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This is the 15 man squad for the 1st FC match vs South Africa A.

Batsman: 1 Brian Chari, 2 Timycen Maruma, 3 Tinotenda Mawoyo, 4 Tarisai Musakanda
Wicket Keepers: 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Joylord Gumbie
All rounders: 7 Tinotenda Mutombodzi (C), 8 Prince Masvaure
Pacers: 9 Shingirai Masakadza, 10 Trevor Garwe, 11 Victor Nyauchi, 12 Richard Muzhange, 13 Gerald Aliseni
Spinners: 14 Jonh Nyumbu, 15 Natsai Mushangwe

Didn't make the 15 man squad from the 22 man camp:

Batsman: 1 Roy Kaia
Wicket Keepers: 2 Forster Mutizwa
All rounders: 3 Luke Jongwe
Pacers: 4 Michael Chinouya, 5 Brian Vitori, 6 Tatenda Mupunga, 7 Tatenda Chikuni (Yet to make official cricket debut)
Spinners: N/A

Guessing Zimbabwe A XI for the 1st FC match vs South Africa A.

1. Brian Chari
2. Tinotenda Mawoyo
3. Timycen Maruma
4. Regis Chakabva
5. Joylord Gumbie (WK)
6. Tinotenda Mutombodzi (C)
7. Tarisai Musakanda
8. Jonh Nyumbu
9. Shingirai Masakadza
10. Trevor Garwe
11. Gerald Aliseni

Here's my analysis & verdict of the 15 man Zim A squad:

Batsman:

Brian Chari: Deserves selection.
Timycen Maruma: Bowler turned batsman. Averages 29 in FC. Not sure about his longer format batting credential. I wouldn't have selected Maruma.
Tinotenda Mawoyo: Played well in his test career & that's why he is in the test plans. But problem is that he is woefully out of form, couldn't buy a run in the logan cup. May be the selectors want to have a look where he stands right now & that's why picked him.
Tarisai Musakanda: 20 years old Midwest Rhinos batsman with not much of records. May be he is identified as a future batting prospect ahead of Nkosana Mpofu.

Wicket Keepers:

Regis Chakabva: Wasn't in the squad against Ind. Most probably going to play the tests. Zim test team player. Deserves selection for longer format batting practice.
Joylord Gumbie: 20 years old, identified as a future prospect. Has already played a few gritty knocks. Deserves selection for development.

All rounders:

Tinotenda Mutombodzi: Played vs Ind & didn't do much. Initially started off as a bowler, later became batting all rounder. FC ave 22. Averaged only 19 in 5 logan cup matches with just 1 half century. Although has a FC highest of 230 in his name. I wouldn't have picked Mutombodzi.
Prince Masvaure: Not much records. Can hit a few in domestic cricket. Left arm bat & seamer. Masvaure is the worst selection ahead of 21 years Luke Jongwe who has got better records & potential.

Pacers:

Shingirai Masakadza: Logan cup 2015/16 most wickets. For me, S Masakadza deserves selection.
Trevor Garwe: Played for the A side. Performed well in domestic cricket. Can anyone tell me what does he possess in terms of bowling style & bowling speed ? No complains about Garwe selection from me.
Victor Nyauchi: Played for the A side. 23 years old seamer picked up 10 wickets in 5 logan cup matches at 32. Maybe selectors see him as a prospect. How good is he ?
Richard Muzhange: 25 years old seamer picked up 6 wickets in 5 logan cup matches at 36. Does he have something special ? I wouldn't have picked Muzhange ahead of Mumba, Vitori, Madziva, Muzarabani.
Gerald Aliseni: A wild card entry. Reported to have pace & a wicket taker. I appreciate this brave selection.

Spinners:

Jonh Nyumbu: Picked up wickets vs SOU in test & had a good logan cup. No complains about Nyumbu selection from me.
Natsai Mushangwe: Picked up 9 wickets in 5 logan cup matches at 45. Didn't pick up much wickets against Ban tests 2014. Definitely another spinner should have got the nod. It's a very bad selection ahead of W Masakadza, Mufadza, Mavuta, Chikomba.



