Conant wrote: ↑Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:16 pm
I thought Vusi played exceeding well early this year in that T20 series we hosted India, and was was clearly our best batsman in those three matches. Scored briskly too. He's also a confidence player and selectors should have allowed him to carry on his form into the ODIs, as they have done repeatedly with Malcom Waller. Strangely, they dropped him and I don't see any way back for him now.
This seems to be a deliberate strategy from certain elements within ZC.
At the end of the day I'm not really bothered because the results are there for all to see. Zimbabwe has been reduced to everyone's punching bag. Even players like Jongwe have had enough.
As teenagers and youngsters against top full strength sides away, the likes of Vusi, Matsi and Panyangara were never as hopeless as Burl, Moor and Mumba have been against extremely average sides and Associates, yet somehow this forum expects better perfromances, while seasoned coaches/selectors like Streak and Taibu continue to pick them. That's why Moor and Malcolm will continue to be there. How Raza even survived such a slump has to go down in history in Zimbabwe.
The forum has been reduced to defending the performances of players like Sean and Cremer against the likes AFG, NED and SL side that's either corrupt to the core or can't play to save itself at the moment. I don't think ZIM cricekt fans have any pride left in them.
Just take a look at the squad named for Netherlands. How on earth Moore and Burl are in is beyond me. No one seems to know precisely what Williams' role or purpose in the team is anymore, likewise with number 8 Malcolm. Crazy to pick Chakabva when Hami, Mire and Musakanda have secured 1-3. No one can explain why Mpofu and Tiripano are in there but Panyangara is not. Yet a few weeks after that it's host WI then a one-off against SA. The planning and selection is terrible I tell. It's absolute madness!
The question is simple.
Where on earth are Wellington Masakadza and Tendai Chisoro? The answer - "Williams and Raza are sufficient" apparently.
This is preciesly what happens when a team imagines the loss of Utseya was not a huge gap to fill. This is what happens when you don't appreciate a player and understate what he did to help Zimbabwe win. You can never replace Utseya with Raza+Sean, plus Cremer has never at any point been a sole lead spinner at any point in his career. Even at Mid West Rhinos he has always had help, and more often than not, they outbowled him in all formats.
Roelof van der Merwe the Saffer/Dutchman has more batting and bowling talent on his body than Sean, Cremer, Raza and Malcolm combined.
That Shane Snater naturally feels he has long overtaken Burl, Moor, Ngarava etc. You need players like Elton Chigumbura to smash him back to his senses, not players who have never achieved anything against any decent side. But even Elton is ignored.
That's the sad thing about your statement that there is no way back for players like Vusi. Precisely because Zimbabwe will continue to regress badly, and everyone will continue to expect better from the the same flopping players.
Once upon a time Mutumbami and Maruma used to be attacked by fans for the very kind of performances that seemingly make certain players automatic picks. What happened ZCF?