Well done selectors, you've picked the best squad in years

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I have posted a full article about this at http://www.brmtaylor.com/news-102.html

Here is the squad for the upcoming Bangladesh tour:

Zimbabwe squad: Prosper Utseya (c), Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Ray Price, Sean Williams, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Elton Chigumbura, Vusi Sibanda, Tawanda Mupariwa, Keith Dabengwa, Edward Rainsford, Graeme Cremer, Christopher Mpofu, Forster Mutizwa (wk), Malcolm Waller.

A few things to note. Chibhabha has been dropped. He has been made the scapegoat, which is unfair I think. Matsikenyeri, who made a grand total of 3 more runs against Sri Lanka in the 5 ODI's, retains his place. Chakabva and Maruma also didn't make the cut. Maruma is probably injured after the Chibhabha collision, but Cremer deserves a place ahead of Maruma regardless.

Now to the additions! Malcolm Waller gets his chance! I still thought Bradley Staddon would be the next smokey selection, but obviously Waller's 3-fer against Sri Lanka did enough to convince the selectors. He made 68 against Uprising a while back, maybe he had some other good Vigne Cup performances that helped his cause. I like this selection, I think if he's selected - which I think he will be at some point - he will do fine against Bangladesh.

Mutizwa is the other new inclusion, another good selection after some good domestic performances. Maybe he will get a chance in the First Class match, he has 2 hundreds to his name after all.

So the batting is strong, with Williams most likely at the top of the order again and maybe Waller in the middle order now (Matsikenyeri's days in the side would have to be numbered now). And the bowling is looking good on all fronts; we have some genuinely good spinners in Price, Cremer and Utseya, and an in-form pace attack of Mupariwa, Rainsford and Chigumbura.

I am so happy with these selections, we should hammer Bangladesh with these players in the squad. As I said in the article, every one of these players should be able to cash in against a weak Bangladesh side (we will look at Bangladesh's strengths and weaknesses a bit closer to the date). I think we just have to keep our fingers crossed that Prosper doesn't make any more epic blunders as captain, and that Kevin Curran is the chosen one of the four candidates.

[jimbo]

It is a good squad. Now if the dire matsikenyeri was dropped it would be a squad solely based on meritocracy.

Hopefully cremer will play in some of the one dayers. Unfortunately i think it will be solely the four day match they have lined up

[Detective RDS]

Ya,of course its a good selection by the selectors in years.3 players have been dropped from the last ODI series against Sri Lanka.They r Justice Chibhabha,Regis Chakabva and Timycen Maruma.They r replaced by Malcolm Waller,Forster Mutizwa and Graeme Cremer while Stuart Matsikenyeri retains in the side.

Malcolm Waller is of course a good selection.He had a good club season.Though a bit inexperience with 3 FC matches(Averages 19.60,best 27),9 List A(Averages 21.33,best 54)and 3 T20(Averages 39.50,best 49).But surely he is a promising player.He can bowl leg spin too infact his bowlling spell for Zimbabwe A against Sri Lanka 3/46(10) legged behind Bradley Staddon.

Forster Mutizwa is the second wicket keeper of the side along with Tatenda Taibu.Though Mutizwa has 2 FC centuries(11 FC match,423 runs,Ave 26.43,Best 107) but his List A record seems a bit weak(15 List A match,191 runs,Ave 23.87,Best 49).I think,Regis Chakabva who is a wicket keeper also should have been retained in the side.He has played an ODI against Kenya and scored 41 but didnt make into the 11 against Sri Lanka.His domestic record is better and is more experience in terms of playing than Mutizwa.In 14 FC matches he scored 791 runs at an average of 31.64 with 4X50,1X100,best 118* and in 25 List A matches he has scored 593 runs at an average of 26.95 with 2X50,best 71*.Regis Chakabva shouldnt be dropped I think.

Graeme Cremer is the best selection of this squad who replaced Timycen Maruma.Maruma didnt make an impact in the 5 ODIs with only 2 wickets at 75.Cremer is a promising leg spinner who has played 6 tests and picked up 13 wickets at an average of 45.86,best figure 3/86.But it will be tough for him to make into 11 as Price,Utseya and Dabengwa is in the side also and doing well.I can see a good variation in Cremers leg spin.In my opinion,he is better than Maruma with no doubt.

