Captain Taylor Interviews

[hhm]

I don't think Ewing and Duffin have done enough. They perhaps should have been given a chance to prove themselves, but I can't see ho they should be ahead of the rest of the top 7. For my money there is only one batting spot up for grabs with the form of Elton and Vusi now proved. It is the slot Williams should be in. Unless they decide to leave Ervine out if he has a couple of failures in the next match.

Before I can respond to that stament appropriately, what exactly is your top 7, and which spot belonged to Williams?

[hhm]

bring in duff for vusi, vusis in the test squad, so why not toss the dog a bone and see if he makes the most of it? let him face off with Mawoyo. another way of doing things is basically have the tuskers team out there (HHM will jump for joy!) and just make a few minor tweaks here n there.

The current team only has two Tuskers (Mpofu&Meth) now that Williams has gone awol. I will pose this question to all of you. When you compare to one side Duffin&Ewing and to the other side Mawoyo, Chakabva, Waller & Mutizwa, how can you pick any of those four ahead of those two? In my opinion, which I believe you will struglle to genuinely disprove, overall, they offer a better package. They are more solid, will not crack under pressure, are leaders in their own right, consistent, and have they ability to score heavily; unlike those four who have yet to show the capacity to put in a memorable innings.

keep the vitori vs meth trial going, that battle is not yet won.

Taking into consideration just how expensive we were in the FC games, do you really want another bowler with the potential to fetch highly now that Chigumbura is sure to be there!! Meth and Mpofu will be able to both take some wickets and keep the RPO down. With two other spinners there things shouldn't spiral out of control and we should be covered as far as taking 10 wickets is concerned. On the other hand, I think the trial should really be Vitori vs Jarvis. Jarvis has already shown that while he is quicker, he is less expensive and we have no doubt about his ability to take wickets. Vitori was bowling to a top-order of Lefthanders and they well&truly got the better of him. In fact they dominated him. You would expect him to do better since our major attraction to him is that he's a leftarmer. On that basis, while he impressed to an extent, he failed. If they both play in the next game we should get a clearer picture.

Verdict
In these two day & FC games so far we have noticed two key things (apart from the inability to take 10 wickets which is hard to judge since Mpofu and our spinners were not there): 1)Failure to keep the RPO to an acceptable rate at this level; 2)A middle order which has failed each time, because the options are neither occupying the crease enough nor scoring sufficient runs.

What concerns me about the ZCF is that certain sections seem to be overlooking these glaring problems when making their suggestions, and more frighteningly, they somehow seem to be able to find solutions to these problems from the very sources which have proven that they do not fit the bill. I encourage you to seriously consider those two problems and see if these players really have the capacity to address them in the short term. Which is really the amount of time the cricket world needs to write us off completely. Technical teams in international cricket now are not stupid, in fact, they are highly sophisticated. It's common knowledge that we have a non-existent midlle-order, and they know which batsmen to expose, and which bowlers to target. We need to reason with our heads not our hearts. There is a lot at stake. My opinion is not superior, and neither are my suggestions, but what we cannot doubt is the need to put forward solutions when what is before us is clearly not going to solve those problems. Now that key players, Price & Ervine, seem to be regressing, the problems have become even greater. Gentlemen, we are in trouble if you don't already see it, and time is not on our side!

[Conant]

[What concerns me about the ZCF is that certain sections seem to be overlooking these glaring problems when making their suggestions, and more frighteningly, they somehow seem to be able to find solutions to these problems from the very sources which have proven that they do not fit the bill.
… We need to reason with our heads not our hearts. There is a lot at stake. My opinion is not superior, and neither are my suggestions, but what we cannot doubt is the need to put forward solutions when what is before us is clearly not going to solve those problems. Gentlemen, we are in trouble if you don't already see it, and time is not on our side!

It seems to me you are most guilty of this indulgence than most, hhm . Aside the unwavering belief and blindness of support for Brendan Taylor I have witnessed from our forumers in his meanest of runs two years ago, I have never seen such unabashed support and bias for a club before. I will readily admit, this is akin to my fervent belief and gushed support, equally, of Sean Williams and Hamilton Masakadza.

Taking into consideration just how expensive we were in the FC games, do you really want another bowler with the potential to fetch highly now that Chigumbura is sure to be there!! Meth and Mpofu will be able to both take some wickets and keep the RPO down. With two other spinners there things shouldn't spiral out of control and we should be covered as far as taking 10 wickets is concerned.

[/b]

since we clearly have a culture of pecking order in zimcricket now ( a curious preoccupation of old boys schools and traditionalists of the game), which most countries also have, it was Keegan Meth’s challenge to prove himself ahead of Chigumbura, which he clearly did not. This is the same as challenge that spin bowlers will have to dislodge prosper Utseya in then test team, even though we all know Natsai Mushangwe has more potential.
In any case even if both were all starting from the same platform, would you not say Chigumbura, however much many of us may detest the idea, has proven him as being the top or better all rounder in the country so far.

