Time For Some Fresh Faces ?? Have Your Say

[sloandog]

The Logan Cup and the Faiwether Cup have now both been going on now for a while this season. Befor the season we were all wondering who would perform admirably and consistantly. Now for me the national team has to change. I think Vermuelan has had his chance for the time being, i feel he needs some runs under his bealt at first class level before he comits to international duties. Chamu Chibahba has also disapointed me greatly. When i first saw him in the West Indies in 2006, i thought he would be one of Zimbabwes main stays for the next 6 years or so. He has a solid technique yes, but has he got the correct tempremant for international standards ?? I'd so not yet. Malcolm Waller is another young man that has got a huge career for Zimbabwe ahead of him if he scores consistantly at Domestic level. I think his inexprience has shown in the past couple of tours, though he did make a defiant 42 against Bangladesh along side Ray Price.
My final exclusion from there recent Squads is Mpofu. Now i know that many of you wil disagree with this, as he's tall and can extract decent bounce. But for a man of his stature, he's no bowling as fast as he should be. With the top players in world cricket at the moment, he's got no chance. He could do with a bit of time in the gym.

Now, who's going to be replacing them ??
Well for me straight away Vusi Sibanda takes the opeing spot from Vermuelan. He's been one of the most consistant batters in all forms of the domestic circuit this season, and i think he rightly deserves his spot.
Keegan Meth in my books should replace Chibhaba as he has a better recoed this season and his bowling is 10 times more consistant ( Not to mention Quicker ) and Possibly Lamb or Rinasford for Mpofu. I'd just like to see Greg Lamb in the squad as i fee he brings a lot of variation with him, not to mention experience. Rainsford is my replacment for Mpofu as he's quicker and a genuine new ball threat. Other contenders are : Ewing, Butterworth, Ervine, Mutizwa and Maruma. Out of these 5 i'd like to see Ervine and Mutizwa in. Why ?? I don't know, i just do

[kartik]

Well i agree with you but for me sibanda should bat at no4.I think he struggles to play the new ball,taibu should open the innings as he has got a good technique and has loads of experience.For me Zim has to change their 3 spinners stratergy,because none of them can really bat.Ill like to see T.Maruma in place of P.utseya as he has shown he can clear the boundary very often and can prove to be a very handy no8 or no9 batsmen.Another batsmen tht deserves to be given a chance is F.mutizwa,he has proved himself in the domestic games and now surely should be in the team.
My team:
T.Taibu(C)
H.Masakadza/S.Mat...
S.Williams
C.Ervine/V.sibanda
F.Mutizwa
B.Taylor
K.Meth/G.Lamb
E.Chigumbura
T.Maruma
R.Price
K.Jarvis

[Conant]

I have yet to see young Foster Mtizwa hit a shot in anger, but I tell you this boy has got to have something in him. Go to all statistics for Logan Cup at the moment, and do you know he has the highest strike rate of all players involved in this competition? With 62, he’s even higher than Boom Boom Elton Chigumbura himself. In fact in one day internationals he bats at 97 runs for very 100 balls faced. That should be an indication of how at ease a batsman is when facing bowlers. Vusi Sibanda, his only peer when it comes to sheer weight of runs scored in the Logan Cup has a strike rate of 55 at first class.

But those who think Greg lamb, much less Ryan Butterworth, can cut it in international one day cricket, I feel are sadly mistaken. Again look at their stats in List A matches. Lamb averages 25; and in first class as well he averages 25 with only two centuries in 71 innings; Butterworth’s record is worse, average 13 in List A). Unfortunately these statistics don’t come close to those of their competitors in the middle order, and both are terribly slow.

Much better Craig Ervine who I think has real potential, even though like Brendan Taylor he tends to play two modes: defence or attack.

But you’re right Sloandoag, Vusi deserves a chance in the team, and he has real class. Ask any youth coach who has passed by Vusi around in the grounds about technique and they will tell you Vusi. Chibhabha, however, has disappointed me too, terribly.


My team therefore would look something like this:

1. Vusi Sibanda (you have to make him open; it will be difficult in the middle where he will have to compete with Sean Williams and Taylor)

2. Foster Mtizwa (He looks like one of those who can bat in any position)

3. Hamilton Masakadza ( I’m surprised you already question his credentials, Kartik, putting him in competition with Stuart Matsikenyere)

4. Sean Williams (This boy is class)

5. Brendan Taylor (uhm…)

6. Tatenda Taibu ( Don’t make him open, use a player to their strengths)

7. Stuart Matsikenyere ( He won’t get centuries, but useful cameos he will)

8. Elton Chigumbura (When you have him batting at 8 then you know your batting is solid)

9. Tymcen Maruma ( Sorry Cremer but in a test side I would put him ahead of any other)

10. Raymond Price (3- for every time)

11. Kyle Jarvis (For now Trevor Garwe is bowling better than any other fast bowler, but in two years time Jarvis will be better.

