stay in the side but I think he is capable of more.

Chigumbura: question mark over his attitude in Test cricket, but he's just done enough to stay in the team.

Chakabva: I think Mutumbami showed a bit in the first innings of the 2nd Test but needs more experience at A team level as Chakabva looks more the part at the moment.

Cremer: 7 wickets at 26, 99 runs at 33. That's a pretty good series and I can't see any of the other spinners doing better than that.

S Masakadza: He has earned his position! I'm really happy for Shingi. He doesn't look like the wayward bowler he did a few years ago, and he's learnt to swing the ball! He's taken his opportunity with both hands; the decision to drop Chatara seemed harsh I thought but Shingi proved it was the correct one.

Meth: If he can be this economical against other Test nations then he deserves to be in the team. I'm still concerned his pace might be too slow for the top teams to worry about, but he's performed admirably in his first Test series and I think he has done enough to keep his spot.

Jarvis: automatic selection

[Kriterion_BD]

Sibanda has been underperforming for a while, but I think he should be persisted with because he has obvious talent. Only if a better player presents himself should he be replaced. If Sibanda can hit a quickish 50 every few innings at the top, with Mawoyo grinding all the shine off the new ball, it puts ZIM in a good position, say 75 or 80-1 by lunch or the first session.

Hamilton is an enigma, between his 2 hundreds since ZIM's return, he's averages under 11 with a top score of 25. Granted the sample size of matches is small, but as a senior player he's got to produce more than that at the #3 position. Perhaps dropping him to #5 will be better with a more technically solid player (Williams?) as the new first drop.

Rest of the order actually looks decent, Taylor, Weller, Mutumbami, Chakabva, Ervine being in the mix.

I think Chigs and Hamilton are essentially the same production wise, but his seam bowling is a decent positive.