Utseya's injured, we may need a bowling change

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Prosper Utseya appears to have torn a hamstring. It must be serious if he didn't bowl at all, he might not play in the next game (or the remainder of the series) - fingers crossed this is not the case though, his absence hurt us quite dearly.

We need some changes. If it's a pitch suited for spin, Maruma for Utseya is a pretty simple swap. If it is going to suit medium pace bowling, I think bring in Mpofu and Mupariwa. I think Masakadza has to go into the middle order. This is where our batting dies. I know he was exceptional at the top of the order today, but I think Taylor/Sibanda is still our optimal opening combination. With the exception of Taylor, the middle order scored failed. Matsikenyeri has to be dropped, he is bringing nothing to the team at the moment (good fielder though ).

Assuming it is a spinning surface (and the selectors I think will be more inclined to go with Maruma anyway), I would go with the following attack. Mpofu was tried and failed, it's time to give Mupariwa a shot and see what damage he can do. Chigumbura and Brent to open the bowling, Mupariwa first change, Chibhabha maybe to bowl and over or 2 in the second powerplay before unleashing the Price factor in the 20th over. If we need to slow Pakistan down big time, then Maruma and Price in tandem, otherwise you could stick with Mupariwa or Chibhabha tying up one end if they are doing well and/or taking wickets.

1. Sibanda
2. Taylor
3. Chibhabha
4. Taibu
5. Masakadza
6. Williams
7. Chigumbura
8. Brent
9. Price
10. Maruma
11. Mupariwa

The final question of course, who captains the team? I think it has to be Tatenda Taibu. It could be any of Brent, Taibu or Masakadza (and maybe Williams is a dark horse) but I think Taibu will get the nod.

[maehara]

The final question of course, who captains the team? I think it has to be Tatenda Taibu. It could be any of Brent, Taibu or Masakadza (and maybe Williams is a dark horse) but I think Taibu will get the nod.

I had been under the impression that Brent was the official vice-captain - although with Taibu filling the role today it looks like that's no longer the case.

Either way, Taibu's the best bet, because of him previous experience in the role.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

The final question of course, who captains the team? I think it has to be Tatenda Taibu. It could be any of Brent, Taibu or Masakadza (and maybe Williams is a dark horse) but I think Taibu will get the nod.

I had been under the impression that Brent was the official vice-captain - although with Taibu filling the role today it looks like that's no longer the case.

Either way, Taibu's the best bet, because of him previous experience in the role.

I had been under that impression as well. It was a strange course of events:

With the captain off the field, Tatenda Taibu capained the team for a period, as did Gary Brent, the regular vice captain. Stranger still, Hamilton Masakadza spoke to the media after the match.

Now, to be fair, it was our mate Hugo (the one that called our opening bowler Barry Ground ) that said Gary Brent was setting the field, so I'd give it a high chance of being wrong