Surely it is a grievous and quite inexcusable weakness to justify a selection that attempts to hides to cover another’s weakness, especially when are effectively playing for the same spot, unless if the other is too invaluable to a team, which Elton clearly is not. Thus I feel this argument holds no water.

. I will pose this question to all of you. When you compare to one side Duffin&Ewing and to the other side Mawoyo, Chakabva, Waller & Mutizwa, how can you pick any of those four ahead of those two? In my opinion, which I believe you will struggle to genuinely disprove, overall, they offer a better package. They are more solid, will not crack under pressure, are leaders in their own right, consistent, and have the ability to score heavily; unlike those four who have yet to show the capacity to put in a memorable innings.

I do not see how any of these can be justifiable said to be better than Mutizwa. With due respect to Ewing and his all round abilities he is more tinker than taylor. Precisely what value would he bringing in to the team? That of spinner? I doubt. That of batsmen? How, ahead of Mtizwa who has proven for nearly there season now to be the most consistent, together with Hammy, first class batsman in the country.

Memorable innings? Please go and check out Mtizwa’s statistics which would prove to you that till last season, which was barren for him, he averaged 47 in all first class games, and had the most 100s per capita, together with a an 192, only on par with Masakadza, Vusi, Taylor and lately Gary Balance.
That of all rounder, then? Surely how many of them are we seeking to have together with possibly Meth and Chigumbura in one line up, and how many leaders? We need blacksmiths not bits and pieces.

The undoubted potential of Meth as both bowler and batsman is there, and I have no doubt he may usurp Chigumbura in the future but as of now, with the limited chances we ball have head to play and analyse, we know who the plate has gone to haven’t we.

[

keep the vitori vs meth trial going, that battle is not yet won.

On the other hand, I think the trial should really be Vitori vs Jarvis. Jarvis has already shown that while he is quicker, he is less expensive and we have no doubt about his ability to take wickets. Vitori was bowling to a top-order of Lefthanders and they well&truly got the better of him. In fact they dominated him. You would expect him to do better since our major attraction to him is that he's a leftarmer. On that basis, while he impressed to an extent, he failed. If they both play in the next game we should get a clearer picture.[/b]

You have been stunningly harsh on Brian Viroti. Indeed, the left handers well and truly got the better of him, but only in the second innings, in six short overs, with the match well and truly gone. This ignores his whole hearted efforts in the first innings in which he bagged four wickets. In any other effort in any form of cricket, these figures would be considered superb!!

I suspect you would inevitably draw the same in comparison with Meth, just down under him there in the scoreboard, http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/516354.html , but what do these figures so far remind you of?

KO Meth 25 4 71 1 2.84
KO Meth 4 0 13 0 3.25

Pommie Mbamgwa!! Very tight but also apparently unthreatening.

Indeed I’m not trying to be funny but unless Math puts in an explosive spell in the next 4 day game, which I’m well sure he will play, it is curtains for him till the series after Bangladesh

[ZIMDOGGY]

The thing is you could say Meth is like Mbangwa but with price and dirty joe in support you could also say he is like guy whittal in the sense he creates wickets for the other 3.

[eugene]

The failure of most of our bowlers to keep the runrate down is concerning. We can't have teams scoring 450 runs in a day. What I like about The Meth is how he keeps the runrate down and builds the pressure which the other strike bowlers can capitalise on. I would like him to show much more with the bat however. I seem to remember his batting was much better when he made his ODI debut a few years ago.

[eugene]

I was of course joking about Coventry by the way. That being said I hope he isn't forgotten by the selectors forever.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Vitori was bowling to a top-order of Lefthanders and they well&truly got the better of him. In fact they dominated him. You would expect him to do better since our major attraction to him is that he's a leftarmer. On that basis, while he impressed to an extent, he failed.

How, by any stretch of the imagination, did Vitori fail? He was Zimbabwe's leading wicket taker for the match! He also took the wickets of Warner, Paine and Khawaja - hardly easy pickings. It is extremely unfair if you are basing your assessment on the overs he bowled in the second innings... when Warner is in full flow there aren't too many bowlers who can stop him. Ntini and Steyn will attest to that.

In these two day & FC games so far we have noticed two key things (apart from the inability to take 10 wickets which is hard to judge since Mpofu and our spinners were not there)

Zimbabwe bowled Australia A out in the first innings. And this was a bowling attack (bar Chigumbura and to some extent Meth) without a great deal of international experience. I think it is fantastic that an attack headed by Vitori, Chatara, Chigumbura and Meth (and missing Price, Utseya, Cremer and Mpofu) were able to bowl out an Australia A side featuring a number of accomplished players.

This is the same as challenge that spin bowlers will have to dislodge prosper Utseya in then test team, even though we all know Natsai Mushangwe has more potential.

We do?