Analysis & verdict of the other 7 training players who missed out on the 15 man Zim A squad for 1st FC match vs SOU A:

Batsman:

Roy Kaia: A FC ave of 23, averaged 17 in 5 logan cup matches with a highest 35. Nkosana Mpofu & Nathan Waller had better stats than R Kaia. Worst selection ahead of Nkosana Mpofu who averaged 37.5 in logan cup, FC ave 30. A huge question mark on the selection of R Kaia in training camp ahead of N Mpofu.

Wicket Keepers:

Forster Mutizwa: A FC ave of 39. No complain from me about Mutizwa selection.

All rounders:

Luke Jongwe: Should have been selected in the A squad ahead of non deserving Masvaure. A huge question mark for ignoring Jongwe & selection of Masvaure.

Pacers:

Michael Chinouya: Experienced 30 years old seamer.
Brian Vitori: Don't know if his action is changed or not.
Tatenda Mupunga: 29 years old seamer. Can someone shed some light on him ?
Tatenda Chikuni: Yet to make official cricket debut

Spinners:

N/A




From the India series, only Tinotenda Mutombodzi & Timycen Maruma are selected. From the look of the 22 man training squad, it looks like a Zimbabwe 'B' squad as some of the fringe national players with no test experience such as Peter Moor or Nevil Madziva are overlooked.

Notable omissions:

Luke Jongwe: Identified as a future prosect. Should have been in the A squad ahead of Masvaure. Jongwe has better records & potential than Masvaure who hasn't got records.
Wellington Masakadza/Tapiwa Mufadza/Brandon Mavuta/Herbert Chikomba: Any of them would have been a better bet than Natsai Mushangwe. A big question mark on the non selection of W Masakadza/Mufadza/Mavuta/Chikomba in favor of an out of form Mushangwe.
Peter Moor: Should have been in the A squad. Only logical explanation of his omission is another training camp comprising national players.
Malcolm Waller: If Mutizwa can be selected with a FC ave of 39 in the training camp & so should Malcolm Waller who averages 38 in FC cricket. Only logical explanation of his omission is another training camp comprising national players.
Carl Mumba/Nevil Madziva/Taurai Muzarabani: Carl Mumba who has got many wickets in domestic cricket. Should have got chance in training camp/A side ahead of Nyauchi or Muzhange or Chinuoya or Mupunga who all have been less successful than Mumba.
Nkosana Mpofu/Nathan Waller: Both have better stats than Roy Kaia who got selected in the training camp.
*Ryan Burl: Injured

Selection Error:

Who has selected the A side & training squad ? Is it Tatenda Taibu ? Whoever it is, he has got some major selection errors such as:

1. Prince Masvaure over Luke Jongwe in the A side:

Prince Masvaure is the worst selection in the A side ahead of 21 years Luke Jongwe who has got better records & potential. Masvaure has no stats to speak of.

2. Natsai Mushangwe over W Masakadza/Mufadza/Mavuta/Chikomba in the A side:

A big question mark on the selection of an out of form Natsai Mushangwe ahead of W Masakadza/Mufadza/Mavuta/Chikomba who all have been more successful than Mushangwe in the logan cup. Mushangwe has 9 wickets in 5 logan cup matches at 45

3. Roy Kaia over Nkosana Mpofu/Nathan Waller in the training camp:

A huge question mark on the selection of R Kaia in training camp ahead of N Mpofu/N Waller. N Mpofu & N Waller both peformed better than R Kaia. N Mpofu averaged 37.5 in the logan cup with a FC ave of 30. R Kaia averaged 17 in the logan cup with a FC ave of 23.


Thoughts/Opinions ?

Very thoughtful insight !

Chikomba I know is in tge UK along with Mavuta.

The only reason why Jongwe wouldnt have selected are questions around his attitude.

I know Zim Cricket pretty well and iv seen Prince Masvaure play a game or two for Zim A but literally have never ever heard of him any other time anywhere.

Mawoyo is in there with ZC I think.

Aliseni has an extreme confidence in himself and because of this maybe selectors decided to try him out.

Joylord Gumbie is a talented player and should play in the same team as Chakabva, I dont mind who keeps.

Mutombodzi is so over rated its frightening. He is a good bowler if its a spinning pitch as he has a good googly as well but gives 2 rubbish balls an over. As for his batting, well, I dont think much of it.

Timycen Maruma is an arrogant Zanoid who is quite similar to Mutombodzi in skillset.

