Liam Brickhill's year end review of Zim

[CrimsonAvenger]

The thing that stood out most to me was Hamilton was our leading odi run getter @35 .....

Still worth a spot in all formats .....

That just tells half the story. Clearly Ervine was more dependable in the second half of the year, while Hamilton blazed away in the first half. Now, his sudden loss of that spectacular form could be due to:

1. Pressure of captaincy that was thrust on him: He can't complain about it as an afterthought as he could have declined it at that time.
2. Lack of games after World T20 that killed his form and flow: At this stage of his career, he can't be taking a series to warm up and get back into his rhythm, although, clearly breaks in the calendar don't help. We should have been playing Logan Cup in the gap surely.
3. Lack of self confidence after he got the sacking from captaincy unceremoniously: If this is the reason for the dip, he has reason to feel betrayed by ZC in the handling of the whole thing.

Can he regain overall form and desire? Tough to call now (and this is the first time I'm feeling so about him), but I do hope he does. He surely is still the first name on the team sheet for T20s whenever we play that format next.

[Kriterion_BD]

]
That just tells half the story. Clearly Ervine was more dependable in the second half of the year, while Hamilton blazed away in the first half. Now, his sudden loss of that spectacular form could be due to:

Easily explained by the fact that Zim were playing fellow minnows at the beginning of the year and more established teams (albeit 3rd string SL side) later on.

[CrimsonAvenger]

(albeit 3rd string SL side) later on

Well, not really, not even 2nd string. Only Mathews and Chandimal missing from their best XI. Their pace attack is so non-existent that it does not matter who is sharing the new ball anyway, and the guy who played in Zim got his first 5 for in SA last week, so, even that shows they were at full strength in that department too.

[Kriterion_BD]

(albeit 3rd string SL side) later on

Well, not really, not even 2nd string. Only Mathews and Chandimal missing from their best XI. Their pace attack is so non-existent that it does not matter who is sharing the new ball anyway, and the guy who played in Zim got his first 5 for in SA last week, so, even that shows they were at full strength in that department too.

I had counted I think 5 of their "first string" players missing. Matthews and Chandimal (but you have to admit those 2 alone are 50% or more of SL's batting lineup). Plus Chameera the young quick, Pradeep the seamer, Sandakan the spinner (was in the squad but "rested" from the matches). Chameera and Pradeep would have liekly enjoyed the conditions on offer, but Sandakan may have also as he's a wrist spinner that really rips it. SL opened their bowling with an U-19 pacer, which is something an Academy side wouldn't usually do (exceptions aside). So I think it was a very weak side...similar to the sides India has sent the past few years (OK not that weak), and the one NZ sent in 2015.

5 guys is almost half a playing XI!

[CrimsonAvenger]

Chammeera is the only addition to the list I can accept, but even he was injured at the time and in fact, would most likely be replaced in the playing XI by Lahiru Kumara today against SA, the same 19 year old greenhorn who debuted against Zim. What would that say? They are both seen at same level by them at this stage. Pradeep is no better or worse than a Lakmal or an Eranga or any such. The real lion heart they are missing regularly is Dhammika Prasad. He was getting into great rhythm and skill levels when he broke down again last year.

Sandakan played one test series vs Aus, was good for sure in their conditions, but SL selectors chose Dilruwan Perera ahead of him for the Zim series in the XI (a move I don't agree with, but that's their pecking order) and did not rest him as such, and he is not even in the touring squad for SA while Dilruwan is. And there is some other spinner in there too, ahead of Sandakan. Perplexing for sure, but clearly not a case of intentionally weakening their own side against Zim alone.

In fact, by not playing Tharanga and playing Dhananjaya de Silva as low as 7, they weakened their lineup further against SA even when Mathews and Chandimal returned. Another reason why theirs should be treated a full strength side against us was because the missing guys (Mathews and Chandimal) were out due to injury, and not "rested" like India did during the ODI series. The team that played against Zim was the best SL could put out on a field at that time. Period.

[The Robot]

Proteas are good test side but are bunch of " CHOKERS " in shorter formats.

[Googly]

They're a bunch of CHOOKERS!

[jaybro]

The young quick from Sri Lanka is doing some damage today against the Proteas .....

Kriterion are you sure you're not a women ? You will argue about just about any tiny point

Hami had a rough end to the year but people forget how good his start to the year was !!!

Ok Craig was our premier batsman for the year but who was second best ?? Not Raza not Willy not anyone else it was Hami. We all get frustrated about how he has never really kicked on with consistent big scores in his career but from the small sample we have he is still in the top 6 batsman in all formats .....

You can produce any stat you like the fact is he is still a worthy selection IMO .....

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Last year in Tests, those averaging above 25:

CR Ervine 384 at 48.00
SC Williams 300 at 37.50
PJ Moor 211 at 35.16
AG Cremer 195 at 27.85
TMK Mawoyo 161 at 26.83
CJ Chibhabha 103 at 25.75
DT Tiripano 153 at 25.50

Won't bother with anything below 25 because I think that is the absolute minimum "respectable" average.

[Jemisi]

But Cremer at 8 and Tiripano at 9 are a bonus. There are still two to slot in the top seven.