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I have been following zim cricket since 99 and to me zim in 2000 was the top side in the world...Zim continue to perform under likes of flower brothers, campbell, taiby, carlisle,streaky etc until the dark phase in 2005...Zim always had produced some talented players but I dont know why they end up picking some average players in the team when they have bunch of talented players in the reserves....I think Zim still has some talented players....Some players that still need to be back in Zim team are Sean Ervine, Ireland, Williams, Gavin Ewing and Marillier...Ebrahim,vusi, Vermulean,Matsi, Dabengwa, Nkala, Blessing Mahwire,Piet Rinkie, Terry Duffin, are not good players or they just cant perform under world teams...I dont know why Ebrahim, Rennie brothers,craig evans, wishart etc got chance to play in late 90's when they had other world class players....The good thing would be to drop all these players from national side and make them play in English county cricket of A side...
I think some good players that Zim has produced at present are Craig Ervine, wait and watch he is the next Zim trigger, Greg Lamb is probably suitable for home conditions but
their is no doubt that he can play long innings and bowl well...Jarvis is the other talent, their is a lot to come from him...MArillier,Ewing,Strydom,Coventry are unpredictable players and on their day they can win game for u..so they should be picked on times just for change to the team...Another thing Zim is lacking is the charm and leader in their team..PRosper, MAtsi,Hammie dont look as if they are playing for their team, they arent leaders...Players like Price,Chigumbura, Taibu etc always look happy and they seem to enjoy cricket....

So my side would be

Hammie
Taibu
Williams
Sean Ervine ( He is turning out to be the world class player...Ervine brothers are next in line for Zim after Flowers...this guy can bat and bowl well...he shud be in top 4)

Craig Ervine/Brandon Taylor( Taylor has been the backbone of middle order, when he doesnt click Zim batting seems to collapse...he should realize that he is our best batsman but their are other players who is of his equal potential and he probably cant make in our best 11 if he underperforms)

Chigumbura ( Genuine allrounder)
Blignaut ( Has to bowl, batting is secondary for him)
Lamb/MArillier/Ewing/Strydom ( In odi and t20, I will choose these players, Lamb goes to my first preference becoz other three players arent that good bowlers and we need sixth bowler in our team)
Cremer
PRice
JArvis/Ireland/Rainsford


Reserves
Prosper
Forster Mutizwa

I will never pick Chibabha, Vusi, MAtsi, Coventry even if they are in top of their form...Their are already good and talented players in my above team so bad luck guys!

I wouldn't say that Terrance Duffin is a poor cricketer. I'd certainly have him in my Test side to open up the batting with Craig Ervine any day ! In regards to Wishart, The Rennie brothers and Craig Evans, which other world class players were you referring to ?? To my recollection, Wishart and the Rennie brothers were really talented cricketers and players that could win a match in 30 minutes. I wouldn't blot out Coventry just yet. He's going thorough a dip in form, something we all go through as cricketers, and i think if he can just find some confidence he'll be back to his destructive best.

In the late nineties, Zim had Goodwin, Campbell, Neil Johnson, FLower Brothers and Carlisle( who was consistent and much underrated player but he was good enough to make top 11)..take a look at top 11

Neil Johnson
Campbell
Goodwin
Andy Flower
Grant Flower
Stuart Carlisle
Guy Whittal
Heath Streak
Paul Strang
Henry Olonga
Bryan Strang

This was the world class side and I remember they won like all the matches in Netwest Series in England just before Goodwin and Johnson left...England had a real powerful side but they only won like two matches against Zim, WI was thrashed by this side almost in all the games pretty heavily...Craig Evans, Rennie bros, Wishart( 172 against some weak side) were often in the top 11 although they had really bad batting averages...After Johnson and Goodwin left they were permanent in the side especially Wishart and Rennie and I remember they were the weakest player in the side and the players like Trevor Gripper and Hammie could have easily made their way before these guys...The same thing is goin on with this current side..People are talking about Ebrahim, that guy cant bat..Vermulean is a good player but he has a discipline issues, MAtsi,Vusi,Chibabha, Dabengwa and espeically Piet Rinke and Neil Ferrari they are all hopeless...Why do Zim pick such an understrength team when they have Williams,Jarvis,Ervines and other bunch of young players in the country..This is really sad, I still believe Zim can be a good team in days to come but selection really pisses me off...BEst of Luck Zim!

