Draft 1 Poll

Participate in discussion with your fellow Zimbabwe cricket fans!

Vote for the best XI to compete in an ODI vs Australia at HSC

Poll ended at Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:22 am

eugene XI
7
54%
CrimsonAvenger XI
1
8%
jaybro XI
5
38%
Kriterion_BD XI
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 13

User avatar
zimbos_05
Posts: 3057
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:00 am

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by zimbos_05 »

Thought I'd give my view on each team as I spent a lot of time trying to decide.

Eugene XI: The side with the best player Zim has ever produced immediately stands out. A solid batting lineup all the way through to eight, it will come down to consistency for a good score. The problem for this side is in its bowling. Too much may be reliant on Chatara and Strang to be the strike bowlers. Rainsford and Blignaut do not have the best bowling stats but are handy as a 3rd/4th choice bowler. When looking at the other sides, it has to be considered whether the overs in which the non strike bowlers are bowling may come back to hurt this side.

CA XI: Eddo Brandes is a fantastic choice. Such a quality bowler and excellent player. The inconsistency of Mire at the top is not helped with the inconsistency of Chigs in the middle. Also knowing that you are going to get the political agenda with them, leads to not much harmony in the side. A little bit of a side of uncertainty with the likes of Wes and Burl in the side. Players who have either just entered the game or not really excelled as they should have. Grant would do well to get a lot out of his team and utilise his bowlers well. A heavy reliance on slower bowling and part time, may just be the undoing in them chasing big scores.

jaybro XI: Neil Johnson, Sean Ervine, and and Brendan Taylor are guaranteed runs. They can easily put on 150 plus between the three of them. Take in to account the likes of Raza, Wishart, Curran, and Rogers, who should be able to contribute with at least 20 plus each and you are looking at a score upwards of 300. Henry Olonga is one of the best bowlers Zimbabwe has produced. Raw talent who could move the ball whichever way he wanted and has shown his quality on many occasion. If he was not dogged down in the us vs them mentality, he could have had a fantastic career but chose to walk away. With the likes of Cremer and Traicos also in the bowling, this side has a well balanced all roundedness to it. It does not rely on part timers to fill in for bowling as it also has 2 genuine all rounders in Ervine and Johnson.

Kriterion XI: Probably the side that had the least info on Zim cricket and is evidenced by the relative youngness of it. Streak is a fantastic pick, but may be reliant on too much to lead the side. Jarvis is a quality bowler, but other than him and Streak, this side will struggle to find wickets. Whittall is a good all rounder, but not a strike bowler. The batting is heavily reliant on 2 or 3 players whose style of play may not be familiar with the other bowling line ups, and therefore may take more time to adjust. There is the potential for this side to have some internal strife, but there is also the potential for certain players to turn in to real quality if given the chance.

Mueddie28
Posts: 1114
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:59 pm

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by Mueddie28 »

brmtaylor.com admin wrote:
Tue Apr 07, 2020 4:22 am
Vote for the best XI to compete in an ODI vs Australia at HSC. To read the descriptions of each team click on the links provided below.

eugene XI: viewtopic.php?p=148253#p148253
1. Vusi Sibanda
2. Mark Vermeulen
3. Murray Goodwin
4. Andy Flower
5. Tatenda Taibu (w)
6. Duncan Fletcher (c)
7. Dougie Marillier
8. Andy Blignaut
9. Paul Strang
10. Ed Rainsford
11. Tendai Chatara
CrimsonAvenger XI: viewtopic.php?p=148255#p148255
Grant Flower (C)
Solomon Mire
David Houghton
Sean Williams
Wesley Madhevere
Ryan Burl
Elton Chigumbura
Charles Coventry (WK)
Eddo Brandes
Peter Rawson
Ray Price
jaybro XI: viewtopic.php?p=148266#p148266
Neil Johnson
Barney Rogers
Brendan Taylor wk
Craig Wishart
Sikander Raza
Sean Ervine
Kevin Curran
Travis Friend
Graeme Cremer c
John Traicos
Henry Olonga
Kriterion_BD XI: viewtopic.php?p=148268#p148268
1) Hamilton Masakadza
2) PJ Moor
3) Alistair Campbell
4) Craig Ervine
5) Stuart Carlisle
6) Guy Whittall
7) Ryan Murray (wk)
8) Heath Streak (c)
9) Shingi Masakadza
10) Tendai Chisoro
11) Kyle Jarvis

[Poll runs for 7 days]
I think Eugene squad is Odi set...shaky openers but a hard out middle order...
Doggie & Andy B are firepower finishers with Paul Strang a serviceable batter...
His bowling is great with pace from Chatara & Ed with Paul Strang is a great leg spinner...

