Match thread - Game 2 - Sth African Composite XI vs Zimbabwe

[brmtaylor.com admin]

First Class match

Date: December 20-23, 2007 (4 day match)
Start of play: unknown

Venue: Paarl, South Africa

Zimbabwe squad: Prosper Utseya (c), Gary Brent (vc), Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Raymond Price, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams. (reserves: Timycen Maruma, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Tawanda Mupariwa, Graeme Cremer)

South African Composite XI squad: Benjamin Hector (c), Paul Adams (vc), Athenkosi Dyili (wk), Shane Burger, Jandre Coetzee, Rushdi Jappie, Alan Kruger, Shaun Liebisch, Wayne Madsen, Brendon Reddy, Pepler Sandri, Blake Snijman

Injury concerns: Sean Williams (hurt feelings)

Live stream: not televised

Edit: The Zimbabwe squad has been announced

Please post all discussion about the second SuperSport Challenge match in this thread. It is expected that Cricinfo will be covering it with constant updates as they were last time, but without the ball-by-ball. This match, unless SuperSport have a change of heart, is not expected to be televised either in South Africa or abroad.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Squad has been announced.

Zimbabwe squad: Prosper Utseya (c), Gary Brent (vc), Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Raymond Price, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams. (reserves: Timycen Maruma, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Tawanda Mupariwa, Graeme Cremer)

No Duffin, no Cremer (the reserves are stay-at-home reserves, so are unlikely to play).

With a bit of luck, the starting eleven will look like this: Vusi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor, Chamu Chibhabha, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Sean Williams, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya, Gary Brent, Ray Price, Chris Mpofu.

That is a perfect team make-up I think. Chigumbura and Brent can take the new ball, Chris Mpofu can be first change and if the need a part-timer to bowl some pace they could turn to Chibhabha. Then Utseya and Price can come on and choke the opposition for runs like they did in the ODI's.

Williams returning to the middle order is a major boost, hopefully by the end of this match his average will be over 50.

But as ever, while that is the strongest lineup, there is always a possibility of a surprise selection. Probably Dabengwa will play ahead of Chris Mpofu, the selectors seem to stick with Dabengwa quite a lot.

[andy]

lets hope Zimbabwe do wat they did the first time.

Williams should b in the team. regardless of race

[brmtaylor.com admin]

And the team: Sibanda, Taylor, Chibhabha, Taibu, Matsikenyeri, Masakadza, Chigumbura, Dabengwa, Utseya, Price, Mpofu
http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/engi ... 21827.html

Yes, you read correctly. Two white players, following on from events earlier this week, Gary Brent and Sean Williams were not included. Matsikenyeri and Dabengwa both got into the team ahead of Zimbabwe's best First Class batsman, Sean Williams.

I wonder what the excuse will be - maybe he has another headache

I'm sure as hell hoping Cricinfo have made one gigantic stuff up in their team listing....

Zimbabwe batting first. In another strange move, Chris Mpofu is opening the batting (just kidding).

[andy]

bad start. this is why williams should b in

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Zimbabwe 2/2 (5.3 ov)

Hopefully this is a message to the selectors.

[andy]

taibu should really look to b making some runs today

[andy]

lets go taibu and taylor. we need a good partenship

[brmtaylor.com admin]

This message to the selectors is getting quite strong now...

Zimbabwe 9/3 (9.0 ov)

[dylan]

zimbabwe are in trouble they are 4/27 taibu needs a big game