Ireland Wolves v Zimbabwe XI

[TapsC2]

Did Musakanda make it to Ireland? Haven't seen him at all

[secretzimbo]

Zimbabwe pull off another win which is good to see. Good bowling by Raza, with Burl injured I think Sikki will make the playing XI.

Madhevere
Chakabva
Ervine
Taylor
Williams
Myers
Raza
Jongwe
Wellington
Ngarava
Blessing

Pretty has to be this with Burl injured.

Yep this is our best available XI, but pretty sure Taylor will open and Wes will be down the order in ODIs.

[secretzimbo]

Did Musakanda make it to Ireland? Haven't seen him at all

Don’t think he’s there

[Donald]

Taylor was basically opening away in Pakistan when chari and chibhaba were walking wickets .

I'm sure he will come good. Its bad he hasn't had any other prep other than 5 run less balls

[Kriterion_BD]

Zimbabwe pull off another win which is good to see.

Practice game so doesn't matter.

Always good to get back to back wins. Batting needs some more work, but the bowlers seem to be clicking. Should be an exciting ODI series with actual points on the line and Big 4 playing.

The more I think about, the ZC plan was generally the correct one. Just maybe not implemented perfectly. With the Big 4 all essentially 35 years of age (Bangladesh have a similar situation with Shakib, Mushy, and Mahmudullah all 34-35, and Tamim not far behind at 32-33), going with all youth in the T20 series was NOT a bad call IMO. Even had they lost 5-0, it gives the young guys experience that won't get anywhere else (domestic level is too weak accurately gauge players or develop them), and allows the likes of Myers/Shumba to take over the reins gradually from the Big 4. There are no points at stake in a T20 series. Big 4 need to be saved for Tests (however few they play), and Super League ODIs plus ICC tournaments. If Zimbabwe were to play a 3 match ODI series against Namibia, for example, I would say no need to play the Big 4 unless there is no other cricket on the horizon. Why risk injury when even a 3-0 series win wouldn't change anything?

The only thing I'd have done different is perhaps played the Big 4 in the final T20 just to give them a little more gametime. But how much gametime do you really get in a T20 match? You can cover that in the tour game plus training sessions. The Big 4 were** just sitting on their butts during the T20 series (at least they shouldn't be if they are professional cricketers)...they were in the nets working on their games while the youngsters were playing Ireland.

Zimbabwe are actually lucky they still have the Big 4 at age 35 and beyond. Not many non-Asian cricketers play to that age, and can you imagine if all the Big 4 had retired already? Myers, Shumba, Marumani, and even Madhevere aren't 100% ready yet.

**weren't

[secretzimbo]

Zimbabwe pull off another win which is good to see.

Practice game so doesn't matter.

Always good to get back to back wins. Batting needs some more work, but the bowlers seem to be clicking. Should be an exciting ODI series with actual points on the line and Big 4 playing.

The more I think about, the ZC plan was generally the correct one. Just maybe not implemented perfectly. With the Big 4 all essentially 35 years of age (Bangladesh have a similar situation with Shakib, Mushy, and Mahmudullah all 34-35, and Tamim not far behind at 32-33), going with all youth in the T20 series was NOT a bad call IMO. Even had they lost 5-0, it gives the young guys experience that won't get anywhere else (domestic level is too weak accurately gauge players or develop them), and allows the likes of Myers/Shumba to take over the reins gradually from the Big 4. There are no points at stake in a T20 series. Big 4 need to be saved for Tests (however few they play), and Super League ODIs plus ICC tournaments. If Zimbabwe were to play a 3 match ODI series against Namibia, for example, I would say no need to play the Big 4 unless there is no other cricket on the horizon. Why risk injury when even a 3-0 series win wouldn't change anything?

The only thing I'd have done different is perhaps played the Big 4 in the final T20 just to give them a little more gametime. But how much gametime do you really get in a T20 match? You can cover that in the tour game plus training sessions. The Big 4 were** just sitting on their butts during the T20 series (at least they shouldn't be if they are professional cricketers)...they were in the nets working on their games while the youngsters were playing Ireland.

Zimbabwe are actually lucky they still have the Big 4 at age 35 and beyond. Not many non-Asian cricketers play to that age, and can you imagine if all the Big 4 had retired already? Myers, Shumba, Marumani, and even Madhevere aren't 100% ready yet.

**weren't

to the highlighted part in bold;

Because the entire point of professional sport is to win? Personally quite like it when Zimbabwe win cricket matches. So yeah, more of that please.

Don't think theres any justification - at all - for leaving your all-time best whiteball batsman - who gets paid an absolute fucktonne more than any other player btw - out of an entire series.

Also the fact that the top scorer today and the man of the match were both left out last week is also great banter. Well done all round.

[Kriterion_BD]

to the highlighted part in bold;

Because the entire point of professional sport is to win? Personally quite like it when Zimbabwe win cricket matches. So yeah, more of that please.

Don't think theres any justification - at all - for leaving your all-time best whiteball batsman - who gets paid an absolute fucktonne more than any other player btw - out of an entire series.

Also the fact that the top scorer today and the man of the match were both left out last week is also great banter. Well done all round.

Yes but there's no points at stake and no glory to be had from beating a side outside the Super League. But there is embarassment if you lose. So no upside benefit, but downside risk. Thats a bad investment. Now for teams inside League 2 it has tremendous meaning. USA just smashed PNG today, and thats hella meaningful for several reasons (18 month layoff, bowled out for 35 all out vs Nepal in the previous ODI, build momentum ahead for their upcoming League 2 fixtures with points at stake).

If ZIM were to leave out their Big 4 and play a developmental side in a hypothetical ODI series vs Namibia or USA or Nepal, it would be a good experience for the youngesters. I'd imagine a middling League 2 team would provide a similar to somewhat higher standard of cricket to Logan Cup or Pro50 cricket. For example if Marumani is still struggling against a Nepal or USA - and I suspect he very likely would - but Myers, Madhevere, and Shumba dominate, you know exactly where they stand.

[secretzimbo]

Maybe you are taking a more holistic approach and I am taking a more patriotic Zimbabwean approach here. But idc if theres no 'points' on the line. The entire point of playing sport is to win. So points or no points, it matters to win.

And btw I'm all in favour of the young guys getting some opportunities - they have the talent and I believe in them. But not guaranteed selections for all four of them in all five matches regardless of performance, especially when you have demonstrably better players sitting around doing nothing. It's an important point that Taylor is paid fortunes - one of the highest-earning non-criminals in the entire country btw. Madness to pay him more than we pay the young 4 combined but then not even ask him to play?

Priorities for a professional sports team;
1. Win
2. Everything else, including future development.

In that order.

[Jemisi]

Maybe you are taking a more holistic approach and I am taking a more patriotic Zimbabwean approach here. But idc if theres no 'points' on the line. The entire point of playing sport is to win. So points or no points, it matters to win.

And btw I'm all in favour of the young guys getting some opportunities - they have the talent and I believe in them. But not guaranteed selections for all four of them in all five matches regardless of performance, especially when you have demonstrably better players sitting around doing nothing. It's an important point that Taylor is paid fortunes - one of the highest-earning non-criminals in the entire country btw. Madness to pay him more than we pay the young 4 combined but then not even ask him to play?

Priorities for a professional sports team;
1. Win
2. Everything else, including future development.

In that order.

Agreed.

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

For me the reasoning is quite simple. You must not loose to a test-playing nation even if it’s a T-20 series. Reserve these silly experiments with Namibia, Nepal or Netherlands. Moreover, it’s all about pride. Prove to the world that Zim deserved to be in the T20 WC rather than they ain’t add anything.