Jabro squad for T20

Crimson Avengrr's squad for Test
Grant & Ray Price quality spin
Sean & Mire will eat up innings
While Eddo & Peter provide pace...

Jemisi
Posts: 8978
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:04 am
Supports: Southern Rocks

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by Jemisi »

I went Jaybro in the end.

Eugene's XI is obviously quality but the bowling options Jaybro put together gave him the tick in my view.

I also judged BRMT on more of his good days than just his form in the last little while.

Crimson had a fine top and bottom but that middle was too weak.

Kriterion had a couple of really weak links. But his side isn't as distant from the rest as the votes indicate.

User avatar
eugene
Posts: 7653
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:31 pm
Supports: Matabeleland Tuskers

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by eugene »

Why is jaybro's bowling so hyped, he has more options but my frontline attack is superior.

Here is the comparison of ODI averages:

Olonga - 34.08
Traicos - 51.94
Cremer - 30.22
Friend - 48.08
Curran - 44.22
Ervine - 38.07
Johnson - 34.85
Raza - 37.50

Chatara - 30.26
Rainsford - 31.13
Strang - 33.05
Blignaut - 41.26
Marillier - 41.16
Fletcher - 31.57

Top 5:
Cremer
Chatara
Rainsford
Fletcher
Strang

I have four of the top 5 bowlers in a head-to-head comparison. Traicos is a legend but his bowling stats are ordinary. Rainsford meanwhile is grossly underrated.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes

Kriterion_BD
Posts: 7038
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:41 am

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by Kriterion_BD »

Voted for eugene's team, and his numbers prove that his bowling attack is also the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjtuZBykSzM (Noreaga - Blood Money Part 3)

User avatar
jaybro
Posts: 10390
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 3:36 am
Supports: MidWest Rhinos

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by jaybro »

The thing to remember is we are looking at each player at the peak of their powers; so certainly for KC & Traicos their small portion of ODI matches shouldn’t be what we base our views off.

KC is arguably the best all-rounder Zim has produced & he was possibly the quickest white bowler in the world during his time. Traicos was a smart mercurial spinner who played at first class cricket for over 25 years!!! It would be no crime to have him in the conversation with Strang, Cremer & Price as the best spinner of all time.

The thing about my attack is that makes it so good is it’s diversity; no matter the pitch, opposition or match situation I have a few cards up my sleeves. Whilst Eugene’s attack is great he doesn’t have many options if one of his main guys has an off day.
Chairman of the Neville Madziva fan Club

Originator of the #mumbamania movement

foreignfield
Posts: 4944
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:39 am
Supports: Mountaineers

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by foreignfield »

jaybro wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:32 pm
KC (...) was possibly the quickest white bowler in the world during his time.
I don't doubt KC was a great player, but that's a big statement, given that he is more often referred to as a bit above fast-medium. Apart from Googly's eye-witness account, what do you base that on? I'm genuinely interested.

Jemisi
Posts: 8978
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:04 am
Supports: Southern Rocks

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by Jemisi »

Eugene, I was always a Rainsford supporter but his stats are boosted by wickets against the Irish. The 20th century players were in a different boat.

User avatar
jaybro
Posts: 10390
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 3:36 am
Supports: MidWest Rhinos

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by jaybro »

foreignfield wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:40 pm
jaybro wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:32 pm
KC (...) was possibly the quickest white bowler in the world during his time.
I don't doubt KC was a great player, but that's a big statement, given that he is more often referred to as a bit above fast-medium. Apart from Googly's eye-witness account, what do you base that on? I'm genuinely interested.
Googly’s words but I read somewhere; I think a tribute from Traicos that KC was very quick
Chairman of the Neville Madziva fan Club

Originator of the #mumbamania movement

User avatar
eugene
Posts: 7653
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:31 pm
Supports: Matabeleland Tuskers

Re: Draft 1 Poll

Post by eugene »

So, I think we can declare a comfortable 6 wicket victory for Team Eugene?
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes

Post Reply