Mangongo return
Re: Mangongo return
Mangongo should certainly have a role somewhere, he has passion and puts the game ahead of his own enrichment which is rare in Zimbabwe cricketing circles. I wonder if his approach has changed at all over the last few years? Just like players, coaches refine their roles and make adjustments after failures. He certainly couldn't show up and treat senior players like school children. That being said, I do think the current environment in the team seems rather laid back given the poor performances.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
Re: Mangongo return
He sounds just what the team needs. Been mollycoddled too long under Dave dawg 
Re: Mangongo return
Let Mangongo-mania begin!
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
Re: Mangongo return
The reason why Andy Flower can get away with being authoritarian is that nobody can say he doesn't know what he is doing because of his record as a player. I would suggest they look for a coach who runs a tight ship and has the pedigree of an Andy Flower. Steve unfortunately doesn't have that pedigree
This is mainly focused on the younger players and even guys like Burl and Gumbi and Kaia who will have to become consistent if we want to stand a chance. Does anyone have anybody in mind? The DH approach works for highly motivated individuals. That's why some players were now coming to practice late
Nobody can ever say Mangongo doesn't love his cricket. In fact I'm sure that 1- if he had been given the same resources Utseya is getting now they would be much better and 2- the problems we are seeing with Wes and Mavuta would never have happened and those misfiring kids would value their wicket a lot more.
Here he is 6 years ago explaining how bad school cricket is and he turned out to be right.
https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2018/01/2 ... r-mangongo
Mangongo is the guy who dropped Jongwe for disciplinary issues and also sent Panyangara home for sharing that video of Johnson before a series.
All I'm saying is we need someone like him but with a bigger reputation in our rebuilding phase.
This is mainly focused on the younger players and even guys like Burl and Gumbi and Kaia who will have to become consistent if we want to stand a chance. Does anyone have anybody in mind? The DH approach works for highly motivated individuals. That's why some players were now coming to practice late
Nobody can ever say Mangongo doesn't love his cricket. In fact I'm sure that 1- if he had been given the same resources Utseya is getting now they would be much better and 2- the problems we are seeing with Wes and Mavuta would never have happened and those misfiring kids would value their wicket a lot more.
Here he is 6 years ago explaining how bad school cricket is and he turned out to be right.
https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2018/01/2 ... r-mangongo
Mangongo is the guy who dropped Jongwe for disciplinary issues and also sent Panyangara home for sharing that video of Johnson before a series.
All I'm saying is we need someone like him but with a bigger reputation in our rebuilding phase.
Last edited by TapsC2 on Tue Dec 26, 2023 6:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Mangongo return
There is also another article I saw but I can't find now where he was complaining about an u19 kid who pulled of the Zim squad last year because he had been promised a career by the South Africans. I wonder who that was. Interesting.
Re: Mangongo return
DH losing the dressing room is an interesting one. I wonder what happened. I suspect that Wellington at 6 might be one of the issues. Who made that decision? If it wasn't DH did he object? Surely that would have pissed off the big 3 and the young guns. He wasted 2 overs in a crunch game.
Did he also tell players when they were performing badly? Why was Wes getting picked but not contributing yet they left someone like K-long who clearly looks like an associate bully at home. Welch over K-Long at that specific moment was also interesting. Welch is a far better player but at that moment K-Long was the better pick. He had actually done ok against Namibia a few weeks before that.
I think his relaxed style just came back to haunt him at the worst moments. You would hear in the ODI qualifiers Andy Flower complaining about the shots Wes was playing. You have to wonder what DH would have been telling Wes. Probably keep playing your natural game. That doesn't work for a kid in my opinion.
Did he also tell players when they were performing badly? Why was Wes getting picked but not contributing yet they left someone like K-long who clearly looks like an associate bully at home. Welch over K-Long at that specific moment was also interesting. Welch is a far better player but at that moment K-Long was the better pick. He had actually done ok against Namibia a few weeks before that.
I think his relaxed style just came back to haunt him at the worst moments. You would hear in the ODI qualifiers Andy Flower complaining about the shots Wes was playing. You have to wonder what DH would have been telling Wes. Probably keep playing your natural game. That doesn't work for a kid in my opinion.
Re: Mangongo return
Some very good things you've pointed out.
You mentioned NW over K-long? Are you talking about the Namibia game or the Uganda one because NW didn't play the ill fated Uganda game when he should have, whether it was as an opener or as a 6. We needed an extra batter.
