[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v South Africa: Only Test

[Jemisi]

imagine Vermuelen with a double ton against SA on his record. he would be telling that story for the rest of his days.

[eugene]

imagine Vermuelen with a double ton against SA on his record. he would be telling that story for the rest of his days.

The double ton will be brought up with a SIX off Dale Steyn. This script for the movie "The Last Rhodesian" is really coming together nicely.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

imagine Vermuelen with a double ton against SA on his record. he would be telling that story for the rest of his days.

The double ton will be brought up with a SIX off Dale Steyn. This script for the movie "The Last Rhodesian" is really coming together nicely.

I love it, but it's missing one crucial plot point that an against-the-odds sports film needs - a slow motion shot of the final match winning play. The director has his work cut out seeing South Africa are batting last, but I think we can work around that.

Fresh off his unbeaten double century earlier in the day, the captain makes a brave sporting declaration giving the Proteas a sniff of victory. South Africa fight on, and require 6 runs to win from the last over of the match. But what's this!? The umpire says the light is too bad for the seamers! Reaching down to pick up the ball, Nyumbu and Williams walk into each other and knock each other out. Taylor takes it upon himself, but would you believe it - both Mutumbami and Chakabva have severe cramp. Neither is able to keep wicket! With nobody else to turn to, BT takes the gloves and throws the ball to Vermeulen.

The first ball of the over goes for four. There's shots of the 56,000 strong crowd all on the edge of their seats. Zimbabwe coach Steven Mangongo played by Morgan Freeman looks on with concern. There's four dot balls, all just missing the outside edge. There's shots of families crowded around TV sets in India, Australia, China (all stereotypical scenes) watching on.

The crowd chants "The Last Rhodesian" and for some reason Rhodesian flags start being waved.

Vermeulen starts his action, and the film goes quiet as the scene runs in slow motion. There's an outside edge! Taylor dives and the ball bounces out of his gloves once, he reaches again... it bounces out for a second time... the camera pans in for a close up... the third time it sticks!

All the players run on to the field, including Nyumbu, Williams, Mutumbami and Chakabva who for some reason are completely fit to run now. Fireworks go off around the ground. There's a shot of the Queen announcing on Sky News a knighthood for Vermeulen under the imperial honours system due to a Rhodesian-era technicality that isn't fully explained in the film.

Finally, George Clooney comes up to Vermeulen and says something witty ending in the phrase "The Last Rhodesian" which is how the film ends - with a still shot of Vermeulen with a huge smile.

[sloandog]

imagine Vermuelen with a double ton against SA on his record. he would be telling that story for the rest of his days.

The double ton will be brought up with a SIX off Dale Steyn. This script for the movie "The Last Rhodesian" is really coming together nicely.

I love it, but it's missing one crucial plot point that an against-the-odds sports film needs - a slow motion shot of the final match winning play. The director has his work cut out seeing South Africa are batting last, but I think we can work around that.

Fresh off his unbeaten double century earlier in the day, the captain makes a brave sporting declaration giving the Proteas a sniff of victory. South Africa fight on, and require 6 runs to win from the last over of the match. But what's this!? The umpire says the light is too bad for the seamers! Reaching down to pick up the ball, Nyumbu and Williams walk into each other and knock each other out. Taylor takes it upon himself, but would you believe it - both Mutumbami and Chakabva have severe cramp. Neither is able to keep wicket! With nobody else to turn to, BT takes the gloves and throws the ball to Vermeulen.

The first ball of the over goes for four. There's shots of the 56,000 strong crowd all on the edge of their seats. Zimbabwe coach Steven Mangongo played by Morgan Freeman looks on with concern. There's four dot balls, all just missing the outside edge. There's shots of families crowded around TV sets in India, Australia, China (all stereotypical scenes) watching on.

The crowd chants "The Last Rhodesian" and for some reason Rhodesian flags start being waved.

Vermeulen starts his action, and the film goes quiet as the scene runs in slow motion. There's an outside edge! Taylor dives and the ball bounces out of his gloves once, he reaches again... it bounces out for a second time... the camera pans in for a close up... the third time it sticks!

All the players run on to the field, including Nyumbu, Williams, Mutumbami and Chakabva who for some reason are completely fit to run now. Fireworks go off around the ground. There's a shot of the Queen announcing on Sky News a knighthood for Vermeulen under the imperial honours system due to a Rhodesian-era technicality that isn't fully explained in the film.

Finally, George Clooney comes up to Vermeulen and says something witty ending in the phrase "The Last Rhodesian" which is how the film ends - with a still shot of Vermeulen with a huge smile.

Stunning....absolutely stunning old bean

[CrimsonAvenger]

Mate, you won't get anywhere near an Oscar in your life

If you're serious about it, don't worry about coming up with the story. Just make a movie on yesterday's victory by Lanka with Angelo Mathews in the lead.

[eugene]

I actually think Mangongo would be better portrayed by Samuel L Jackson, they have the same crazy eyes.

[foreignfield]

But seriously folks, I do not have much faith in either Vusi or MV hanging around, especially against the turning ball. Vusi looked like a nervous wreck out there and he's not the greatest player of spin at the best of times. And MV's technique looked pretty shoddy against pace, and against spin there's not much to base a judgement on after the first innings.

Taylor and Williams, our two best players of spin, are still to come, so there is hope yet. I would really love to see a great fighting knock by Sean Williams, to announce his arrival as a Test class batsman to the world. Regis can lend support and block and Richie, we know now, has some steel.

Realistically, I think we'll be bowled out for something between 150 and 200 and SA will knock off the runs before the close tomorrow, but that in itself would be a moral victory. How I would love to see them sweat a little bit more ...

[Kriterion_BD]

But seriously folks, I do not have much faith in either Vusi or MV hanging around, especially against the turning ball. Vusi looked like a nervous wreck out there and he's not the greatest player of spin at the best of times. And MV's technique looked pretty shoddy against pace, and against spin there's not much to base a judgement on after the first innings.

Taylor and Williams, our two best players of spin, are still to come, so there is hope yet. I would really love to see a great fighting knock by Sean Williams, to announce his arrival as a Test class batsman to the world. Regis can lend support and block and Richie, we know now, has some steel.

Realistically, I think we'll be bowled out for something between 150 and 200 and SA will knock off the runs before the close tomorrow, but that in itself would be a moral victory. How I would love to see them sweat a little bit more ...

Excellent fight from ZIM. They are really a solid outfit at home - makes our 1-1 draw at HSC seem a good result.

I would love to see 300+ score here setting SA good challenge on what seems to be a wearing pitch. This innings will define Taylor and Williams' character as both are in the primes of their careers and decently experienced. Taylor can get a pass even with a failure since his 93 set up the contest to begin with. But a 3rd innings score of 50+ will really help cement his legacy.

[Jemisi]

We will pretty much need runs from everyone to get anywhere near the 5th day. Unless someone stands up and does something really extraordinary.

[CrimsonAvenger]

We are also due our quota of run out. Hammy tried his best yesterday in that sacrificial run to get Vusi off the mark. Taylor or Williams might very well take the suicidal route back to the pavilion. If it's the latter, we can forget it as a sad day for surname Williams.