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Does anyone know anything about the upcoming tour?
The future tours programme says 3 ODIs, but surely it would be more than that - or a few T20s thrown in for good measure. This series needs to be milked for the TV rights.

If it's just limited overs, I'd go for a squad of: Taylor (c/wk), Sibanda, H Masakadza, Raza, Williams, Waller, Chigumbura, Utseya, Vitori, Jarvis, Chatara, Mutumbodzi, Price, Meth, S Masakadza

brmtaylor.com admin wrote:Does anyone know anything about the upcoming tour?
The future tours programme says 3 ODIs, but surely it would be more than that - or a few T20s thrown in for good measure. This series needs to be milked for the TV rights.

If it's just limited overs, I'd go for a squad of: Taylor (c/wk), Sibanda, H Masakadza, Raza, Williams, Waller, Chigumbura, Utseya, Vitori, Jarvis, Chatara, Mutumbodzi, Price, Meth, S Masakadza

Exactly my choice of squad

LOs my pick for batsmen is straight forward: Vusi, Hami, Taylor (c/wkt), Razor, Willy, Waller, Chigs (if recovered) cover: Chakabva (as batting and keeper cover)

Bowling is depended on surface;
if we play at HSC exclusively, then: Vitori, Shingi, Jarvis, Chatara, Mpofu (if recovered),Rainsford (if forgiven for whatever he did), Utseya;

if QSC then Rainsford, Mpofu, Vitori, Mushangwe, Mutombodzi, Cremer, Utseya and Price;

Meth for me is integral to the Test squad, but LOs for me is a no no, based on no emotion but facts. He's not to be forgotten but must earn an ODI place by adapting to the format.

Jarvis only if Shingi can't bowl (because of form or fitness) and only at HSC,Vitori is a must, Rainsford or Mpofu to contain. At Queens forget Shingi and Jarvis they will fetch (don't get me wrong they are the future and very good strike TEST bowlers but very expensive in the LOs format, like Meth they can develop this part of their game, but currently, on flat surfaces, you are asking for it). I'm a fan of these two, like Meth, but plain facts is these guys are not LOs at the moment.

So my team is :

HSC: Vusi, Hami, Taylor (c/wkt), Razor, Willy, Waller, Chigs, Chakabva, Vitori, Shingi, Jarvis, Chatara, Mpofu, Rainsford, Utseya
or
Queens: Vusi, Hami, Taylor (c/wkt), Razor, Willy, Waller, Chigs, Chakabva, Rainsford, Mpofu, Vitori, Cremer/Mushangwe, Mutombodzi, Utseya and Price;

FlowerPower wrote:HSC: Vusi, Hami, Taylor (c/wkt), Razor, Willy, Waller, Chigs, Chakabva, Vitori, Shingi, Jarvis, Chatara, Mpofu, Rainsford, Utseya
or
Queens: Vusi, Hami, Taylor (c/wkt), Razor, Willy, Waller, Chigs, Chakabva, Rainsford, Mpofu, Vitori, Cremer/Mushangwe, Mutombodzi, Utseya and Price;

The legend Raymond Price at 4. I love it

7 batsman If Craig Ervine and / or Charles Coventry were available ( probably not ) I'd go with them, but since they probably won't I'd stick with Raza and bring back Mutizwa as wicket keeper backup.

V.Sibanda
H.Masakadza
S.Raza / C.Ervine
B.Taylor
S.Williams
M.Waller
F.Mutizwa / C.Coventry

2 allrounders a seamer and a spinner

E.Chigumbura
T.Mutombodzi

1 or 2 spinners Depending on where the series is played ( Harare 1 / Bulawayo 2 )

P.Utseya
N.Mushangwe

4 or 5 seamers depending on where series is played ( Harare 5 / Bulawayo 4 )

E.Rainsford
B.Vitori
K.Jarvis
S.Masakadza
T.Chatara

I still think Chris Mpofu needs to have a strong season of 1st class cricket to return to the squad, if he were to walk straight back into the squad after a sub-par performance in the West Indies I believe it would send the wrong message to him and the other seamers. I'd love to see him ' steam in ' and try to bowl a bit faster and hit the deck hard. As for Eddy Rainsford he'd be the 1st seamer I'd pick he can take the new ball and bowl when the field is up, in the power plays and he is also good at the death. Rest of the squad picks itself.

jaybro wrote:7 batsman If Craig Ervine and / or Charles Coventry were available ( probably not ) I'd go with them, but since they probably won't I'd stick with Raza and bring back Mutizwa as wicket keeper backup.