NW played the Namibia game, opened with Maru who went 6 and out. NW has a dead solid game and game plan most times, he's had a poor start for sure, but knows what he's doing. Picking him for 3 of 6 games is a poor message, he did no worse than most of the others, back him for an extended run or not at all. They can persevere with known guys with known outcomes or give a guy with known ability a clear head to establish himself.
K-Long also has ability, less able to rotate and consequently often resorts to a big shot when it's not necessary. I'm talking about those horrible Namibia conditions here.
In the first game Marumani was the poor selection, not Welch over TK. Hindsight is always 20:20 though.
That last sentence is on point. We're not in the change room but I think there was a tendancy to say play your natural game when instructions should have perhaps been more specific. We know most of our players lack some situational awareness and hit when they should be more circumspect or decide to pull the trigger too soon or on the wrong deliveries. That's due to a few factors, but it boils down to how good a player you are, they're all experienced enough, just one notch down from being really good players. One of the main things is being able to absorb mental pressure. We don't play enough games to get better at that and most of our guys have PTSD and are actually fragile mentally.
Of our front line batters I think Maru, Madhevere, Kaia and Ervine are a bit fragile. They've done poorly in enough key moments that they feel very stressed when the pressure is on. I'm not sure what the answers are for that.
To me losing the dressing room means someone is meddling and there's division.
You mentioned NW over K-long? Are you talking about the Namibia game or the Uganda one because NW didn't play the ill fated Uganda game when he should have, whether it was as an opener or as a 6. We needed an extra batter.
NW played the Namibia game, opened with Maru who went 6 and out. NW has a dead solid game and game plan most times, he's had a poor start for sure, but knows what he's doing. Picking him for 3 of 6 games is a poor message, he did no worse than most of the others, back him for an extended run or not at all. They can persevere with known guys with known outcomes or give a guy with known ability a clear head to establish himself.
K-Long also has ability, less able to rotate and consequently often resorts to a big shot when it's not necessary. I'm talking about those horrible Namibia conditions here.
In the first game Marumani was the poor selection, not Welch over TK. Hindsight is always 20:20 though.
That last sentence is on point. We're not in the change room but I think there was a tendancy to say play your natural game when instructions should have perhaps been more specific. We know most of our players lack some situational awareness and hit when they should be more circumspect or decide to pull the trigger too soon or on the wrong deliveries. That's due to a few factors, but it boils down to how good a player you are, they're all experienced enough, just one notch down from being really good players. One of the main things is being able to absorb mental pressure. We don't play enough games to get better at that and most of our guys have PTSD and are actually fragile mentally.
Of our front line batters I think Maru, Madhevere, Kaia and Ervine are a bit fragile. They've done poorly in enough key moments that they feel very stressed when the pressure is on. I'm not sure what the answers are for that.
To me losing the dressing room means someone is meddling and there's division.
Re: Mangongo return
You are right about hindsight. I think the mistake came in Namibia because K-long was number 3 on the run charts for us after Raza and Ervine. He only played 2 games. Burl had the same number runs after 5 games. Wes, Welch and Kaia were all behind him. Namibia had the best attack we were going to face.
Marumani keeps getting picked because he is the backup keeper( will Welch Jr ever keep again?) Wes got in on history so ok. The choice was 2 spots between Welch, K-long and Kaia. I think they got it wrong there. They should have picked between Kaia and Welch probably because they ALWAYS drop Kaia after a loss.
K-long gives me Mire vibes where if he pulls it off he gives us a winning chance, no matter who we play.
Marumani keeps getting picked because he is the backup keeper( will Welch Jr ever keep again?) Wes got in on history so ok. The choice was 2 spots between Welch, K-long and Kaia. I think they got it wrong there. They should have picked between Kaia and Welch probably because they ALWAYS drop Kaia after a loss.
K-long gives me Mire vibes where if he pulls it off he gives us a winning chance, no matter who we play.
Re: Mangongo return
They weren't looking at a difference of many runs that I can recall. If you're picking a guy who scored 17 over a guy who scored 12 you need to rather be looking at other factors.
Re: Mangongo return
People forget Dave Houghton coached Manicaland
Welly Masakadza has scored runs for Manicaland and that might have been the reason he came in early at 6
The decision backfire and you usually lose the lock room..
Chatara plays for Manicaland and Dave was stubborn
Playing him over Brad Evans or Chivanga because he was familiar with him..Against Uganda ww lost because of Chatara...
Welly Masakadza has scored runs for Manicaland and that might have been the reason he came in early at 6
The decision backfire and you usually lose the lock room..
Chatara plays for Manicaland and Dave was stubborn
Playing him over Brad Evans or Chivanga because he was familiar with him..Against Uganda ww lost because of Chatara...