Zimbabwe vs Pakistan | 3rd LOI | 28 November 2024

[secretzimbo]

Once again multiple players getting a good start but not going on. Again.

So frustrating. It’s really poor

[secretzimbo]

Gumbie is in really poor form, domestically as well. Hope he gets it together. I’d still have him open in the Afghan Test but there is a debate to be had for ODI’s for sure. He’s good though.

[secretzimbo]

Reasonable to say stick with the same team/squad for the Afghan series to give them a chance.

Ireland are supposedly here for multi-format series at the end of Jan, so that gives a chance to re-think things.

[secretzimbo]

Bennett looks fantastic. Needs Clive to stick with him

[secretzimbo]

Abject

[tawac]

Bennet just bats so effortlessly. He should clearly open n the T20i.

[Googly]

Gumbie isn't suited for modern day ODIs. He can't play fast and he fails more often than not so the benefit of him seeing off the new ball is achieved only 1/3 times. That's not good enough.

Ben Curran has had a good season, why can't he get into the side?

I disagree. I think Overlord has what it takes. I hate the chopping and changing. It's selectors panicking when they've got nothing on the line, they still get to drink Green Label and get a fat paycheck regardless of what happens. They'll get a free hooker from Singo tonite, win lose or draw. Absolutely nothing at stake for them. What's the point of making the players panic as well. Let this squad see it out for a couple of series. They put themselves under pressure without the selectors compounding the problem.

Wes will get an early recall, they won't let that one go. That hundred will give him 3 more years.

But why should Curran not get his chance? I can understand if there is no one else to stake a claim, moreover competition is good for players.

Because he'll get 2 or 3 games only to prove himself and if he doesn't come off he's gone. They need to give the better guys a fair crack. Let some guys get their 3 years and then let others get their 20 games.

[TapsC2]

They must stick with these guys for the next 6 weeks. Let the other guys play domestic. The change over to the next series is less than a week. Let's see if anyone learns and improves. I would rather new faces come in against Ireland.

Maru is actually improving. Not there yet but I think I have more faith in him getting there now than I did a few months ago. Gumbie is a tough one but he deserves his chances. We don't want pressure to destroy another player. He has a week to think things through.

The key in ODIs is to get a senior player to score big and other build around him. Unfortunately 50 isn't enough. The 3 guys should always tell themselves that they need to score at least half of the runs needed then let the kids build around that. This is why they are there. If you are getting 20s and 30s only then you might as well get Welch and Curran in now and let them retire. The young players shouldn't be feeling the same burden that they are are feeling in T20s where is just them and Raza. 1 half century out of 6 innings isn't good enough for guys of that experience for me

Finally I think Raza's role in this format has to be redefined. If he is playing shots like that all the time then he should either bat at 7 or open. Bennett can play at 5 or 6. When Raza gets out like that in the middle of a chase it completely kills the momentum. Happened in the qualifiers too

[Kriterion_BD]

Raza is an overrated player always has been. He got lucky by blasting Hong Kong, Bahrain, and Czechia in a few qualifiers and got the biggest prize of them all for it - an IPL deal. Hats off to him. Mama got two scoring shots: the swat/pull/hoik to square leg (usually off an associate spinner or a seamer bowling under 80mph).

2-1 in the end against a middling sides A team is about par for the course here. Could easily have been worse.

Ervine isn’t really a white ball player but played a decent knock here. Bennett loads of potential. Marumani seems vastly improved from his debut, but that may still leave him short of where he needs to be. Still worth persisting with. Myers the other guy who along with Bennett should be leading the sides batting.

[tawac]

Its Kinda difficult to make a case for this team. If you dont change a winning team then whats the principle on a team that can hardly put 200 runs on the board. It just doesnt make sense to continue with the same formula that clearly isnt working. Someone like Gumbie has played all of 14 games without much return yet he is keeping someone like Madande out of the side. Its not about changing the whole side but surely try different combinations. I feel its useless playing Bennet down the order, yes perhaps in his debut series but he can certainly open going forward as he is accustomed to.