[Match Thread] 1st Match - Zimbabwe XI vs Australia A

[takleg]

I don't think our quicks have enough fire power to take ten Aussie wickets. So our best bet would be to try and starve the batsmen and hope that they do something silly.

[andrewn9]

@ BrmTaylor I understand what you're saying but I can't help that think that rather than have Ncube bowl 3 overs for 18, it would have been better to have Utseya in the team for him to bowl at quality batsmen in the longer format and maybe give Zim a better chance of doing well.

[jimbo]

Jury is still out on Vitori and Chatara, maybe if they skittle the aussies with the new ball tommorow which is what they should be trying to do with a test berth in the offing I will change my mind
Im sure Jarvis and masacadza Junior will come in for the second 4 day match to see what they can do agsint this powerfull batting line up

[hhm]

So far I've seen very little gained by both sides, but a lot lost by both of them. En route to building up their match fitness levels for the SL tour, Sidds & Hilfy wasted two spots for Aus' up&coming quicks in a barren 50+ over spell. We were never in any doubt that any Test cricket host team, bar SA&Zim, need not fear Philip Hughes. For as long as O'Keefe & Smith remain prominently in the Aus selectors' radar, neither Beer nor Krejza should harbour any promises of being a permanent fixture, regardless of the magnitude of their exploits in this series. I suppose, with that in mind, our very own selectors can find solace in knowing that their madness & ineptitude is on par with those of whom better is expected. Thus, contrary to Butcher's sentiments ahead of this series, they have given their first choice Test XI the platform they need to go into their game against Bangladesh lacking the necessary examination in the longer version of the game. Of course, exception is made for those who are injured (or catching a tan in Mombasa - Williams?).

I can certainly imagine Mpofu in his sleep, dreaming about going past Hughes' ungainly edge a couple of times before knocking him over in a FOUR DAY game, but I certainly cannot see him in a million years dreaming about doing the same to Tamim in a TEST match! The same would hold true of Hamilton shutting out Siddle, as opposed to Shafiul Islam. Theoretically the game against Ban carries greater significance, however, one would not be very far in saying that it is proper to term it the practice match ahead of this test, were that impending Test match to have taken place last month. Such opportunities do not often come begging. Campbell will do well to remember that in 1998-99, the Australian Cricket Academy toured Zim, including the likes of Brett Lee, Marcus North & Brad Hodge. On that occasion the Full Zim team was fielded. This time around Campbell decided to completely lose his mind. It’s inevitable that we will reap negative consequences going forward. On the eve of our First Test on re-entry, our first choice XI has never played a four day game as a unit. That the ‘Mad Hatter’ went so far as to say our front runners didn't need to be assessed any further, certainly breeds contempt within me! On the basis of these developments, apart from the formality of giving the Aussies a work-out, I am now at pains to find a logical reason for the players selected to feature in the recent Two-day game.

Whether it's due to convenience or injury('nosejob' according to Zimdoggy), who can question that Vusi has been gaining the majority of the practice in leadership which our newly appointed captain sorely needs. Meth will undoubtedly feel safe in the knowledge that Chatara, Vitori & Ncube continue to fire blanks, as he awaits to see Shingi & (i hope not) Jarvis, to suffer the same fate in the next game, as his spot is clearly all but guaranteed.

Anyway, we are into the last recognisable batting pair in the Aus lineup. Were we to bowl Aus out early tomorrow, it gives them ample time to bowl us out and knock off the remaining runs by the close on Monday. An alternative would be to avoid bowling Aus out and give away as little RPO as possible, thus I hope ‘forcing’ them to delay their declaration. Our bowlers should restrain the free-flowing youngster Marsh, and treat Paine with respect. After that we shouldn't, at the very worst, give up more than 50 runs for the last four wickets. A 150-run lead? At their current run-rate, that should make up enough time to ensure that we save the match. Assuming of course, that in warding off the Aus attack, our boys don’t neglect to remember that a scoreboard is compulsory for matches of this nature, and that certain individuals have been employed specifically for that purpose(never mind us of the ZCF and our F5 keys which are being unnecessarily abused).

[eugene]

I do wonder what the point of selecting players like Ncube and Vitori, and probably even Chatara is. None of these guys, barring selection madness are even going to be anywhere close to the test xi. Everyone of our top players needs more experience playing the longer format of the game - even Taibu and Price. I understand injuries have ruled out a few players but there are still many who have been rested. Why rest players from a format they have no experience in?

[takleg]

This might sound crazy, but I think Waller is making a pretty good case for himself in this game. He came on when the run rate was high, bowled a few maidens, took a wicket and not to forget his 14*. I really think he has a chance (a slim one) of being in the test eleven if he continues with the good work.

[Kriterion_BD]

surprised to see waller has a FC batting average over 38 over a large sample size of innings (58). that is very solid. not to mention being not out today will have edged his average a teenie weenie bit higher. he might deserve a serious look before the selectors pick their XI.

[maehara]

Two quick wickets at start of play, courtesy Meth and Vitori, and it's 306/6. Not a bad start to the day.

[takleg]

Chigumbura takes yet another wicket. Good for him.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Vitori ends up with 4/86, so the Test dream stays alive. Paine and Warner are pretty decent scalps as both have considerable international experience. He is continuing to do what is asked of him, so well done to him.

So the Zimbabwean second innings begins 209 runs behind. There's about 3 hours left before stumps... it's a tough scenario. Because of the fragility of the middle order (and the tendency for four or five batsmen to go in quick succession) I think to survive the fourth day we can't be any more than 1 down at stumps.