Zim Players Marks out of 10: Tri-Series
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 3:26 pm
Its been a while since I did this, thanks to the lack of time to watch a full series, analyze, and the fact that we hadn't been doing too well anyway. Reaching the finals of the tri-series meant that at least there were some notable performances, and here goes the rankings. We played 17 guys during the series:
Sikandar Raza: 7
Two excellent knocks (one of them - a great innings with Chisoro to bring us back from the brink) and two failures with the bat underlined Raza's series, while a stunning catch early in the series was followed by a couple of costly drops a few days later. But given that he had a wretched year leading into this series with no guaranteed place in the playing XI, he acquitted himself well under pressure and hopefully is on his way back to his tenacious best in the days and months to come.
Craig Ervine: 6
Being the man in batting form this season, he led from the front with the bat in the tied match against the WI with 92 and probably played a part in boosting Raza's confidence during their partnership that served Raza well through the series. Had another start affected by rain and threw away one more with a soft dismissal when he was well settled in the final, where he could have set the tone for the team. Was a safe fielder in the outfield when we were pretty ordinary with fielding and catching all around.
Tarisai Musakanda: 5
Drafted in directly for the final after being made to warm the benches all through the SL, WI series, showed great presence of mind and maturity for a 21 year old in the high pressure clash, and ended up being the top scorer for the team. Had some silly lapses in the field that could be attributed to nerves of the first match, but he is definitely one for the future.
Brian Vitori: 5
Another one drafter into the final, probably part of a master plan of the think tank, and did what was expected of him, bowling full with pace and swing early in the innings and ripping the SL top order apart. Niroshan Dickwella's stumps cartwheeling was the wicket of the series for me, but cloud over his action again brings us back down from lofty long term expectations. He seems to need to work on his variations and fitness should he clear the tests.
Sean Williams: 5
Williams had an ugly series with the bat by any standards, before making up for it a bit in the final with the hard fought 35. His bowling was the saving grace on more than one occasion though, with his understanding of the local conditions coming in handy. He ended up as the top wicket taker for the home team with 4 wickets, bowling at an economy of 4 runs per over. His electric fielding especially in the final seemed to turn the clock back a few years and he created some pressure for the SL batsmen with that for sure.
Tendai Chisoro: 5
Chisoro became a star with his efforts in the D/L match against the WI, first saving the day with his hard hitting 42 not out and then striking telling blows early in the innings to stall the progress of the WI batsmen, creating a perfect Duckworth Lewis pressure on the touring team that led to the eventual win for Zimbabwe. His bowling was steady and controlled through the series, but no more successes in the wickets column. Seems to have established himself as the second spinner in the shorter format at the very least.
Donald Tiripano: 5
Tiripano put a price tag on his wicket pretty much every time he walked out to bat as usual, and was part of some very important lower order partnerships. His finest hour was the final over vs the WI in the tied match where he was successful in tying the match with a 4 run over. His mental toughness and presence of mind came to the fore there. Other than that, sometimes he looked like a passenger as far as the bowling is concerned, with no help from the deck to create much chances for his type of bowling.
Peter Moor: 4
Moor played a counterattacking 47 in that ill fated first match to top score for Zimbabwe and continued his test form, but then failed to deliver at the same level in the other matches. He was unfortunately sacrificed as an opener against the moving ball in the final, but for that, he could have probably done a little better later in the innings. His keeping wasn't tested much, but at least he appeared slightly more tidy than the wretched test series behind the stumps. Holding his nerve and affecting the run out in the last over tie was an important highlight too.
Graeme Cremer: 3
Not the best series for the skipper after high expectations at the end of the SL test series. He batted well for his 31* to get some respectability to our score in the first match, but his batting waned after that. His best bowling came in the final match, but unfortunately we did not have enough runs on the board for that spell to become threatening. But given that we were playing in Bulawayo and the success that other spinners were having, much more was expected out of probably the most talented spinner on display in the series. In all other matches, his bowling did not look too threatening. On field captaincy was nothing special, but not a disaster either. Bowling Mpofu in the rain affected match was almost becoming a blunder, where he could have instead trusted Masakadza or Tiripano for wicket-to-wicket tight bowling. But he made amends soon enough to not lose complete control.