V.Sibanda
H.Masakadza
S.Raza / C.Ervine
B.Taylor
S.Williams
M.Waller
F.Mutizwa / C.Coventry

2 allrounders a seamer and a spinner

E.Chigumbura
T.Mutombodzi

1 or 2 spinners Depending on where the series is played ( Harare 1 / Bulawayo 2 )

P.Utseya
N.Mushangwe

4 or 5 seamers depending on where series is played ( Harare 5 / Bulawayo 4 )

E.Rainsford
B.Vitori
K.Jarvis
S.Masakadza
T.Chatara

I still think Chris Mpofu needs to have a strong season of 1st class cricket to return to the squad, if he were to walk straight back into the squad after a sub-par performance in the West Indies I believe it would send the wrong message to him and the other seamers. I'd love to see him ' steam in ' and try to bowl a bit faster and hit the deck hard. As for Eddy Rainsford he'd be the 1st seamer I'd pick he can take the new ball and bowl when the field is up, in the power plays and he is also good at the death. Rest of the squad picks itself.

Good stab at it, as the line ups attest batting is settled, except where you have Mutizwa as the cover keeper. You will not get a bigger Foster fan than myself, hence I think I have my eye closely on him to set a few things straight. Foster's stronger points are in the longer version of the game, compare his FC and List A, also look at his ODI record (which aint bad, but not spectacular, also forget the one Test where he virtually opened both innings on tour in NZ, and EVERYONE failed). He is one I had earmarked for Test gloves. Sadly he had a horrendous FC season where form deserted him, I'm a firm believer of form is temporary but class is permanent, he will come good, and hope he can be encouraged to move to the Goats or Rhinos, where he can keep, as the Eagles already have Chakabva. As things stand for LOs, he is behind Chaks, Taylor and Mutumbami, and that's before we even talk about his not keeping at franchise level.

I take a bit of exception at :

" I still think Chris Mpofu needs to have a strong season of 1st class cricket to return to the squad, if he were to walk straight back into the squad after a sub-par performance in the West Indies I believe it would send the wrong message to him and the other seamers. I'd love to see him ' steam in ' and try to bowl a bit faster and hit the deck hard."

Firstly EVERYONE had a horrendous Windies tour, actually he had just ONE horrible game in which he ironically was the highest wicket taker and came back very strongly the next. If that is the yardstick we are using, I'd like to hear louder calls based on the same tour outcomes for Chatara who took none going at 8 an over, Jarvis who took 2 wickets in his three games (same number as Mpofu only he had a game less), going at 6 an over...And should everyone be jumping up and down because Vitori came "from nowhere" straight into the fold? At lest we know with Mpofu he had a back injury...chaps lets be consistent with our measuring standards...

Secondly the List A (more accurate measure than FC) you want him to go back to, he did fine, (tops actually) why should he have to prove himself again?

Thirdly you want him to steam in and bowl a bit faster. I always laugh at such assertions. Smith also had similar sentiments about Philander (lol)...I believe everyone has their strengths and you need to horn those before you reinvent yourself, Vernon is doing fine at his speed, Mpofu is a consistant (not spectacular) and dependable bowler at his speeds, why should he be quicker? Have a look at how the current lot stack up here. Discounting those with less than 10 matches under their belts (too few matches to read into), Chris has vast experience, and enough wickets (70) and a decent economy rate (5.26), and average (38) whilst not amazing, acceptable SR (48, comparable to Chigs and better than Jarvis who are both predominantly strike bowlers). Have fun playing with this table, and hopefully end up with a more accurate worth and rating of Mpofu.

Guys lets not judge on emotion or looks or kith and kin, we all have ur favourites, but let us not carelessly slander those we don't like. After all we want the best Zim team out there no matter what colour or language or looks, just the best for the conditions, and period in time.

