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The test team against Windies was definitely one on the more "experienced" side.

1. Mazakadza (34)
2. Mire (28)
3. Ervine (32)
4. Taylor (31)
5. Williams (31)
6. Raza (31)
7. Waller (33)
8. Chakabva (30)
9. Cremer (31)
10. Jarvis (28)
11. Mpofu (31)

Average age = 30.90

There's no doubting these are probably the best of the Zim bunch currently. Those who are in the wings are of similar ages too. This will probably mean within 3-5 years the whole bunch will have retired from international cricket / cricket full stop all leaving en bloc at the same time.

Question is, purely just for fun how do you see the team shaping up? I'm talking players under the age of 26/27 in this. It's generally accepted batters will be in their prime around 31/32 as they know their games.

I'll go with mine first and I've based it on guys in Zim available now, not lads who need to be enticed home.

1. Kevin Kasuza
2. Brian Chari
3. Ryan Burl
4. Charles Kunje
5. Tarisai Musakanda
6. PJ Moor (WK)
7. William Mashinge
8. Brandon Mavuta
9. Wellington Mazakadza
10. Tendai Chatara
11. Carl Mumba

In the wings

Luke Jognwe (ODI), Ainsley Ndlovu, James Bruce (ODI), Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Kudzai Maunze, Tendai Maruma, Neville Madziva (ODI), Joylord Gumbie (WK), Richard Ngarva, Blessing Muzaranbani

Obviously base don all these players to continually improve.

Theres a few names there. I don't know if that s a good talent pool or a 21 man squad of much of a muchness.

Liam Roche

And Mr Eddie Byrom

sloandog wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:08 am

And Mr Eddie Byrom

Be surprised if he has thrown is hat in for selction for Zim in 5 years.

All things being equal, I still think Cremer and Taylor would still be playing.

With success I think Taylor could play for another 5 and play a sort of guidance role with the youngsters potentially moving down to 5 or 6.A lot of spinners are like a wine and get better with age , If cremer can continue to improve there's no reason why he can't play ,unless a gun youngster is biting at his heels. Even Jarvis will only be 33 you can't rule him out , but if his pace is at 130 now I can't see it getting much quicker it might be a worry , but hey jimmy Anderson is 130 now and with line and length plus some swing he's class.

I'm going to make a call which some people might not agree with but I think with the way these young gunnas are bowling(from what I hear they got some gas and are only getting faster) it's going to be very difficult for Jarvis and Chatara to keep their places for the next 5 years in the longer format. I know they have barely played any serious games but when you look at the scorecards and the way even BT said they are decent, I just have a feeling that in 2/3 years they will be too good to ignore. Kind of like when Jarvis Chatara and Vitori themselves entered the scene in 1 go. I just feel that they have lost too much pace for their ages(27/28)..

I couldn't believe Tristan Holme when he described Mumba as the fastest in the country until I saw how much pace Jarvis has lost. Maybe Vitori might keep Ngarava out if he sorts his action out but I think it's only a matter of time before Jarvis and Chatara get replaced by Mumba and Muzarabani in the longer format. Mainly because unlike in England where Anderson gets a lot of assistance from the pitch , the guys here will rarely get the help they need to get that swing at medium pace

Hopefully

Welch
Byrom
Burl
Tari
Ives
Lake
Murray
Mavuta
Mumba
Muzarabani
Ngarava

Maybe that’s more like 6-7 years away but if Zimbabwe could get these kids together

I've brought this up previously but weirdly not many people on the forum seem too concerned about this

All is good now but this is a bubble that's ready to burst!

Life will be good up until the conclusion of the next World Cup when afterwards you can notch another two years against everyone's name.

What will happen is they will all retire within 12 months of each other. A pay dispute or similar will accelerate the that dramatically after the next Wc. ZC need to be careful.

It's also the other reason I am very comfortable In demoting Elton, vusi into the scrap heap immediately (bar a dramatic resurgence) and I feel the next wave of players returning overseas needs to be the Byroms and welchs and so forth.

A top order of
1 byrom
2 welch
3 burl
4 musakanda
5 Murray

In 5 years doesn't seem so bad and could genuinely rise up to be a good top order for a generation to come.

It's up to taibu and ZC. Right now things are shiny at the top but there's a huge gap between our best and the rest.

I would phase out Elton and vusi immediately (already happening) and at the closure of the 2019 World Cup I would be phasing out mpofu immediately and within 6 months Elton and waller

I also think mawoyo will retire in the next two years voluntarily.

He's too good a prospect for commentating. Enjoys it and has a natural knack for it. He can go far and international selection will impede that