Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

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ZIMDOGGY
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Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by ZIMDOGGY »

A lot of positive feeling at the mo' with the series win and everything.
I've noticed a lot of cabron's here are feeling super confident and talking of whacking Sri Lanka into yesterday, but can we really?

I don't think we can, i would love to be proved wrong but I don't think we will.
Why?
Our seam bowling was woeful and we won the one Sayers on the back of a formula of containing runs then stockpiling our batting to outpace sei Lanka.

Unless cremer has a blinder I can't see us bowling Sri Lanka out cheaply.
Constricting their run rate won't work this time.

A draw however is very achievable should the batting step up. That is adequatw for me.
My two cents.
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Mr Twig
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by Mr Twig »

The problem is they have Herath who is world class and destroyed us last year. Can't really see that changing in their own conditions unless the batting really steps up.

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jaybro
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by jaybro »

Mr Twig wrote:
Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:25 am
The problem is they have Herath who is world class and destroyed us last year. Can't really see that changing in their own conditions unless the batting really steps up.
Yeah Herath is the issue he'd be a short price to take 10 for the match. A lot will depend on the pitch I think a pitch that favours the bowlers will suit us more imo. If the pitch is flat it will come down to the batters 'batting long' and we don't really have anyone who is good at that. The shorter the match the closer it will be, but to answer your question no I don't think we will win but I didn't think we'd win the ODI series either ......
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Kriterion_BD
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by Kriterion_BD »

Momentum counts for something and 90% rests with Zimbabwe. Lanka are in total disarray atm.

the real test beigins from the Test, but sustainable (ie real) success doesnt happen overnight for anybody. if Zimbabwe mean business, this form must carry forward. that doesn't mean every series needs to be won, but consistently challenging teams ranked 6-10 is necessary.

as for the Test, I have always felt Herath (and SL in general) are vastly overrated. but Herath actually has better numbers than Murali in 4th innings home stats.

it will be a great Test to watch for sure.
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TapsC
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by TapsC »

I have also got my doubts. A draw is what we should aim for I think. Team selection is going to be key. There are a lot of tough decisions to be made. For example are they really going to send Mire home in that kind of form? Do we play PJ or Regis? Do we stick with 8 batsmen and hope that Waller Williams and Raza perform miracles? Do we play 2 leg spinners? Nathan Waller and M'shangwe are very different players. Do we stick the young guns like Musakanda and Burl in or do we go with experience? Because for me they weren't picking Harasanga I think is his name at all, so Herath might clean them up.

I think the toss will be key.. we need to bat first and get a big score. Try to survive Herath in the fourth innings on day 5 will be a nightmare. I would also play 8 batsmen. Pick Regis and stick with the young gun Musakanda and Mumba to complement Chatara. I have a funny feeling Ngarava might get picked because they have him as a "wicket taker". I still haven't seen that. Also is Chatara fit enough to play for 5 days? So many questions but the coasching staff pulled it off in the ODIs so we can't rule them out just yet. I wonder what Bangladesh's approach was in their victory.

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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by Kriterion_BD »

TapsC wrote:
Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:43 am
I have also got my doubts. A draw is what we should aim for I think. Team selection is going to be key. There are a lot of tough decisions to be made. For example are they really going to send Mire home in that kind of form? Do we play PJ or Regis? Do we stick with 8 batsmen and hope that Waller Williams and Raza perform miracles? Do we play 2 leg spinners? Nathan Waller and M'shangwe are very different players. Do we stick the young guns like Musakanda and Burl in or do we go with experience? Because for me they weren't picking Harasanga I think is his name at all, so Herath might clean them up.

