Boxing Day: Waller, Williams out; Burl, Blessing, Chatara in?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Yeah, can't find fault with that XI given the squad, and definitely Moor ahead of Burl. A bit of a thought though on Chamu ahead of Mire? But he probably did not do his chances any good by flopping badly in the UAE. Streak might spring up the horror of making up the seam attack with Jarvis, Mpofu and Muzarabani, leaving Chatara out. Looking from another angle, it could be highly risky to have both Jarvis and Chatara in the XI given their recent injury scares, but it is all a lottery anyway and nothing much to expect except hopefully some individual brilliance here and there...

[Kriterion_BD]

can't really complain much.. if you are going for a standard 7-4 then Williams is not really in our top 6 if we are honest in this format right now unless one of the guys decided to open.

Blessing really is a wild card pick not based on merit but he brings something completely different and he will catch the proteas by surprise. I do hope Mutizwa is in the squad. Mutombodzi and Zhuwao should make an appearance in Bangladesh

18 wickets at 18 is pretty decent.

[jaybro]

Considering it’s only the 1 Test I think Burl and Blessing are in as ‘development players’ who are there more for the experience.

They might both play the warm up match but I can’t see either of them or even Chisoro for that matter playing on Boxing Day.

The only possible alteration to the side I think is possibly Chamu opening and Mire playing @8 to give us more batting. But the idea of Mire playing @8 and bowling seems to be an idea originating from the forum here, Streak hasn’t ever suggested trying it.

[jimbo]

I would give muzarabani a go along with burl get some youth in baby

[TapsC]

Another option would be to push PJ to open and then play Burl at 6. it's a reasonable gamble for me considering Burl is averaging 40. As much as I love Mire he won't last long if he doesn't try see off the new ball against some of the best bowlers in the world. So he isn't a necessary evil if we play 4 specialist bowlers.

[Googly]

Mubhunu is a derogatory term, used often. Two sets of rules in play as usual.

[CrimsonAvenger]

If this article is anything to go by, looks like the selectors indeed dropped Williams. He definitely did not warrant a place in the test XI ahead of Moor as a batsman after the WI series and they probably sent that message as spin might also not play a major part in SA. Not sure he deserved to be completely out of the touring party though, but hopefully jolts Williams into action if he is serious about his test career: http://www.chronicle.co.zw/zim-axe-will ... our-match/

Perhaps the selectors decided they could do without Williams on the strength of batsman Sikandar Raza taking 5/99 in the first innings against the Windies. Raza scored 80 and 89 in the same match.

“While Malcolm Waller needs time to regain his Test form‚ the other changes have been necessitated by our desire to give youngsters Muzarabani and Burl a chance‚” a Zimbabwe Cricket spokesperson told TimesLIVE.

[pariah]

Williams and Malcolm logically dropped.

Burl ahead of Kasuza and Mutombodzi, or even Mutizwa is downright crazy!!! Why try "youth" against SA not West Indies when even your u19s(both ZIM and WI) can't handle a 16 year old South African seamer??? Surely this is to mantain a quota level by bringing in a player in horrible form.

Hardus Viljoen and Duanne Olivier couldn't handle International Cricket first up for the Proteas. How on earth will Muzarabani cope against the Proteas batsmen fighting for limited places? Panyangara is clearly physically fit and match fit, plus an exemplary professional and great ambassador of the country - contrary to all the nonsense that was written all over the place. Why not bring him???

[pariah]

Anyway all these concernes about the players being spoken about doesn't matter.

The only people to worry about are the so-called 3 stars - Taylor, Jarvis and Craig! New ball - two of them will definitely have it against their bats, one will have it in his hand. I for one am not holding my breathe.

3 Tests later, let's tally the stats after this test match and hopefully the Pakistani will have a table with money on the side and stats on the other ahead of the Qualifiers.

[totoro]

Panyangara is clearly physically fit and match fit, plus an exemplary professional and great ambassador of the country - contrary to all the nonsense that was written all over the place. Why not bring him???

Panyangara wil bowl South Africa out for its' lowest ever total in both Innings!