Its a bit unfortunate that Justice Chibhabha is dropped while Matsikenyeri is still in the side scoring 3 runs more than Chibhabha.Infact Chibhabha was batting well in 25 in the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka but lost his concentrate and was out.Dont forget Chibhabha has 7 ODI 50s under his belt with a match winning 73 against West Indies.I think the things which kept Matsikenyeri infront of Chibhabha is that his bowlling figure of (10-0-29-1)in the 5th ODI against Sri Lanka and his good fielding.

ZIMBABWE TEAM REVIEW:

The batting department of Zimbabwe looks strong with Sibanda,Masakadza,Williams,Taibu and Waller.Chigumbura is a good all rounder.The spin department has Price,Utseya,Dabengwa and Cremer as a reserve.The pacers r inform which is lead by Mupariwa with Rainsford,Chigumbura and Mpofu as a backup.Matsikenyeri should be out of the 11 as he is out of form and Waller should make into the 11.Matsikenyeri should be joined by Mutizwa.

BANGLADESH TEAM REVIEW: (With probable 15 against ZIM and SL)

After the exodus of 14 players who joined in the ICL,Bangladesh started with a victory against New Zealand.The major 3 loss of ICL were Shahriar Nafees(Was in and out in the team),Aftab Ahmed(Out of the team 4finger injury) and Alok Kapali (After the century vs India,made just 40 runs in 5 ODIs).So,it hsnt cost Ban much.The batting of Ban is strong with Tamim,Zunaed,Ashraful,Shakib,Raqibul and Mushfiqur.The spin department of Ban is missing Abdul Razzak who is ruled out for bowlling action will be replaced by Enamul Jnr and he will be supported by Shakib and Naeem.Ban pace attack is lead by Mashrafee,Shahadat and Mahbubul.I think the reserve players will be Mehrab Jnr,Imrul,Mahmudullah and Sajidul as this 4 players r new and a bit inexperience in the team.Honestly speaking,Bangladesh isnt a weak side.But it will be a good contest between Ban vs Zim as the Zimbabwean team is looking strong and well balanced.

[muyendesi]

to be honest i was shocked when i saw the article. firstly a zim team without a racial bias and last but not least creama in and maruma out. i just could not believe this. well done to the selectors and zim cricket in general. no land reform in sport. its all about talent and its god given. the best players should be given a chance to play , blue , yellow, black or white. thats the zimbabwe i grew up to love and admire not the one uncle bob and his corrup friends in cricket i trying to create.france reached the world cup final with a team that had more blacks than whites. south africa won the world cup with a team that had 2 black players. all we want is success!!! kirsty made the whole the country happy and made positive headlines for zim all over the world. Even old uncle bob give her 50 000us dollars. i hope this is a sign of new things in zim cricket. a fair and non racial selection policy. chakabva should have replaced matsikenyire!!!!!

[Kopje]

This is a decent squad, but they should finally remove Utseya from the captaincy and the squad. I would go for Price as captain and Taibu as the vice, but however the incident with Ms Lupepe would make that very unlikely for Taibu. Our cricket selectors, should do "what is right" always, i guess this for a start isn't that bad.

[Detective RDS]

This is a decent squad, but they should finally remove Utseya from the captaincy and the squad. I would go for Price as captain and Taibu as the vice, but however the incident with Ms Lupepe would make that very unlikely for Taibu. Our cricket selectors, should do "what is right" always, i guess this for a start isn't that bad.

Zimbabwe's tour of Bangladesh and Kenya will be a big test for Prosper Utseya as a captain.If he fails,then there is a chance of changing the captaincy.In my opinion,Raymond Price as a captain for his experience and Taibu as a vice captain for captaining the side before is the best choice obviously.Utseya will be under pressaure as Grame Cremer is in the squad.If Cremer fires up there will occur a problem for Utseya while he did maintain a good economy rate but inconsistent in taking wickets(Utseya has taken only 1 wicket at 116 in 5 ODIs against Sri Lanka).This is a good squad after a long time 90% based on performance.I do hope,its the beginning of things starting to change from right now.