World Cup Qualifier opponent 3: ZIM V HK March 10 Game Thread

[tawac]

I think we'll be able to do this. There's a real belief in this squad and a feeling of optimism

I wonder if losing Vitori will affect the team in any way. Both Cremer and Taylor have spoken about how he brings something different to the team. We cant afford to slip up going forward. We just have to be winning all the remaining games.

[sloandog]

I think we'll be able to do this. There's a real belief in this squad and a feeling of optimism

I wonder if losing Vitori will affect the team in any way. Both Cremer and Taylor have spoken about how he brings something different to the team. We cant afford to slip up going forward. We just have to be winning all the remaining games.

Be ruthless, that's the mentality we should have here. To get to England in 2019 would be amazing. It would be the first time in 16 English summers that we'd have been there!

[Kriterion_BD]

142-7. You my friends are going home

Good riddance. I hope that this will shock them into bringing fresh blood into their side, and to get rid of any dead wood and over arrogance.

I dislike Afghanistan so I don't care that they're out. Only in that it's a shame they won't be able to bloody Ire/WI noses a bit to help Zim.

This opens the group up a bit I suppose. SCO/ZIM/HK to progress?

We better hammer HK.

Lol this Afghan side with their form wouldn’t bloody anyone’s nose.

We all knew Afghans strengths (indomitable warrior spirit) and their weaknesses (lack of real cricketing skills esp in batting and pace attack) because we have seen them on TV the past few years.

What we didn’t know wasn’t how much stronger the likes of Scotland, Hong Kong, UAE are vs similar ranked sidedness in years past. Then again all they have somebody is beat a very inconsistently AFG side so maybe they aren’t very good at all.

Still you would have to say all these constant WCL tournaments have made the associates stronger.

[foreignfield]

Be ruthless, that's the mentality we should have here. To get to England in 2019 would be amazing. It would be the first time in 16 English summers that we'd have been there!

Don't remind me how old and grey I've become following Zim. I can still remember listening to TMS on long wave, through all the crackle and noise (depending on atmospheric conditions), Daily Service, Shipping Forecast and Yesterday in Parliament notwithstanding. How I hated it when they left the cricket for the Archers! Pommie was commentating then as smooth as ever afterwards, and I dunno why, but what stuck in my mind was when Travis Friend walked in for the first time in the series, the English commentator (can't remember who it was) asked about "the batting pretensions of Mr. Travis Friend" ...

It would be great if we can make it. C'm on lads!

[ricky]

Peter moor needs to come in place of Cephas

[Terryalderman]

What we didn’t know wasn’t how much stronger the likes of Scotland, Hong Kong, UAE are vs similar ranked sidedness in years past. Then again all they have somebody is beat a very inconsistently AFG side so maybe they aren’t very good at all.

Agree with this statement about how all the teams ranked 10-16 are very even and the ICC deserve credit for this. This is why the current qualification for the upcoming World Cup is exciting and why the ten team World Cup will work. (I can’t see the difference in how countries qualify for soccer World Cup!)
PNG/Nepal is never going to get better been thumped by India but will definitely improve playing the West Indies or Zim. Teams are exposed to similar standard and will learn how to win. Loosing all the time does not create a good team environment. Yes some teams will be unlucky to miss out on World Cup, however each World Cup game will now be relevant and the teams that miss out will live to fight another day. We can’t expect the ICC to fund every country. Like everything in life there has to be some responsibility on the individual/team.

[eugene]

I have long missed the ICC Trophy tournaments, the World Cricket League tournaments were drawn out over two years and were not as cut-throat. This Qualifying tournament is really like the old ICC Trophy Tournament but even better because there are full-member nations involved also.

[zimbot]

Peter moor needs to come in place of Cephas

No.

For Waller yes. Cephas has only had one failure where as Waller has been given 65536 chances to perform and has failed.

[strikerlube]

Agreed why are people calling for Cephas head so early? These teams are literally what we brought him in for. Like everyone else, waller out for Williams if not fit then Moor. Happy for Jarvis to come in for Vitori sadly, but if they try Ngarava I can understand that too, but its not the preferred option.

[eugene]

Zhuwao has the ability to completely take this game away from Hong Kong early on. He is a flat track bully and Hong Kong is our flat track. I am surprised by the level of nerves about this Hong Kong match. I think Zimbabwe are strong favourites.