Logan Cup: Rocks v Tuskers & Rhinos v Mountaineers (12th-15th Feb)

[secretzimbo]

Tweet has been deleted

https://twitter.com/cricket_eagles/stat ... 3991211008 this link should work?

[secretzimbo]

Think it is Akram but with a new hair do and a smaller beard

[zimfan1]

No that is Ali Hamid

[secretzimbo]

Decent club player for OH for years. Interesting to see him involved at this level.

[secretzimbo]

Another 3 day win for Mountaineers.

Tuskers struggling in their chase. Title could be decided tomorrow

[Googly]

Decent club player for OH for years. Interesting to see him involved at this level.

And why not give him a go, that's what pathways are all about. I haven't really seen him play, but if he's given a squad slot ahead of 3 or 4 really promising u19's then you just have to shake your head. We've just seen a couple of guys that can perform on a world stage ffs. Is there a point in discussing the problems we face here if they continue to watch talented players disappear? We need to invest in players that have the potential to play international cricket well. Having never seen him play I can still say with absolute certainty that he doesn't. As soon as I see a Zimbabean guy with long hair, dyed hair, dreadlocks, highlights, beads, necklaces, bracelets and he's not Chris Gayle I know for sure he's not going to cut it. You have to earn that right, it's not a fashion show.

[secretzimbo]

Why are they persisting with Marumani as an opener in this format? That's so obviously not his position in red ball cricket. He doesn't have the technique or the defence. In t20's, maybe 50-over at a stretch, fine - he can play a Zhuwao type role - but better - and we can hope with more consistency.

But madness sticking him into open in this format. I'm not convinced he should be playing 4-day games at all, but seeing as we have no other cricket he basically has to. At least play him down at like 5 or 6 and give him time to learn.

[secretzimbo]

He's hasn't got a national contract so it can't be ZC/Rajput insisting Rocks play him there. It must be Shepherd's decision, which is disappointing for an otherwise pretty good and smart coach.

I know he hit a very good century in the last match but that felt like a one-off. Put him down the order ffs and give him time.

[Googly]

That to me indicates that he's been told to bat him up front because it doesn't make sense. That was an astonishing innings he played for his century though. Damned impressive, and in fairness has earned him a few games to try and build on that. You need rock solid technique to be consistently good at opening. He doesn't have it. Whether he learns remains to be seen.
If you want to really improve someone that has huge potential and technique then let Evans bat in the front 4 or put him in a team that needs a 1-4 batsman. Leave him there for a season and you've created a good batsman. He's that talented, I'll put my c$$ on a block. Maybe I'm watching a different Evans, but it's clear as day that this guy has real ability. They're killing this guy without giving him a proper chance.

ZC have put huge faith in Marumani, Shumba and Madhevere. Its not going to look too peachy if they don't deliver. There has to be just an inkling of doubt by now that they're going to not set it alight internationally. These admin guys have no learning curve. It's tough out there.

Here are their two big gambles-
Bring Taylor and Jarvis back and we qualify. Didn't happen.
Invest in these 3 u19's to replace quality guys about to retire or have just done so. That remains to be seen, but I think they're going to struggle. They're good players, no one is arguing that, but they've had some exposure now and not knocked it out the park. What has to change to enable them to become world beaters? More cricket certainly, but if they play more international cricket with their current skill set you're going to get the same result- mediocre performances with the odd good one thrown in. When Ervine and Williams go we become a decent club side unless someone comes to the party very quickly. We had this ugly debate about the standard of our franchise and I think Compton and Gubbins have emphatically shown where we are at. We can wait for next February and if a County side comes out it can be driven home with a 20lb hammer yet again that we are not good.

So do they give up on these two options because it didn't pan out? The only other option is to hope someone really sharp emerges from our current system. That is the least costly approach and has not borne fruit in 3 decades. The likelihood of magically becoming world class from our franchise is not impossible, but almost.
Without being able to purchase a bunch of ready made international standard cricketers off the shelf from elsewhere you have to keep investing in the youth if you want to have the smallest chance of improving things.
You need to invest in a bunch of talented guys and maybe one or two, if you're lucky, have the goods. It's not an administrative game that has a high return on investment.
You're probably better off buying lotto tickets, but it is what it is. Cricket boards the world over have the same problem.

There's no perceived pressure yet to fix things. It's crisis management, that will only kick in when we're 15-0 after Williams, Raza and Ervine depart.

[secretzimbo]

That to me indicates that he's been told to bat him up front because it doesn't make sense. That was an astonishing innings he played for his century though. Damned impressive, and in fairness has earned him a few games to try and build on that. You need rock solid technique to be consistently good at opening. He doesn't have it. Whether he learns remains to be seen.
If you want to really improve someone that has huge potential and technique then let Evans bat in the front 4 or put him in a team that needs a 1-4 batsman. Leave him there for a season and you've created a good batsman. He's that talented, I'll put my c$$ on a block. Maybe I'm watching a different Evans, but it's clear as day that this guy has real ability. They're killing this guy without giving him a proper chance.

I certainly don't think he'll get a chance that high up at Eagles with their line-up unfortunately. Rocks and Tuskers are stacked. Mountaineers have vacancies in the batting but then he'd end up being probably 4th or even 5th choice seamer with the ball in their line-ups. Rhinos need improvements everywhere but they seem intent on sticking with several really average guys just because the were born in Kwekwe. Burl has been shit at 4 for them. Evans - Burl - Campbell would be an interesting middle order at 4/5/6 though.

Very interested to see how Evans goes in our (very short) domestic T20 next month. We're going to be playing quite a lot of limited overs cricket this winter including the qualifiers, so if he does well he might be tempted to call off his UK club deal.