Which continued selection is worse? Chari or Chigumbura?

[ZIMDOGGY]

It’s been a while since I’ve made my own topic here, which is a shame because they have always been high blue chip quality.

My question is,
Which head scratching constant selection, fast becoming a trademark of the Propser Utseya selector era, is worse?

Both players are equally useless. Neither really capable of hitting 30 against a good attack. Without checking I doubt either average more than 20 internationally in the last two years, But who is Worse? Elton in the ODIs or Brian in tests?

It’s an interesting question for me because ones gambling on the past and another on the future.

The case for Elton being better;
Even though he hasn’t for years, he has scored runs in the past. He has also scored quick runs, has crossed 50 in less than 40 balls on a lot of occasions. Even though I don’t even think he’s scored a century against a top 7 team in 150+ innings.

The case for Brian;
He’s never played well. No highlight reel. Timid. Meek. However, he has put his hand up to open (rare in Zim) and to put my STONEMAN glasses on, he’s young meat to replace old heads.
He’s shit now. I can’t see him being a good player but he is young and maybe he can surprise. We don’t know his ceiling, like we do the other one. He doesn’t also look depressed on the field like the other one and maybe hasn’t quite been tainted with the losing mentality yet.

[ZIMDOGGY]

In further research, Chari averages 13 with the bat in both ODIs and tests.
Fucking thirteen. And that includes the innings of 80.

24 in first class cricket.

Is he the worst player to play more than one test of all time?

[sloandog]

Elton Chigumbura's continued selection isn't just a case of scratching the head, it's a slap in the face to lads like Burl and Tari, who both scored well for the RS in the limited opportunities they had. It's really stupid and incredibly short sighted. Chari isn't good enough, true, but he's still young and like you said DOGG, he seems to have more energy and bounce than Elton the sloth. I've heard Elton is a good team man, but that won't win us games.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Sorry to bullet post but I am still in disbelief.
If you literally put this bloke first class average ( a much, much lower standard) as his test average he would still be our lowest ranking batsman.

[jaybro]

Elton obviously was a very good player but I can’t see him ever reaching those heights again, before and after the 2015 World Cup he peaked with the bat he got 90 against South Africa batting at 4 prior to the WC then hit consecutive against Pakistan & India.

Chari is probably the best ‘young opener’ on the domestic scene atm, but there aren’t really many around are there unless we try Kamhukunkamwe and give him the same allowances of Chari?
He did score 80 against Sri Lanka who had Lakmal, Dilwran & Herath which is no mean feat, but he’s only reached the 20’s one other time in his career.

Rajput has picked him because he is an opener and Rajput seems like he is a ‘conventional thinker’ when it comes to his line ups, we haven’t seen any funky selections like Streak used to try like Opening with the keeper in a Test or Playing an 8-3. He likes to have players play the role that beat suits them, so I’d be surprised if he picks a middle order player to open.

Back to the original question I think Elton’s selection is worse because he’s got no improvement left in him, Chari at least hasn’t reached his peak (I hope)

[sloandog]

And yet we have Ryan Burl in the squad who averages nearly 44 in FC cricket...
I'd be very pissed inside if I was him. Clear bias towards Chari

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I'd say Chari is the worse selection. I just can't see him ever being a match winner.
Chigumbura is totally cooked and past it, but I suppose if he connects with a few he could still play a useful cameo knock.

[jaybro]

And yet we have Ryan Burl in the squad who averages nearly 44 in FC cricket...
I'd be very pissed inside if I was him. Clear bias towards Chari

To be fair you could say the same about PJ Moor regarding his List A average

I like the idea of Burl opening but would he be ‘open to it’?? For the ZRS he seemed to drop down the order instead of moving up, I would have liked to see him go up to 3 when Tari was struggling, but instead they both dropped down and made Taffy move up.

Even for the national team he always bats as low as possible, not sure how much that’s the coaches choice or his? Ideally we’d like to see him open or bat at first drop this season.

[sloandog]

And yet we have Ryan Burl in the squad who averages nearly 44 in FC cricket...
I'd be very pissed inside if I was him. Clear bias towards Chari

To be fair you could say the same about PJ Moor regarding his List A average

I like the idea of Burl opening but would he be ‘open to it’?? For the ZRS he seemed to drop down the order instead of moving up, I would have liked to see him go up to 3 when Tari was struggling, but instead they both dropped down and made Taffy move up.

Even for the national team he always bats as low as possible, not sure how much that’s the coaches choice or his? Ideally we’d like to see him open or bat at first drop this season.

It's not his choice bud, I assure you..

[sloandog]

Everybody wants to bat as high as possible, to have as long as possible to construct their innings. Moor is a middle order batter in test cricket, not a number 7, and neither is Ryan Burl. Raza is a 6 or 7 in my opinion, with Williams and Taylor perfect for the middle order to tackle the spin, and Ervine and Burl up top with the more solidified techniques.
Ervine shouldn't be written off just yet; his stats in test cricket are still impressive and even though he has flaws like everybody else, his defence is rock solid. I'd rather see him at number three personally than BT, as we all know he's susceptible to the new ball with that lack of foot work