Zimbabwe team if the rebel saga never happened?

[eugene]

I was thinking the other day about what the national side would look like if the rebel saga and subseqent player defections never happened. Presumably we would have had a few retirements (Stuart Carlisle, Heath Streak, Craig Wishart, Alastair Campbell, Grant Flower, etc,) along the way however. Perhaps the team would have looked something like this?

1. Brendan Taylor
2. Barney Rogers
3. Sean Williams
4. Tatenda Taibu
5. Sean Ervine
6. Stuart Matsikenyeri
7. Elton Chigumbura
8. Andy Blignaut
9. Ray Price
10. Edward Rainsford
11. Anthony Ireland

Then we would still have players like Sibanda, Coventry, Utseya waiting in the wings. Of all the players who left in the rebel saga I think Sean Ervine was the only one who was irreplacable. He really did seem like Heath Streak's natural successor. Other than him I don't think the team would be in a much better position than it is now. What are your thoughts on what the team would look like and how it compares to the current side?

[Conant]

I agree but how did you leave out Hamilton Masakadza? And Tinashe Panyangara?

I think Masakadza would have batted at three and Sean Ervine at four (certainly not Taibu!). Taibu would have come in at six after William (5) and then Chigumbura at 7.

Getting Sean Ervine back would be a massive coup!

[Robin]

Masakadza is the most talented batsmen that Zim have produced since Andy Flower and could go on to average 40+ in test cricket (only Houghton, Goodwin & A.Flower have managed this)

I don't think they would have picked 5 seamers!

Colin de Grandhomme could have featured too.

Here's my team:-

Ebrahim
Masakadza
Vermeulen
Taylor
S.Williams/de Grandhomme/Mutizwa
S.Ervine
Taibu
Chigumbura
Maruma
Cremer
Jarvis/Panyangara/Ireland/Aliensi

I would go for Maruma & Cremer ahead of Price & Utseya because you need wicket takers a test level.

[eugene]

In my hasty putting together of the side I forgot about Masakadza, my apologies.

[Detective RDS]

1. Hamilton Masakadza
2. Brendan Taylor
3. Mark Vermeulen
4. Tatenda Taibu (WK)
5. Sean Ervine
6. Sean Williams
7. Elton Chigumbura
8. Andy Blignaut
9. Raymond Price (C)
10. Anthony Ireland
11. Tinashe Panyangara

[tawac]

I think from all these posts one thing is certain. The current Zim Side is close to what we would have now with or without the rebel saga. I think the only difference would that the like of Panyangarara, Masakadza, Ireland, Chigumbura, S. Ervine would have learnt a lot playing along side Streak, the Flower brothers, Wishart, etc. One evidence of this would be Taibu. No wonder he is not afraid to take those chicky sweep shots. My team would be:

1. Brendon Taylor
2. Mark Vermuelen
3. Hamilton Masakadza
4. Tatenda Taibu (WK)
5. Sean Ervine
6. Stuart Matsikinyere
7. Elton Chigumbura
8. Andy Blignaut (c)
9. Raymond Price
10. Prosper Usteya
11. Tinashe Panyangara

[kartik]

thts my team
1)Brendon Taylor/Tatenda taibu
2)Barney Rogers
3)Colin de grandhomme
4)Sean Ervine
5)Bradley Staddon
6)Sean Williams
7)Craig Ervine
8)Tinashe Panyangara
9)Ian Nicolson
10)Gerald Aliseni
11)Ray Price/Prosper Utseya
ill just keep 3 of the current players

[sloandog]

Where's Mazakadza, and Bradly Staddon ?? I find that selection very bewildering

[kartik]

Where's Mazakadza, and Bradly Staddon ?? I find that selection very bewildering

I m not against mazakadza mate but the fact is he has played 15 matches against the kenyans and scored 800 runs at an average of 66.16.
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/pla ... pe=batting
and against Bangladesh he has played 29 games and scored only 618 runs at an average of 22.
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/pla ... pe=batting
And against the South Africans he has scored only 1 fifty in 12games at an average of 18.As a opening batsmen and as a senior player i expect a lot more than this from him mate.I wonder what will his stats be if we dont count the matches he has played against kenya mate.

[Conant]

Where's Mazakadza, and Bradly Staddon ?? I find that selection very bewildering

I m not against mazakadza mate but the fact is he has played 15 matches against the kenyans and scored 800 runs at an average of 66.16.
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/pla ... pe=batting
and against Bangladesh he has played 29 games and scored only 618 runs at an average of 22.
http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/pla ... pe=batting
And against the South Africans he has scored only 1 fifty in 12games at an average of 18.As a opening batsmen and as a senior player i expect a lot more than this from him mate.I wonder what will his stats be if we dont count the matches he has played against kenya mate.

Oh really, kartik? How is this for a stastic: in a test series in 2001 against south africa, hamilton masakadza made 13, 87, 9 and 42 not out against an attack featuring andre nel, makhaya ntini, shaun pollock and claude henderson. And i do believe he has gotten better since then. And didnt he make 84 from 79 just this afternoon? He has no statistic against any other team in the recent past because we havent played any!