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What to do with the big fella ?? Currently out of form and out of the side but are we really ready to just throw away 250 international caps, 7887 international runs, 8 hundreds, 46 fifties and 56 wickets. Especially since there isn't much else around, only Ervine is setting the world a light atm and the young guy replacing him Brian Chari is averaging below 20 in both ODI's and Tests. The other options are youngsters Burl and Musakanda who haven't a single ton between them in franchise cricket or young Ryan Murray who hasn't even played a first class game. So can we really afford to just disregard Hami ?? I don't think so but I feel his role must change .....

I don't think Hami should bat 3 anymore, I think the burden of batting in the premier position first drop is too much for him now ( not that he ever dominated the position ) as a number 3 you need to be able to stabilise the order after an early wicket or counterattack after a solid start. I think the pressure gets to Hami he seems not sure whether to attack or defend and just fizzles out and gets out. If we look back at recent times the best we've seen Hami play is when he has opened the batting in t20's because he isn't in two minds of what to do he knows he just needs to play his shots, so I'd open with Hami in all formats we know he's good in t20's and I think it would benefit the side if he opened in that same way in ODI's. We already have Chamu who plays the role of anchor well so this could give Hami the perfect scenario to come in and play with no restraint. Also in tests Hami gets bogged down at 3 so again I'd open with him, he has a good technique and solid defence and I'm sure he can do just as good a job as Tino at taking the shine off the new ball and has more shots in him than Tino ....

Thoughts ???

jaybro wrote:What to do with the big fella ?? Currently out of form and out of the side but are we really ready to just throw away 250 international caps, 7887 international runs, 8 hundreds, 46 fifties and 56 wickets. Especially since there isn't much else around, only Ervine is setting the world a light atm and the young guy replacing him Brian Chari is averaging below 20 in both ODI's and Tests. The other options are youngsters Burl and Musakanda who haven't a single ton between them in franchise cricket or young Ryan Murray who hasn't even played a first class game. So can we really afford to just disregard Hami ?? I don't think so but I feel his role must change .....

I don't think Hami should bat 3 anymore, I think the burden of batting in the premier position first drop is too much for him now ( not that he ever dominated the position ) as a number 3 you need to be able to stabilise the order after an early wicket or counterattack after a solid start. I think the pressure gets to Hami he seems not sure whether to attack or defend and just fizzles out and gets out. If we look back at recent times the best we've seen Hami play is when he has opened the batting in t20's because he isn't in two minds of what to do he knows he just needs to play his shots, so I'd open with Hami in all formats we know he's good in t20's and I think it would benefit the side if he opened in that same way in ODI's. We already have Chamu who plays the role of anchor well so this could give Hami the perfect scenario to come in and play with no restraint. Also in tests Hami gets bogged down at 3 so again I'd open with him, he has a good technique and solid defence and I'm sure he can do just as good a job as Tino at taking the shine off the new ball and has more shots in him than Tino ....

Thoughts ???

he could be tried this way in the future ..but for this particular series i think if anyone deserves his place more is waller ..lets make moor open instead of chari and fit in waller at 6 ..rest of the team remains the same

Short answer, No. We can't let him just disappear with all that experience. He must be clearly told the transition plan and be made to guide the youngsters like Musakanda as he plays with them on the field. He, more than anyone else, needs that sports psychologist that everyone is talking about of late. He needs to get out of that "I must not fail" negative rut that Butcher seemed to recognize and highlight so well. His bowling is one of the most underrated across the cricketing circles. If he was playing for NZ, he would have got regular bowling spells. Have we ever seen him disappear for 8 runs an over or something like that having bowled a 4-5 over spell? Don't think so. He is an asset there. Very intelligent. And a very safe catcher.

Hamilton can't be in the middle order in shorter formats as he takes a bit of time to settle down and he might not get that luxury on most occasions in ODIs. So, either open or no place in the XI seems to be the approach, which is why he is out of favour right now I guess. Which is also why Chigumbura bizarrely gets to stay in the XI with an abysmal record of late but Hamilton warms the benches. He can't be fitted in elsewhere as they could have done with Vusi or someone. So, if he plays, he opens in ODIs and T20s for sure. No debate.

For tests, can he get a go at 5 though? Have Chibhabha / Raza, Mawoyo, Ervine, Musakanda, Masakadza and Williams as top 6. May not be a bad idea. He might be able to help Musakanda shape himself into a reliable bat from there and provide a decent foil to the flamboyant Williams below him (who I'm now convinced should not bat any higher up than 6 in tests, as he does not seem to have it in him to build a long innings like Ervine). Ervine is clearly our best batsman on form, for nearly a year now, so he gets to go 3 in both ODIs and Tests. Having said all this, Hamilton has effectively opened all his career in all formats as the opening partnerships have been virtually absent.

Cast the coke can out, we don't need his years of failure anywhere near the side. Get Waller out too, the two of them can go into the porn industry and feature in "Massaging Malcolm's Hammy."

-watermelon.

Hamilton can offer more than Elton with bat and ball. He is one of our best players. Get him back in the damn side !!!!!

Hami has to open in T20s.

He should be back opening in ODIs ahead of either of the current incumbents.

I think with his bowling and Ervine's current prominence shifting him to 5 in tests would be fine.

watermelon wrote:the two of them can go into the porn industry and feature in "Massaging Malcolm's Hammy."

Would probably pay better & more reliably than ZC, too.

Jemisi wrote:Hami has to open in T20s.

He should be back opening in ODIs ahead of either of the current incumbents.

I agree with these. Especially T20.

aydee wrote:

Jemisi wrote:Hami has to open in T20s.

He should be back opening in ODIs ahead of either of the current incumbents.

I agree with these. Especially T20.

I believe Masakadza will still do a better job than Chari in ODIs opening.