[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v Ireland: 3rd ODI

[maehara]

Hey, one win against South Africa and 10th is ours again...
Any takers..?

[aydee]

Very poor.

This series has been a big step backwards after winning 3 in 5 against Sri Lanka and India. At this rate, some painful matches await us in SA.

[sloandog]

Well you guys may think that the series was not a success but you only need to look the result, we won the series !
Let have a look at the posatives shall we.

Ed Rainsford picked up 10 ODI wickets and has most certainly booked a trip to South Africa.
Sean Williams has scored a cool 74 today and proved his class.
Our spinners have once again proved that they can stangle the opposition and take crucial wickets when needed.
Was great to see some new faces in Ian Nicholson and Mazakadza jnr. (Shingrai looks to have the potential to be a good batter too)
Our top order has shown that it has the potenmtial to score big, we just need to value our wicket more COUGH Coventry COUGH
And we won the series !! So well done lads, bad luck on losing today but Ireland are a good side, and to have won the series is a big step forwards

[aydee]

So well done lads, bad luck on losing today but Ireland are a good side

The trouble is that they really aren't all that good... They have some competant and promising batsmen, but their bowling attack is way short of the standard of most first class, let alone international, teams.

[maehara]

The trouble is that they really aren't all that good...

Beg to differ - and not just because of my "other" nationality. They're head and shoulders above the other Associates and quite rightly nipping at the heels of Zim and Bangladesh - not to be taken lightly. When they can get their full-strength side away from the counties (easier said that done, sadly), they are a threat. As we've discovered several times now.

[aydee]

The trouble is that they really aren't all that good...

Beg to differ - and not just because of my "other" nationality. They're head and shoulders above the other Associates and quite rightly nipping at the heels of Zim and Bangladesh - not to be taken lightly. When they can get their full-strength side away from the counties (easier said that done, sadly), they are a threat. As we've discovered several times now.

I agree that they are head and shoulders above the other associates, with the possible exception of Afghanistan, who have beaten Ireland several times across all three formats in the last 12 months. That said, I stick by my comment about their bowling. No one in their bowling attack would make a county 1st XI.