Tinashe Panyangara: 3
Panyangara bowled decently for a guy coming back from a long injury layoff, but the think tank decided he was either not fully fit or was not suited for the Bulawayo leg of the series. A couple of lusty blows down the order in the first match helped add some respectability to the total too. He would hopefully get better with fitness and be back full time for the next assignments.
Chamu Chibhabha: 2
Having played 4 matches, had nothing much to show in the runs column and his last year's form seems to have evaporated. Not much bowling in the series, but his lone wicket was more due to Raza's brilliance in the field than his own bowling efforts.
Carl Mumba: 1
Mumba made his ODI debut in the series but the plot did not go as well as his test debut. The match was already done and dusted in the first half, and his bowling did not have enough accuracy to trouble the SL batsmen at the Harare leg. He would hopefully develop himself in the months to come for both forms of cricket.
Hamilton Masakadza: 1
Benched early in the series in favour of Chari, Masakadza came back to the team as a replacement of Chigumbura, playing at 3 and opening in his two knocks. Some crispy boundaries and soft dismissals followed, as he continued to enjoy the mantle handed over by Sibanda. Was a safe fielder as usual, but could have played a bigger part if he was entrusted with some bowling responsibilities. At this rate of failures with batting though, he is also getting pushed to the brink.
Brian Chari: 1
Chari is clearly out of his depth at this level and it was exposed thanks to the series of chances he got. His timid approach did not help the scoring rate either while he batted, and how Musakanda played his only knock shows the ocean of difference in approach between the two guys. He has a lot of work to do, and should go back to local cricket and fine tune his batting before getting another opportunity again.
Chris Mpofu: 1
Not inspiring much confidence with the ball despite getting multiple chances in the series, especially at his own backyard. He almost missed the plot for us in the D/L win against the WI by going for costly 3 overs. His days in top flight cricket could well be over.
Elton Chigumbura: 0
Not sure what his role in the team is anymore, with no bowling and batting at 6 or 7, he has hardly done anything of late. This lack of contribution continued in this series sadly, before he was unceremoniously dumped from the playing XI midway through the series. His inability to come good in the tied match where Ervine and Raza had set the stage for him to tee off underlined his struggles. Surely, his international career must be on the brink.
Malcolm Waller: 0
Another man who has most likely played his last ODI. The way he got out in the final after being drafted into the playing XI would infuriate any coach. Absolutely brainless display of match awareness. Some good fielding and a safe catch followed, but not enough to overshadow the disaster with the bat.
Sikandar Raza: 7
Two excellent knocks (one of them - a great innings with Chisoro to bring us back from the brink) and two failures with the bat underlined Raza's series, while a stunning catch early in the series was followed by a couple of costly drops a few days later. But given that he had a wretched year leading into this series with no guaranteed place in the playing XI, he acquitted himself well under pressure and hopefully is on his way back to his tenacious best in the days and months to come.
Craig Ervine: 6
Being the man in batting form this season, he led from the front with the bat in the tied match against the WI with 92 and probably played a part in boosting Raza's confidence during their partnership that served Raza well through the series. Had another start affected by rain and threw away one more with a soft dismissal when he was well settled in the final, where he could have set the tone for the team. Was a safe fielder in the outfield when we were pretty ordinary with fielding and catching all around.
Tarisai Musakanda: 5
Drafted in directly for the final after being made to warm the benches all through the SL, WI series, showed great presence of mind and maturity for a 21 year old in the high pressure clash, and ended up being the top scorer for the team. Had some silly lapses in the field that could be attributed to nerves of the first match, but he is definitely one for the future.
Brian Vitori: 5
Another one drafter into the final, probably part of a master plan of the think tank, and did what was expected of him, bowling full with pace and swing early in the innings and ripping the SL top order apart. Niroshan Dickwella's stumps cartwheeling was the wicket of the series for me, but cloud over his action again brings us back down from lofty long term expectations. He seems to need to work on his variations and fitness should he clear the tests.
Sean Williams: 5
Williams had an ugly series with the bat by any standards, before making up for it a bit in the final with the hard fought 35. His bowling was the saving grace on more than one occasion though, with his understanding of the local conditions coming in handy. He ended up as the top wicket taker for the home team with 4 wickets, bowling at an economy of 4 runs per over. His electric fielding especially in the final seemed to turn the clock back a few years and he created some pressure for the SL batsmen with that for sure.