Brian Chari has NOT impressed me with the sheer lack of technique he possesses as an opener ! He gets squared up by anything. I dont rate him

Nathan Waller isnt good enough without his bowling, he is a slogger. Maybe an option when he is back bowling.

PJ Moor definately suits the longer format in my opinion. I just dont think he looked good enough against India. He played a few big shots but off half trackers from spinners. Shouldv been in the A team.

Malcolm Waller should have been here too.

Taurai Muzarabani should give up cricket and study becoming a civil human being.

Trevor Garwe I really do think is a good bowler. He bowls at a consistently good pace and doesnt give you much to work with. Age is not on his side however.

As much as I dont rate Carl Mumba, stats say he shouldv been selected.

Natsai Mushangwe had one good series against WI a few years ago and has been garbage ever since. A crime that Wellington misses out here.

Get Bright Mugochi in the A side ! He is becoming a bit overly arrogant in the last few years as he used to be a top guy but hes still damn good.

Talent Munyoro shouldv been in this team.

Does anyone know if any where will stream this? I doubt it but just someone who may know?

We are out of our depth to tell the truth on Saturday guys, its some reasonable talent mixed with club players VS Stephen Cook, Vernon Philander, Hardus Viljoen etc...

I hope we expose their quota players however

Andile Phehlukwayo averaging 11 with the bat and 43 with the ball, is a disgraceful selection.
How Omphile Ramela is there averaging 29 over Rudi Second who is pure class will slap me in the face forever more.

can anyone on the ground tell us why Forster Mutizwa never gets a chance? averages 39 at FC level with 13 centuries and also 31 from 17 ODIs.I'm not saying he is a world beater but it looks like he has better stats than Chakabva and Mutumbami. there must surely be other reasons

Fortser and Prince are talented players but in my honest opinion is that they are lazy underachievers who are too comfortable and content with no serious drive too push on.

TapsC wrote:can anyone on the ground tell us why Forster Mutizwa never gets a chance? averages 39 at FC level with 13 centuries and also 31 from 17 ODIs.I'm not saying he is a world beater but it looks like he has better stats than Chakabva and Mutumbami. there must surely be other reasons

Because like yourself, he's no good.

Mugochi would have been a great pick to see if he can cut it at the higher levels. He is not arrogant but he realsies his worth and the need to be self sufficient and independent. He will continue to travel to the UK and play club cricket until he is given a solid ZC contract that covers him for 12 months.

Flakeman wrote:Very thoughtful insight !

Chikomba I know is in tge UK along with Mavuta.

The only reason why Jongwe wouldnt have selected are questions around his attitude.

I know Zim Cricket pretty well and iv seen Prince Masvaure play a game or two for Zim A but literally have never ever heard of him any other time anywhere.

Mawoyo is in there with ZC I think.

Aliseni has an extreme confidence in himself and because of this maybe selectors decided to try him out.

Joylord Gumbie is a talented player and should play in the same team as Chakabva, I dont mind who keeps.

Mutombodzi is so over rated its frightening. He is a good bowler if its a spinning pitch as he has a good googly as well but gives 2 rubbish balls an over. As for his batting, well, I dont think much of it.

Timycen Maruma is an arrogant Zanoid who is quite similar to Mutombodzi in skillset.

Brian Chari has NOT impressed me with the sheer lack of technique he possesses as an opener ! He gets squared up by anything. I dont rate him

Nathan Waller isnt good enough without his bowling, he is a slogger. Maybe an option when he is back bowling.

PJ Moor definately suits the longer format in my opinion. I just dont think he looked good enough against India. He played a few big shots but off half trackers from spinners. Shouldv been in the A team.

Malcolm Waller should have been here too.

Taurai Muzarabani should give up cricket and study becoming a civil human being.

Trevor Garwe I really do think is a good bowler. He bowls at a consistently good pace and doesnt give you much to work with. Age is not on his side however.

As much as I dont rate Carl Mumba, stats say he shouldv been selected.

Natsai Mushangwe had one good series against WI a few years ago and has been garbage ever since. A crime that Wellington misses out here.

Get Bright Mugochi in the A side ! He is becoming a bit overly arrogant in the last few years as he used to be a top guy but hes still damn good.

Talent Munyoro shouldv been in this team.

Zzzzzzzzzzz