Well for starters mate Piet Rinke and Neil Ferrier arent even playing

I dont know why but Zim Cricket still runs in my blood...I used to suppot Zim team in every matches they played and still I do though it is a weak team compared to a decade ago...I have stopped watching cricket since 2007, the year I came to US for my education...I am from Nepal and cricket is a much popular sport..When you ask whats your favorite cricket team everybody says India,Pakistan,Srilanka,Aus etc but I was different...MY conscience said go Zim all the time..I remember Douggie swipping Mcgrath in Carlton Series, Zim almost took that game away...I always loved when Zim played against India, Douggie came from nowhere swept Zaheer khan and took the game away from Indians...Zim always had close encounter with Indians thats what made me happy, Oh! those nostalgic moments....I have stopped watching any forms of cricket and the only thing I do is to go to cricinfo and click Zimbabwe and see whats goin in my fav team..Its sad that We dont have strong side anymore but I was really impressed by some players when i checked their domestic records and their domestic cup games in youtube...I always wanted to share what I felt about Zim cricket, I am happy to find this forum and I will love to put my thoughts and arguments...Go Zim!

Neil Ferreira was actually a solid player. He only ever got a brief opportunity at the international level.

zimsupporter wrote:I dont know why but Zim Cricket still runs in my blood...I used to suppot Zim team in every matches they played and still I do though it is a weak team compared to a decade ago...I have stopped watching cricket since 2007, the year I came to US for my education...I am from Nepal and cricket is a much popular sport..When you ask whats your favorite cricket team everybody says India,Pakistan,Srilanka,Aus etc but I was different...MY conscience said go Zim all the time..I remember Douggie swipping Mcgrath in Carlton Series, Zim almost took that game away...I always loved when Zim played against India, Douggie came from nowhere swept Zaheer khan and took the game away from Indians...Zim always had close encounter with Indians thats what made me happy, Oh! those nostalgic moments....I have stopped watching any forms of cricket and the only thing I do is to go to cricinfo and click Zimbabwe and see whats goin in my fav team..Its sad that We dont have strong side anymore but I was really impressed by some players when i checked their domestic records and their domestic cup games in youtube...I always wanted to share what I felt about Zim cricket, I am happy to find this forum and I will love to put my thoughts and arguments...Go Zim!

What's this got to do with the thread mate. It should go on the Introduction page.

eugene wrote:Neil Ferreira was actually a solid player. He only ever got a brief opportunity at the international level.

I agree, a one test wonder

Oh yeah! I have a habit of drifting away from topic lol....I checked Neil Ferrerari actually he has done pretty good in domestic comp and he is a versatile sports player and also he has played one test for zim as an opener...sorry for my wrong info....What do u guys think about Zim cricket..the squad, players, talent? can u post your best squad in this thread? Sean williams, colin de grandahomme, Kyle Jarvis, Malcolm Waller,Keegan Meth are the few talents coming in the new side...Zim played Nepal in u-19 in 2006-2007...I had a friend who played against Zim and told me Greame Cremer was one of the most talented bowler in the tournament and everybody tried to get rid of his overs..The two other talents they told me where Williams and Grandahomme...We know sean is an exciting young talent,Grandahomme has done pretty well in domestic comp but he is no more playing for Zimbabwe...I forgot couple of other young talents who recently joined the English CLubs...Its strange how Zimb could produce so many young talents from such a small pool where cricket isnt considered a major sport!

Neil Ferreira was actually a solid player.

Ferreira had a good domestic record so was excited to see him for the first time and also see shane bond live for the first time man the dude was hostile but I enjoyed every minute of it I remember Neil ducked the first ball and it clipped his bat for a four. Whatever happened to him cos after that he was gone which I think was not entirely fair, debuting against shane bond and being dropped for not performing Hello!!!!

Neil Ferreira was part of the rebel exodus and he never reconciled with Zimbabwe Cricket.