Tendai Chisoro: 5
Chisoro became a star with his efforts in the D/L match against the WI, first saving the day with his hard hitting 42 not out and then striking telling blows early in the innings to stall the progress of the WI batsmen, creating a perfect Duckworth Lewis pressure on the touring team that led to the eventual win for Zimbabwe. His bowling was steady and controlled through the series, but no more successes in the wickets column. Seems to have established himself as the second spinner in the shorter format at the very least.
Donald Tiripano: 5
Tiripano put a price tag on his wicket pretty much every time he walked out to bat as usual, and was part of some very important lower order partnerships. His finest hour was the final over vs the WI in the tied match where he was successful in tying the match with a 4 run over. His mental toughness and presence of mind came to the fore there. Other than that, sometimes he looked like a passenger as far as the bowling is concerned, with no help from the deck to create much chances for his type of bowling.
Peter Moor: 4
Moor played a counterattacking 47 in that ill fated first match to top score for Zimbabwe and continued his test form, but then failed to deliver at the same level in the other matches. He was unfortunately sacrificed as an opener against the moving ball in the final, but for that, he could have probably done a little better later in the innings. His keeping wasn't tested much, but at least he appeared slightly more tidy than the wretched test series behind the stumps. Holding his nerve and affecting the run out in the last over tie was an important highlight too.
Graeme Cremer: 3
Not the best series for the skipper after high expectations at the end of the SL test series. He batted well for his 31* to get some respectability to our score in the first match, but his batting waned after that. His best bowling came in the final match, but unfortunately we did not have enough runs on the board for that spell to become threatening. But given that we were playing in Bulawayo and the success that other spinners were having, much more was expected out of probably the most talented spinner on display in the series. In all other matches, his bowling did not look too threatening. On field captaincy was nothing special, but not a disaster either. Bowling Mpofu in the rain affected match was almost becoming a blunder, where he could have instead trusted Masakadza or Tiripano for wicket-to-wicket tight bowling. But he made amends soon enough to not lose complete control.
Tinashe Panyangara: 3
Panyangara bowled decently for a guy coming back from a long injury layoff, but the think tank decided he was either not fully fit or was not suited for the Bulawayo leg of the series. A couple of lusty blows down the order in the first match helped add some respectability to the total too. He would hopefully get better with fitness and be back full time for the next assignments.
Chamu Chibhabha: 2
Having played 4 matches, had nothing much to show in the runs column and his last year's form seems to have evaporated. Not much bowling in the series, but his lone wicket was more due to Raza's brilliance in the field than his own bowling efforts.
Carl Mumba: 1
Mumba made his ODI debut in the series but the plot did not go as well as his test debut. The match was already done and dusted in the first half, and his bowling did not have enough accuracy to trouble the SL batsmen at the Harare leg. He would hopefully develop himself in the months to come for both forms of cricket.
Hamilton Masakadza: 1
Benched early in the series in favour of Chari, Masakadza came back to the team as a replacement of Chigumbura, playing at 3 and opening in his two knocks. Some crispy boundaries and soft dismissals followed, as he continued to enjoy the mantle handed over by Sibanda. Was a safe fielder as usual, but could have played a bigger part if he was entrusted with some bowling responsibilities. At this rate of failures with batting though, he is also getting pushed to the brink.
Brian Chari: 1
Chari is clearly out of his depth at this level and it was exposed thanks to the series of chances he got. His timid approach did not help the scoring rate either while he batted, and how Musakanda played his only knock shows the ocean of difference in approach between the two guys. He has a lot of work to do, and should go back to local cricket and fine tune his batting before getting another opportunity again.
Chris Mpofu: 1
Not inspiring much confidence with the ball despite getting multiple chances in the series, especially at his own backyard. He almost missed the plot for us in the D/L win against the WI by going for costly 3 overs. His days in top flight cricket could well be over.
Elton Chigumbura: 0
Not sure what his role in the team is anymore, with no bowling and batting at 6 or 7, he has hardly done anything of late. This lack of contribution continued in this series sadly, before he was unceremoniously dumped from the playing XI midway through the series. His inability to come good in the tied match where Ervine and Raza had set the stage for him to tee off underlined his struggles. Surely, his international career must be on the brink.
Malcolm Waller: 0
Another man who has most likely played his last ODI. The way he got out in the final after being drafted into the playing XI would infuriate any coach. Absolutely brainless display of match awareness. Some good fielding and a safe catch followed, but not enough to overshadow the disaster with the bat.