PS: Good call on Raisnford, adding his current FC/List A and total FC/List A history would simply embarrass the selectors lets not even go to his ODI record...the mind boggles

@ Flowerpower

mate I have nothing against Mpofu I like him and believe he could be the best seamer in Zimbabwe so don't take my comments as an insult, but the fact is he has had a very long and 'generous' run in the team and for a player who has played 64 ODI's you would hope for better figures. People always defend him saying he's job is to defend or keep the runs down ..... please 5.3 runs an over is not keeping it quiet if your going at that rate you need to be taking wickets and 70 wickets in 64 wickets is nothing flash. I know Jarvis's stats are also poor but he has only a third of Mpofu's matches, I would much rather Rainsford or someone I forgot Mupariwa. Mupariwa's expensive but takes alot of wickets and the point of Mpofu steaming in and hitting the deck are all traits that any world class quickie of he's build and action should have. Philander is a different bowler more skiddy and relies on swing. Chris is very tall and should use he's height to extract more bounce, I've shown alot of people this bloke bowl and they all echo the fact that for he's height he is too tame .......

jaybro wrote:@ Flowerpower

mate I have nothing against Mpofu I like him and believe he could be the best seamer in Zimbabwe so don't take my comments as an insult, but the fact is he has had a very long and 'generous' run in the team and for a player who has played 64 ODI's you would hope for better figures. People always defend him saying he's job is to defend or keep the runs down ..... please 5.3 runs an over is not keeping it quiet if your going at that rate you need to be taking wickets and 70 wickets in 64 wickets is nothing flash. I know Jarvis's stats are also poor but he has only a third of Mpofu's matches, I would much rather Rainsford or someone I forgot Mupariwa. Mupariwa's expensive but takes alot of wickets and the point of Mpofu steaming in and hitting the deck are all traits that any world class quickie of he's build and action should have. Philander is a different bowler more skiddy and relies on swing. Chris is very tall and should use he's height to extract more bounce, I've shown alot of people this bloke bowl and they all echo the fact that for he's height he is too tame .......

Point taken vis your not insulting him. I hope I didn't imply you were. All I wanted to convey (maybe rather robustly) is we tend to jump onto band wagons, and perceptions and opinions become "facts".

I'm still convinced there is room for Chris, and yes in the morden game 5.03 is containing, especially in the Zim case where most are 6+ and others even 7+, and not to forget that most of the time he was opening and death bowling. Put illustratively if the so called better bowlers could achieve 5.03, we would never have to chase much over 250 or set much more than that. Alas they dont. Nor their "threatening" wicket taking seldom bowls many sides out. Hence the I'll of Mpofu will still be needed. The alternative is to have your non-tame going at it with gay abandon and hope everyone is Bangladesh when it comes to the value of their wickets. (as much as I'm chuffed with our two ODI wins, I'm under no illusion a sterner test awaits, and with your attack you will beg for 5.03, Shakib and Tamim gave a taste of things to come, mark my words).

If Mpofu's figures are ordinary then all else Should be banished (see list I pointed you to above of all current players) except part timers and those who have not bowled enough to present statistically significant evidence (less than 10 games), Chris is the most economical pace bowler, at a decent average and although not fantastic strike rate better than many (on your list). Tame is a subjective term, I prefare tame and predictable to compensate for wild and fiery wicket takers you list. Mind you he does take wickets too (obviously not in bucket loads, but then his brief is to contain, at least from my point of view).

Mupariwa's figures are a phenomena to behold, better than even Heath's (strike rate and average). How ever we should note there are two versions of Mupariwa, the then and now. I am a huge fan and hope he gets back to then ( he should be young enough to) but until then current form suggests he has work yet. Besides you miss my point, Mupariwa is (was) a strike bowler, as evidenced by you concession to his expense, hence swapping Mpofu for him only exasibates the problem I'm trying to cure, having a gung-ho approach to bowling. The strategy is to attain a balanced attach, strike + control. I would never go with Jarvis, Shingi, Mupariwa (of old) that would simply asking for it. Nor would I go with Mpofu, Rainsford, Meth...my wicket taking would be curtailed. Rainsford for Mpofu is fine for me, along Vitori and one of Shingi or Jarvis, is a balance.

I believe Mpofu got injured before the NZ tour, during the WI tour and was out for the whole of this tour ... that's not good going forward for him!!

Mpofu needs to eat some food, he doesn't exactly look menacing when he is running in.