Madande has done really well batting at 7 every time he has had to. Definitely done nothing wrong with the bat and his domestic numbers are very good too.
Glovework isn’t great but the options are Marumani, who I don’t think is any better with the gloves. Or Gumbie, who used to be better but has barely kept for the past two years so how rusty will he be? Also his sudden miraculously batting ability over the past 9 months is arguably a result of him not keeping. Let him carry on doing what he’s doing.
I don’t think it’s our biggest issue.
Our main issue currently has been the ability to take wickets up front. Yes they are really flat pitches but you’d think our attack could take wickets in the first hour against associate sides. I think that’s really concerning. Chatara has been very poor and Blessing hasn’t been firing either.
Also a real concern over the captaincy. Ervine in incredible form with the bat and he’s a very good and popular captain in terms of leadership and the more holistic stuff but his on field captaincy is consistently very poor. It has been for the past year. His decisions are really bizarre. Sorry but conceding penalty runs for having too many inside the circle? That’s fucking unacceptable. As is for some reason bowling about 8 part timers before you give your main spinner the ball. ? Weird
The penalty runs was for Madande hitting the stumps with his glove or something like I think. Fielding infractions typically result in a no ball and free hit IIRC.
Anyways. Yeah the wicket taking up front has been a problem but yes the wickets are super flat and sometimes wickets won’t come followed by a burst where they come in bunches. The most important thing is bowling the right channel and with a plan. Granted the seam bowlers haven’t done that either.
It appears as though the critical games will be against WI, SL, Ireland and Oman for the S6 round.
I didn’t expect Zimbabwe to start with such dominance. Finishing strong is going to be key.
I reckon Wes has had the unfortunate luck of being thrown upfront and being expected to perform where so many have failed. Admittedly, he has been given many chances but does it mean we have to throw him by the way side given the talent he has. But then again he hasnt totally disgraced himself half then time he is falling to any aggressive shot. I like the example of Burl. Burl was always a top order batsman. But like Wes he failed up top. They tried something different with him at 6/7 now no one barely talks about him being dropped because for some reason he is classified as a finisher. His is a batsman with a top score of 59 and averages a shade above 22. Go figure. Given the form our senior players are in, I would stick with Wes for now. The way Burl batted yesterday showed a lot of maturity and experience, something that comes with time. Wes really he needs all the experience he can get before the big 3 retire. He will come good.
I don't think anyone is advocating for Wes to be thrown by the way side. We need him to fix his game though. He has played 31 innings with a high score of 72. Not terrible by any means, but a player of his quality needs to have at least converted one of his big scores into a century. He is at risk of falling into that Regis category where he goes over 50 games without a 3 figure score. Wes is definitely talented but there are a few issues he needs to fix to be better. I don't think he should be bowling. He needs to start playing with a straighter bat and not trying to be too fancy at the crease. He is a classical player, so needs to stop trying to be. What you are suggesting is just continually throwing him in the deep end and hoping something good will happen. That's not how this game works.
Wes just plays too many low percentage shots, it's as simple as that.
It's all experience though, as shown by Williams, Ervine and Raza. All three now are 36-37 and they're all in the form of their lives because they've worked out their games. They're all scoring at crazy strike rates and high averages in recent times, yet they seem to take minimal risks. Wes on the other hand plays risky shots all the time, yet can't get the same results, he'd be smart to try and concentrate on finding gaps rather than boundaries in his first 20-30 balls.
Wes just plays too many low percentage shots, it's as simple as that.
It's all experience though, as shown by Williams, Ervine and Raza. All three now are 36-37 and they're all in the form of their lives because they've worked out their games. They're all scoring at crazy strike rates and high averages in recent times, yet they seem to take minimal risks. Wes on the other hand plays risky shots all the time, yet can't get the same results, he'd be smart to try and concentrate on finding gaps rather than boundaries in his first 20-30 balls.
Exactly. Someone needs to go and tell this to wes. First 20-30 balls- keep an okaish strike rate, focus on running hard between the wickets and finding gaps with more shots along the ground. You do that and with the talent that he has he's meant to persevere.
Wes just plays too many low percentage shots, it's as simple as that.
It's all experience though, as shown by Williams, Ervine and Raza. All three now are 36-37 and they're all in the form of their lives because they've worked out their games. They're all scoring at crazy strike rates and high averages in recent times, yet they seem to take minimal risks. Wes on the other hand plays risky shots all the time, yet can't get the same results, he'd be smart to try and concentrate on finding gaps rather than boundaries in his first 20-30 balls.
There is quite a bit of risk in both Raza and Williams' batting styles. For example, Raza has been in terrific form the past 15 or so months...but I'd imagine 80% of his runs have come from hooking and pulling, and almost always in the air. I think most of his dismissals have been from that shot as well. The key will be whether he can continue to score like that against WI and SL, with their quicker and in the case of WI, taller bowlers.
Williams sweeps and reverse sweeps a lot...which is again a relatively high risk shot (compared to driving in the V).
They're definitely not sweeping as much these days.
Williams last two innings have been chanceless really, he never once looked like getting out or playing a bad shot, until he did of course get out finally.
Sure they're playing a lot of shots, but I don't think it's risky to play a big shot if it's the right shot. For example, when Williams is hitting a full ball by the spinner over mid-off's head, it's not a risky shot IMO just because it's hit in the air.
Wes is playing risky shots because they're not the right shots for that particular field or ball.
I do agree that Williams, Raza and Ervine will be tested more so against the likes of SL & WI, but they're scored runs against these guys before so there's no reason they can't do it again, especially on these flat decks.
They're definitely not sweeping as much these days.
Williams last two innings have been chanceless really, he never once looked like getting out or playing a bad shot, until he did of course get out finally.
Sure they're playing a lot of shots, but I don't think it's risky to play a big shot if it's the right shot. For example, when Williams is hitting a full ball by the spinner over mid-off's head, it's not a risky shot IMO just because it's hit in the air.
Wes is playing risky shots because they're not the right shots for that particular field or ball.
I do agree that Williams, Raza and Ervine will be tested more so against the likes of SL & WI, but they're scored runs against these guys before so there's no reason they can't do it again, especially on these flat decks.
I fear they are getting too comfortable against the pop gun attacks and cousi bd in for a rude shock.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:
FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay
Raza is going to take a few wickets on saturday and quote sunil narine as his inspiration for his variations.
Ngarava to mankad the last west indies batsman .
Poetic justice. Im confident the first one will happen
