[Match Thread] Intercontinental Cup - Zimbabwe XI v Kenya

[Sir Mupariwa]

300 up, and I'm frankly amazed - don't you wish Vusi played like this all the time? Great support from Regis Chakabva, too. First-innings lead is just within reach - although not today...

The world cup is around the corner and we play very few international games, so i think Vusi and the other guys want in. With the developments taking place i feel very soon when the dust settles we will have such a huge player base to select from and it will be difficult to just walk into the national side. There are too many good players{Deon, Strydom etc} on the sidelines and performances like these are going to be carrier saving.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Vusi Sibanda is one of the best players to watch when he is in full flow. He used to be the aggressor when he used to open with Masakadza regularly, and played a gem of a knock for African XI in the Afro Asia cup. Taylor and Sibanda was a great opening combination in T20 WC 2007 too. Then he suddenly switched off, and pretty much removed all the extravagant drives he used to play so well.

Looking at yesterday's knock, looks like he is back to his aggressive best, and this augurs well for the future of Zimbabwe Cricket.

[Sir Mupariwa]

True that Crimson Vusi used to play good drives especially off the back foot, he used to just push the ball into gaps and get boundaries with such ease. I also remember his knocks in the Afro Asia cup when he was opening the batting with AB(if i'm not mistaken) he hit Mohammed Asif for a couple of boundaries three in one over at one point and this was when Asif was at his peak moving the ball both ways. Mayb the Vusi we know is slowly getting his confidence back cuz i dont think its a question of technique but confidence.

[Train Driver]

I see that we have a change of scorecard this morning

We now start the day at 319-7 with Vusi Sibanda 185* and Regis Chakabva 60*

Andy Flower isn't in the side anyway, so no change there at least .......

[Sir Mupariwa]

Zimbabwe XI 340/8 (100.0 ov) Chakabva out! after 200 Vusi should step up the gear a bit and try to get us a good lead.

[maehara]

ZimXI all out for 352, a lead of 19. 6 points in the bag.
Vusi last man out for 209. Well done that man.

[Train Driver]

Well done Mr Maruma as well, as Steve Tikolo disappears for 0

73-3 and a lead of 54 for the Kenyans, with a wicket each for Ed Rainsford, Shingi Masakadza and Timycen Maruma, a couple more quick wickets now would really open the game up in our favour.

I reckon Vusi Sibanda should bring himself on to bowl, after his brilliant innings he'll probably get a 5 for with the ball

[maehara]

Shingi's being horribly expensive, though - at 6+/over I don't think we can afford to keep him on for long...

[maehara]

Shingi's being horribly expensive, though - at 6+/over I don't think we can afford to keep him on for long...

...but if he keeps taking wickets, I'll let it slide.
Kenya 80/4.

[Train Driver]

It seems a bit odd that he's being so expensive, although his economy rate has dropped down to 5.42 now, and yet both of his wickets were lbw, perhaps they are the only two straight balls he's bowled and they caught the batsmen by surprise

Let's get Ouma and Obanda out quickly and a win is definitely on the cards