Definitely, maybe, smokey

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Here is a game for everyone. Who deserves to make the progression from the Zimbabwe A team that toured Namibia to the national team, whenever their next tour is? Put a couple of players into the categories "Definitely", "Maybe" and "Smokey" and explain your choices.

*to clarify, "definitely" means they should certainly be selected, "maybe" means that they have done enough to deserve selection but it could go either way, and "smokey" means they haven't really shown enough to be selected but could still get selected anyway (Kasteni WC 2007, Marumisa T20 2007, Zhuwawo in Canada 2008, etc)

Definitely

Mark Vermeulen
Charles Coventry

Maybe

Timycen Maruma
Admire Manyumwa
Trevor Garwe

Smokey

Cephas Zhuwawo



Reasoning: Vermeulen and Coventry have a lot of international experience behind them, so the transition to the national team won't be as great as it will be for the less experienced players. Hopefully because they have already been playing international cricket for many years, they can simply play their natural game upon return rather than feeling under any pressure. Maruma has obviously been the standout performer of late, but between Price, Cremer and Utseya it will be hard for him to break into the team - especially with Cremer playing so well as a bowling allrounder.

Manyumwa has also been bowling well lately - but if he was to make the national squad it would probably be in place of Mupariwa. And Mupariwa has done nothing wrong, it has just been the good combination of 3 spinners / 2 seamers which has limited his appearances. Trevor Garwe as always remains on the fringes of the team so he is classed a "maybe" although in reality it would be a bit surprising if he was selected. The chances of him making the first eleven before the likes of Mupariwa, Mpofu and even Manyumwa look slim.

Cephas Zhuwawo is the smokey - again. He showed in the Twenty20 with 33 from 14 balls that he is capable of fireworks, this is what he was selected for in the first place ahead of the Canada T20 but against that opposition he looked way out of his depth. Perhaps the second time around without the nerves of debuting he will be able to play more freely and strike the ball. At the moment, I'd limit Zhuwawo to being a T20 specialist; he has a limited technique so will need to work on that if he is to make something of himself in the longer formats of the game.

[zimfan1]

Definitly

Charles Coventry
Timmy Maruma

Maybe

Manyamwa
Vermulen (still needs to prove him self by getting runs in logan cup hes only got one half century since comeback

Smokey

PJ Moor (great talent)
Duggie Hondo

[aydee]

Definitely

Timycen Maruma - As a batsman more than a bowler. The outstanding bat on the Namibia tour, and the senior batting is struggling atm. As a batsman who bowls spin, must be threatening Dabengwa(!!), I can't see Keith outscoring Coventry and Vermeulen as Maruma has done.

Maybe

Coventry - Clearly good enough to walk into the national side, and top scored in the Faithwear. The only question mark is that he was picked to bat quite low in the order in Namibia and keep. The first XI have plenty of keeping options, so he should be looking to get in as a top 5 batsman.

Vermeulen - An experienced player, but hasn't exactly been knocking the door down since his return, with 1 50 in 8 innings. Clearly no worse than the current picks, but you do feel he would have to do more than his fair share to get a shot thanks to his past. So far, he hasn't...

Manyumwa - Unlikely to get a regular slot any time soon, as usually only one of Rainsford, Mupariwa and Mpofu get a game. He could well begin to feature in squads from now on though, as he was the standout bowler for the A-team...

[Detective RDS]

Good topic,brmtaylor.com admin.

Definitely

Mark Vermeulen
Charles Coventry

Maybe

Timycen Maruma
Admire Manyumwa

Smokey

Douglas Hondo

Reason for picking these players:

Mark Vermeulen > The batting of Zimbabwe struggled in the Deodhar Trophy.There is no Williams who was believed to be best batsmen of the side and the experienced Tatenda Taibu who is believed to be a world class player are also missing out.Zimbabwe will need a player like Vermeulen in the middle order(I would preffer no 4 position).Vermeulen has played test match and did well averaging over 25 and he has got a good FC record probably the best of Zimbabwe at this moment.The score of 80 has come recently in the 1st match against Namibia.But it's true that he needs to get some big innings under his belt in the Logan Cup to underway his selection process for the national side.

Charles Coventry > I dont think there is any doubt over his selection in the national side.Leading rum scorer of Faithwear series and also managed a good Namibia tour.Experienced and capable of fireworks,these things will go for his selection.

Timycen Maruma > He is a good young player with a good domestic record.He is an spinning allrounder.He can be selected for the national side if Keith Dabengwa is overlooked.So,MAYBE...

Admire Manyumwa > He is a good young player with a good FC bowling stats.Had a very good Namibia tour.Can be selected for the team removing Christopher Mpofu.So,MAYBE...

Douglas Hondo > Had a mixed comeback in the Faithwear series.He is a very experienced player playing in both ODIs and in tests.His selection will be depended largely on his form in the Logan Cup.

[muyendesi]

DEFINITELY
charles conventry
mark vermulen
timycen maruma


MAYBE
Admire manyunwa


SMOKEY
D hondo
kahiya
waller
moore