My bowling evidently becomes thinner with four frontline bowlers, so out goes Stewy and in comes a fast bowler, just don’t know who… time to see one Gerald Aliseni. Keegan Meth as first change somebody?
Greg Lamb and Craig Ervine should be on standby when Taylor falters and I think he will

[zimfan1]

Im sorry Conant but i cant agree with your statement that Taylor will fail as nearly every person on the forum sees Brendan Taylor as Zimbabwes best batsman, he is a proven performer against all nations unlike any others in the top order and at 23 has the world at his feat and i fully expect him to break all kinds of batting records in Zimbabwe cricket if he plays over the next 10 years!!!!!

[sloandog]

Im sorry Conant but i cant agree with your statement that Taylor will fail as nearly every person on the forum sees Brendan Taylor as Zimbabwes best batsman

I 100% agree with you on that note Zimfan1. I think we all remember when he came onto the international scene in 2004, people were already tipping him to be the next best thing since the Flowers, Campbells, Goodwins etc. I think we need to accept that he, along with Taibu and Masakadza, is the backbone of our batting line up. He can play spin effectivly and can turn on the attack button when needed. Lets not jump the gun yet Conant. But i respect the other points you have made. As, i'm sure, everybody else does.

[CrimsonAvenger]

There is a point Conant makes that must be looked into:

Brendan Taylor he tends to play two modes: defence or attack.

This is a very good observation, and it has been the case quite a few times, if you observe some of his knocks. But more importantly, he is someone who has still got technical glitches, especially at the beginning of the innings, where his feet don't move as well as they should, and has a tendency to play away from the body and get out for soft dismissals. But once he scores around 25-30, he moves along nicely with run-a-ball approach, and opens up towards the end. And we are seeing more of this more often these days, which suggests that he is working on his weaknesses. And whatever I said of Taylor here are true about Masakadza too, although to a lot lesser extent. But these two are the ones who can build the future for Zimbabwe, as many see it here. So, its worth spending more time on them.

Conant, you hit the nail on the head when you say Vusi must open, and he must start doing so straightaway in domestic circuit. That's where he can make an impact. Willie at 4 is unquestionable, but we need Taibu higher than 6. On a bad day, he runs the risk of running out of partners if he is at 6. I would open with Mazza, and have Taibu at 3 (or 4, if Willie agrees to play at 3), and Mutizwa can be eased into highest level, by making him come in at 6.

Bowling looks weak, I know Maruma needs a look in, but as far as fast bowling is concerned, I am still convinced that a fully fit Ed Rainsford is the best we have in Zim. But unfortunately, fitness is the issue there. Mpofu did bowl some beauties in match 1 against SA, but he had his share of bad balls too. But it looks like Streak, having briefly bowled with him at the highest level, sees a lot of potential there.

I would let Jarvis develop himself by playing more longer versions in domestic circuit, so that when we return to test cricket, we can unleash him as our secret weapon, as it happened when Streak burst on to the scene against Pakistan. For now, Meth is certainly a worthy option to try out.

[jamthala]

Ebrahim should open as i think.
In bowling mupariwa should get a chance.

[sloandog]

Ebrahim should open as i think.
In bowling mupariwa should get a chance

Ebraham plays at a too slower scoring rate for international standards at the monet, and Mupariwa ( In my mind ) hasn't got the pace for international cricket. Having said that he's the first to 50 ODI Wickets for Zimbabwe, so the lad must be doing something right i suppose.

[eugene]

This is an interesting topic with some great discussion so far. I think Vusi Sibanda should be given one last chance at international level. He has consistently failed against tough opposition but maybe he has finally got his game together. Dion Ebrahim is in the same boat as Sibanda. Dion has consistently been underwhelming at international level but I think he should get one more shot to prove himself.

In my opinion Forster Mutizwa deserves an extended run in the international side, perhaps at the expense of Chibhabha, Coventry, or Vermeulen. Tawanda Mupariwa should be considered as should Edward Rainsford. I would like to see what Greg Lamb and Craig Ervine can offer also.

[auszim]

In my opinion Forster Mutizwa deserves an extended run in the international side, perhaps at the expense of Chibhabha, Coventry, or Vermeulen. Tawanda Mupariwa should be considered as should Edward Rainsford. I would like to see what Greg Lamb and Craig Ervine can offer also.

i agree...a very interesting topic, i like to see when i log in!!!!

For me the issue is due to the fact that we are not playing a lot of international games giving someone an extended could be for up to a year but only playing a handful of games. I would really like to see Vusi back in the team. I have no doubt that he has matured his game with the intention of getting back into the national team. Think of other opening batsman in times gone by that have been dropped early on and come back to finish with amazing careers...Hayden, Vaughan, Katich and the list goes on.

Also, rewarding Maruma with a go in the one day side for his performances domestically will provide motivation for those to strive to perform with the chance they will be picked for the national team.

I think it was a very clever ploy by Houghton and Vermulan to say that we will be ready for test status in the near future...that is a massive incentive for every cricketer to want to be in that final XI!!!!!