Mushangwe is a promising leg-spinner, sure, but just because he is younger than Utseya doesn't automatically mean he has more potential. Utseya has been one of the most economical bowlers in world cricket for a number of years, his are not easy boots to fill! It's also important to remember that just because Graeme Cremer is out of sight he is not out of mind - he should have the legspinners spot sewn up. In three Logan Cup matches last season Cremer took 20 wickets, it took Mushangwe twelve matches to reach 33 wickets. There is still a considerable gulf between Price, Cremer and Utseya and the next spinner in line.

[bayhaus]

Coventry as well. He is without doubt a better player than those four. His failures in the WC are down to the selectors, and that was only List A, what about FC?

I once mentioned in the Conspiracy Theories how some players are played out of position to make them fail and in this instance I am in Coventary's defence. Was he set up to fail and put the final nail in the coffin hence he fell WAAAY out of contention?

[hhm]

Conant
At no point did I, or anybody else I think, consider Meth a direct replacement for Chigumbura. Elton was horribly out of form with the bat, plus he wasn't bowling at all, and if he did bowl it was pathetic, so effectively he was a passenger in the team. Hence Meth's form meant he was a welcome & appropriate option for all of us. Contrary to your view, I doubt Meth's batting will ever usurp Elton’s and I don’t think I have ever placed him to bat above 8 in any of my lineups. His bowling on the other hand is better, and on a continuous upward curve. I will cede the responsibilty to respond to your Meth-Mbangwa analogy and allow the rational portion of this forum to do that on my behalf.

Since my joining this forum, until now, no one has been a stronger advocate for Mutizwa (and Waller) than myself. I challenge you to go through everyone's posts and I doubt you will come to a different conclusion. However, I have always rated Duffin & Ewing ahead of him. Duffin is an opener so we can't really compare the two. The context of my comments pointed to the need to have batsmen who will address our middle order collapses. Mutizwa (and Chakabva, Waller & Mawoyo) will not, but I have full confidence that Ewing will.

There is a saying that you’re probably familiar with: “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” I was critical about Chigumbura, but was the first to revise my opinion about him. I questioned Chakabva's usefulness, but concluded by acknowledging that the selectors are justified in keeping him in the frame, and persisting with him as backup. But with Ervine struggling as it is (but meriting persistence with) and seeing Waller & Mutizwa fail to stamp their authority, should we not then admit that a different set of players are the solution to our frail middle order! The signs are there for us to see. It will take more than just talent. Maturity, responsibility & grit are called for.

The crux of the matter is, these guys were given the opportunity but they did not respond accordingly. Chakabva's run rate during the List A games proved he was unsuitable for ODIs and his return in this game was far from what is expected, while Mutizwa & Waller failed to shore up the middle order during the List A games. Mawoyo betrayed his character, and you can never get ahead in anything in life if you attempt to be what you’re not instead of build on your strengths. That’s what Warne & Elton have shown whereas a naturally aggressive Mawoyo chose to occupy the crease unproductively. Not once did he make an acceptable score and we all know he's no Trevor Gripper! The positive is that Mutizwa did have a good return in the 2day game, at a very good run rate as well, and hopefully he will back that up if selected for the next game. What it means is that he should be the leading backup batsman, ahead of Chakabva, Waller & Mawayo. But in no way will he be a better solution to our middle order problems than perhaps Ewing. You may persist with a negative view about my push for Duffin & Ewing, but trust me, I will have the last laugh on this one. I will follow your comments closely as our middle order continues to fail. You will eventually be the one making the loudest noise for those two stalwarts. More so than myself.

I will combine the Vitori comment with my response to BRM.

brmtaylor.com
You and Conant point to Vitori's bowling in the second innings. I'm more concerned about the first innings; the game was lost by then. In fact, there is no way I can draw conclusions about any bowler's effort in a First Class match, on just 7 overs, as with Ncube. That would be absurd. His poor effort in the second innings only served to exacerbate the problem and drive the point home. If you followed the play closely in the first innings, you would have noticed that both Vitori&Chatara were a liability upfront. I doubt a combination of Meth&Mpofu would have allowed that to happen. And if that wicket had not fallen, we would be talking about a completely different story now. How you judge a leftarmer against lefthanded batsmen is in the manner in which he takes his wickets. Bar his wicket of a tailender, Hilfenhaus, I doubt his other wickets were held at even 1st or 2nd slip. How many of Paine's 98runs did he contribute before dismissing him? Full credit to him, for bowling Khawaja which would've been a beauty to see a left armer knock over a left handed batsmen's off stump, but Khawaja had to try and up the tempo under the circumstances, so his 'renowned' defence wasn't the key. You guys can't tell me you're not the least bit concerned that Vitori was, on both occasions, more expensive than the fast improving Elton. I am not in any way prejudiced against Vitori and this is what I had to say about him in my other post "Vitori has proven himself. Not enough to be a mainstay at this level just yet, in my view, but sufficient to ensure that this fast left-armer is nurtured and preserved with great importance, before being unleashed when he's a worthy weapon. I quite fancy the idea of him giving Smith anxious moments in the upcoming ODI tour".

[bayhaus]

hhm
Dude you gotta get a blog going man!!!