I think the toss will be key.. we need to bat first and get a big score. Try to survive Herath in the fourth innings on day 5 will be a nightmare. I would also play 8 batsmen. Pick Regis and stick with the young gun Musakanda and Mumba to complement Chatara. I have a funny feeling Ngarava might get picked because they have him as a "wicket taker". I still haven't seen that. Also is Chatara fit enough to play for 5 days? So many questions but the coasching staff pulled it off in the ODIs so we can't rule them out just yet. I wonder what Bangladesh's approach was in their victory.
we batted SL out of the game. we managed to bowl SL out for 300 twice and posted 450 to ensure we didnt have many to chase. still Herath and Co have defended paltry totals in the 4th innings.

we had a few critical moments:

Shakib and Mosaddek put on a parternship that ensured a big 1st innigs lead.
Mustafizur bowled a match changing spell when SL was in the ascendency.
Tamim and Sabbir ensured we would chase the 190 target down even with a middle order collapse.
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pariah
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by pariah »

Zimbabwe have bossed, then beaten a Pakistan side that had Younis, Misbah, Ali, Shafiq, Ajmal and Rehman. But they had fifers in both innings (Vitori and Chatara, with Chatara and Hamilton's control with the ball deflating them).

The personnel to even remotel challenge Sri Lanka is not there. Neither Mushangwe nor Cremer possess that yet at leas on of them will be in the XI.

Techncially, Zimbabwe has no openers. Hamilton is a reluctant opener in Tets, Very reluctant. He does not want to open in Tests! Even if he were to open - who will play the steady Elgar/Vijay/Mawoyo role?

Say what you want about Mutumbami but he was brilliant keeping for Zimbabwe in Tests. Moor there is a disaster - with both bat and ball. Maybe Burl, but it's a Test and he's been clueless around spin in the ODIs. Has horrible form. That leaves Malcolm who can be aggressive, but is usually subdued in FC cricket.

Best chance for Zimbabwe is to add Mire into the side and hope to get some momentum before the spinners come in and run rings at least with runs on the board and their eye on keeping the run rate down.

Statistically and in terms of form, Williams' batting can't get him into the side. He has absolutely no record in Tests in the subcontinent, plus he doesn't won't be used up the order unlike Mire/Musakanda/Malcolm. So he has to play as a spinner-allrounder as opposed to a batting-allrounder(yes Moeen Ali exists so I guess spinner-alroudner exist).

Whoever is responsible for picking a 16-man Test squad that has Mpofu, Chatara, Tiripano, Mumba PLUS Nathan Waller for a tour to the sub-continent needs to sack himself. Taibu is that you? Mpofu has to play because of experience. No point in having Cremer plus another wayward strike-bowler like a Mumba/Ngarava. What if Sri Lankan batsmen get hold of Raza and Williams (based on intelligence from 5 ODIs) and you need seamers to keep things quiet to draw the match?

Mire, Malcolm Waller, Musakanda, Hamilton, Craig, Chakabva(wk), Raza, Williams, Cremer(c), Chatara, Mpofu

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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by Jemisi »

I think it will depend on SL's fears. If they fear a collapse on a turner in a shoot out then they may have a road prepared in which case we need to get in first and bat long. A draw is a shot. It will not be a surprise if Herath wrecks us, but we have never had a better opportunity to harm SL in SL.

If our fielding holds up, particularly if our keeper doesn't miss a chance, then we have a very good show of seeing Day 5 in decent shape.

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jaybro
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by jaybro »

Depending on the pitch I'd go with this lineup

Hami
Regis
Burl / Musakanda
Ervine
Raza
Williams
Waller / Waller
Moor wk
Cremer
Mumba
Chatara

As I said depending on the pitch if it looks like there will be something for the seamers I'd play Nathan Waller instead of Malcolm, but if looks more like a spinner or batsman friendly pitch I'd go with that side. Would go for 2 spinners but with M'shangwe being the second spinner in the squad there are two points to consider

A - Do we really need two leg spinners ?

B - Is M'shangwe a better spin option than Waller or Williams or Raza?

For me I'd rather the extra batting from Malcolm and M'shangwe's bowling isn't that much better imo.

The choice of either Burl or Musakanda @3 is the hardest choice imo. Burl probably deserves it more when you look at his first class average of 44 compared to Tary's 25. But on the other hand Burl hasn't seemed to handle the step up to international cricket where Tary has seemed at home. The main issue I find with Tary's batting is he likes to hit the ball in the air a lot, batting st the top in odi cricket this isn't as much of an issue but in test cricket it's a big No No ......
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eugene
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Re: Can Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the test?

Post by eugene »

Does Mire no longer bowl?
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