Liam Brickhill's year end review of Zim

[jaybro]

Hami's 100 against BD in BD was a very good knock or even his 72 against Pakistan when we won the test in difficult conditions was a top knock .....

Hami hasn't lived up to the standards we hoped for but who has from the current side ? Only really Craig is doing better than expected ......

[TapsC]

hami is a tough guy to support because on his day he is deadly but he plays too many average knocks before he scores a big one.. I think he scores big every 5 or 6 games on average meaning that he will only perform once in a series on average. even Pat Symcox was wondering why Hami was not in the team when he was averaging well over 30 in 2016. Williams showed that same complacency last year and I hope he gets some kind of consistency this year.

the key for me is to show these guys that their place isn't guaranteed. Hami was dropped for one series and he came back with a vengeance. he knew his comfortable national contract life was In danger. once that feeling gets to everybody you will see far more consistent performances. Elton needs to feel that threat too. I feel like the competition in the bowling department is quite serious at the moment and we will see the improvements but the batting departments needs the like of musakanda chari and burl to turn up the heat.

[Kriterion_BD]

Fair points in your last two posts Jay. Although I still think using the top n (however many established or competitive sides there across both formats) teams is the better index of quality/performance/achievement. Obviously pitch conditions, home/away, opposition strength are also important factors as well as other contributing factors eg Mominul Haque 126* saving the 2nd Test vs NZ in 2013 while he was battling a fever plus dyspnea. Saved not only the match but the series as well. Those you cant measure with stats.

[jaybro]

2 fair points by you as well mate but again let's compare the rest of the players against the top nations as well and see where Hami lines up ??

Also I can't think of many career defining Zimbabwe innings by an individual that lead to a victory apart from Craig's 100's v NZ and Ireland ?

Elton's 100 against india would have e been except we lost ....

[Kriterion_BD]

Well drawn Tests will count as well as wins...well draws that require some degree of "saving". Ie that 1991 4th innings hundred that Tendulkar it vs England to draw a test when he was 17. all the more remarkable because Tendy had so few 4th innings saves in such a long career.

[jaybro]

Yes a 2nd innings ton that leads to a draw can be seen as career defining ......

[Kriterion_BD]

Well I would use the term "career defining" with a lot of caution and it can't even be used for guys who have played less than 5 years or with fewer than 50 Test or 100 ODI caps. Tendulkar hit that phenomenal Test hundred as a teenager in English conditions, but that was about it. He was a 4th innings choker for most of the rest of his career.

I think "marquee innings" is probably a better term than career defining or "match-winning" since a drawn test is not a match won, but still a big achievement if done from behind in alien or otherwise tough conditions.

[jaybro]

Which ever you fancy .....