Your first XI

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51.54
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Re: Your first XI

Post by 51.54 »

Surprisingly given the selectors' chequered past there does not seem to be a huge amount wrong with the ODI squad so I will focus on a possible test team. The team needs to be able to do three things: Score big runs, take wickets and bowl with control/to a plan. I'm going to list the players capable of each and then select a team accordingly.

Runs: Taylor, Williams, Masakadza, Taibu are the only four with the ability to score big runs at first class level. Maybe Sibanda. With that in mind bowlers who can bat will get preference! Duffin gets a run as specialist opener, but I don't think he has sufficient natural ability to go along with his obviously steely temperament.

Take wickets: Price, Cremer, Rainsford, Chigumbura, Ireland (reckon he will come back from Glocs in a year or two as he is not getting much of a game there and the lure of test cricket may be too great)

Control: Price, Brent, Mahwire, Utseya, Mupariwa

Test Team
Masakadza
Sibanda (possibly Duffin on a green wicket to see off new ball)
Williams
Taibu
Taylor
Chigumbura
Utseya (captain so he gets the nod over Cremer)
Price (has to play over Cremer at present as he brings much needed experience and has a proven record at test level)
Mahwire (slightly quicker than Brent who is just too slow to bowl at test level)
Rainsford
Ireland

Obvious areas where we could do with a couple of teenage prodigies breaking through are technically sound batsmen with the mental capacity to build an innings and a bowler with pace and control. Ireland and Rainsford can both hit 135+ on their day and complement each other well with Ireland's bounce and Rainsford "skid" (is that a word??), but they are both liable to spray it which is where slow but steady Mahwire (or Brent or Mapuriwa) comes in. He's not going to take many wickets but at least he'll offer his captain some control and hopefully some cheap overs in conjunction with Price/Utseya. Ideally there should be another batsman in the team, but what is the point if they are not better than Chigumbura/Utseya?

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brmtaylor.com admin
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Re: Your first XI

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

maehara wrote:
eugene wrote:Probably the biggest surprise is the omission of Utseya from the Test side. I am not yet convinced of his effectiveness in the longer formats.
It's true that historically Utseya's been economic but not good at getting people out - a fairly fatal flaw in Test cricket. But if you look at his figures for the SuperSport Challenge - across the 3 matches, he took 18 wickets at an average of just 16 & a strike rate of 29.1 - his effectiveness is something he's been working on. Means I'd be reluctant to leave him out of a Test side...
True. I think Cremer, Utseya and Price are all equally deserving of a Test spot, and in an ideal world we would find room for all three of them. Being realistic though, Utseya and Price will be the only ones that make the team I'd think.

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Cribbage
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Re: Your first XI

Post by Cribbage »

I certainly wouldn't be picking Utseya is a test lineup unless it was a raging turner. Two spinners through the middle overs works well as a "strangle" in one day cricket, but with Price playing the genuine spinner's role, I don't think Utseya would have the required penetration to displace, say, Mahwire, from my team.

Surprised to see Sibanda miss so many people's teams. He's certainly not a test opener but I think he could do a better job in the middle order than a few who have been mentioned. I don't really know who I'd axe out of Williams, Taylor, Taibu, and Chibhabha though so it's fair enough leaving him out, I suppose.

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eugene
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Re: Your first XI

Post by eugene »

Sibanda is hard to know where to fit in the side for Tests. I find it hard to look past the opening partnership of Duffin -Taylor. And we seem to have a wealth of middle-order batsmen. I guess he would be good batting at 3 as a third opener.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes

Mueddie28
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Re: Your first XI

Post by Mueddie28 »

jimbo wrote:
Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:55 pm
If zimbabwe resume tests this year i would pick an alternative side for the ODI squad

Jimbo's Zimbabwe test Squad

1.Duffin
2.Taylor
3.Chibhabha
4.Taibu
5.Williams
6.Mazakadza
7.Chigumbura
8.Brent
9.Utseya
10.mahwire
11.Price
On a seaming wicket i would be tempted to drop price and play rainsford

ODI Squad
1.Sibanda
2.Taylor
3.Cibhabha
4.Taibu
5.Williams
6.Coventry
7.Chigumbura
8.Utseya
9.Brent
10.Price
11.Rainsford

Mpofu is not far from displacing rainsford in my ODI 11 but i think rainsford is marginally the better bowler, Also Sibanda has earnt his place in the ODI line-up nowaday with terrefic form over the past two years. Matsikenyeri and dabengwa would not come close to my 11
2018 squad
PJ Moor
Mire
Hami
Chigumbura
Murray
K with a long name
Waller
Chisoro
Titipano
Mavuta
Magarira
Jarvis

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