Name your first eleven for the 1st ODI

[Detective RDS]

Zimbabwe XI:

1. Hamilton Masakadza
2. Mark Vermeulen
3. Sean Williams
4. Brendan Taylor (WK)
5. Stuart Matsikenyeri
6. Charles Coventry
7. Elton Chigumbura
8. Prosper Utseya (C)
9. Raymond Price
10. *Graeme Cremer/Tawanda Mupariwa
11. Edward Rainsford

I would like to include Malcolm Waller in for Matsikenyeri but I think Matsikenyeri will be selected. There will be a choice between Cremer and Mupariwa. I will go with Cremer but I think Mupariwa will play.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Playing 11 - Pretty straightforward: (both from our and selectors' point of view)

Masakadza
Vermeulen
Williams
Taylor
Coventry
Matsikenyeri / Waller
Chigumbura
Utseya
Cremer / Mupariwa
Price
Rainsford

But I would have loved to see Mutizwa at 6. Let him make merry against the Afghans for now...

[maehara]

Let him make merry against the Afghans for now...

I think there's a case for saving one or two good players for the Afghan match - I can't help but think that, to avoid constant criticism, Zim 'A' don't have to just win their Intercontinental Cup matches, they need to win them by good margins. Taibu and Mutizwa give the 'A' side some firepower (although it's not much of a "ban" for Taibu to be captaining the 'A' side); the squad for the Bangladesh series should be good enough to do the business there.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Playing 11 - Pretty straightforward: (both from our and selectors' point of view)

Masakadza
Vermeulen
Williams
Taylor
Coventry
Matsikenyeri / Waller
Chigumbura
Utseya
Cremer / Mupariwa
Price
Rainsford

Yep, agree with that completely.

But I would have loved to see Mutizwa at 6. Let him make merry against the Afghans for now...

Hopefully Mutizwa shows no mercy, Taibu as well... I want to see big hundreds.

Incidentally, Keith Dabengwa has a knee injury which explains his omission from the Zimbabwe A squads (Zim Independent).

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Oh wow Alistair! Where hav you been before?
What a strong squad we have now. Agree cent percent with BRMT, my money on these 11 and series win.

[Detective RDS]

Hopefully Mutizwa shows no mercy, Taibu as well... I want to see big hundreds.

Incidentally, Keith Dabengwa has a knee injury which explains his omission from the Zimbabwe A squads (Zim Independent).

Best of luck to Mutizwa and Taibu. Hopefully they will carry their good form against Afghanistan.

As far Dabengwa, no matters if it's for injury or for form, he is finally dropped
Without making some miracles for his domestic side, I don't want to see him playing in the national side.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Incidentally, Keith Dabengwa has a knee injury which explains his omission from the Zimbabwe A squads (Zim Independent).

Or his omission from the Zimbabwe squad. (Who knows, he might have made it to the team on the basis of being a left hander, as it was being suggested in the forums...)

[CrimsonAvenger]

As an afterthought, I am a little worried about Coventry here. He is Zim's version of Shahid Afridi. He might blaze away, or self-destruct. Isn't it a luxury to play him purely as a batsman? How about making him keep wickets, and have BRMT on the field. He can roll his arm over if there is a need to break partnerships...

[brmtaylor.com admin]

As an afterthought, I am a little worried about Coventry here. He is Zim's version of Shahid Afridi. He might blaze away, or self-destruct. Isn't it a luxury to play him purely as a batsman? How about making him keep wickets, and have BRMT on the field. He can roll his arm over if there is a need to break partnerships...

I would have Coventry keep, I think Taylor and Vermeulen are our best options for slips. We've put down a few at slips in the past 12 months or so, it's one part of our fielding letting us down.

[Detective RDS]

As an afterthought, I am a little worried about Coventry here. He is Zim's version of Shahid Afridi. He might blaze away, or self-destruct. Isn't it a luxury to play him purely as a batsman? How about making him keep wickets, and have BRMT on the field. He can roll his arm over if there is a need to break partnerships...

I think Brendan Taylor is well set as a wicket keeper than Coventry. The wicket-keeping record of Taylor is very good both in the ODI's and in the domestic cricket. He has got a number of stumpings and dismissal percentage is much higher than Coventry.

I will give a run to Coventry in no 6 position in the 1st ODI. He was the leading run scorer in the Faithwear tournament, devastating batsman. Will be very effective in the Powerplay 3 along with Chigumbura. Covenry did an excellent job for his hard hitting ability in the Videocon Tri Series back in 2005 against Ind and NZ.

Have a look at the score of Coventry in that series:

25 (19) 3X4, 1X6 vs NZ
0 (2) vs IND
35 (21) 2X4, 2X6 vs NZ
74 (99) 7x4, 3x6 vs IND