Zimbabwe Vs West Indies | 1st Test | 4-8 Feb 2023 | Bulawayo

[Googly]

He can't be the scape goat. We've literally had dozens of coaches who've not made any difference over the decades. Houghton is a batting coach. Kirby knows about batting, everyone knows about batting.
If you don't have the right material to begin with you're on a hiding to nothing.

At this level they should be working on a couple of little gremlins and mental stuff, not the ABC's of technique.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Yeah Ballance batting too low, this is why I wanted him to open or bat at 3, if he came in then & blunted the attack with Kaia things might be different.

Really need Mavuta to play a gem here, probably 30 odd from him. I really think if Zimbabwe can avoid the follow on they avoid defeat, if they have to follow on there’s every chance they get folded for 100 and all out.

Ballance should be opening, period.

5 is criminal with a tail starting at 6. He might as well be batting 7 as that is the equivalent here. Everyone knew he would be a chance to run out of partners here. I just hope if it happens its when he's on 96, teach him a lesson.

I did note that Chamu was batting higher because he hates spin. Ignoring why you would pick a dropkick like that in the first place, by that logic he should have at least opened with Kaia in at 3.

Our top 4 next game should be:
1. Kaia
2. Ballance
3. Ervine
4. Williams
5. Irrelevant.

[jaybro]

Ballance should be opening, period.

5 is criminal with a tail starting at 6. He might as well be batting 7 as that is the equivalent here. Everyone knew he would be a chance to run out of partners here. I just hope if it happens its when he's on 96, teach him a lesson.

I did note that Chamu was batting higher because he hates spin. Ignoring why you would pick a dropkick like that in the first place, by that logic he should have at least opened with Kaia in at 3.

Our top 4 next game should be:
1. Kaia
2. Ballance
3. Ervine
4. Williams
5. Irrelevant.

Without Raza & Burl plus Wes totally out of form, I’d be happy enough for Ballance to bat @ 3 next test, plus Makoni did pretty well all things considered.

Kaia
Makoni
Ballance
Ervine
Williams

[jaybro]

Mavuta nearly out first two balls

Might as well have a crack Rango

Rango trying his guts out to get himself out

[ZIMDOGGY]

Ballance should be opening, period.

5 is criminal with a tail starting at 6. He might as well be batting 7 as that is the equivalent here. Everyone knew he would be a chance to run out of partners here. I just hope if it happens its when he's on 96, teach him a lesson.

I did note that Chamu was batting higher because he hates spin. Ignoring why you would pick a dropkick like that in the first place, by that logic he should have at least opened with Kaia in at 3.

Our top 4 next game should be:
1. Kaia
2. Ballance
3. Ervine
4. Williams
5. Irrelevant.

Without Raza & Burl plus Wes totally out of form, I’d be happy enough for Ballance to bat @ 3 next test, plus Makoni did pretty well all things considered.

Kaia
Makoni
Ballance
Ervine
Williams

Acceptable ONLY because Makoni held his own.

But again, why the general allergy to opening for Ballance?

We need him up top to get 200* one day

[sam_ahm]

Ballance is good for an anchoring role, even in ODIs he HAS to bat higher up the order so that the rest of the team bat around him. Williams, Raza and Burl are all attacking in nature and Kaia has the capability to accelerate but Ballance struggles to get the big hits. So we can't expect him to come down and play the way he does.

[jaybro]

Without Raza & Burl plus Wes totally out of form, I’d be happy enough for Ballance to bat @ 3 next test, plus Makoni did pretty well all things considered.

Kaia
Makoni
Ballance
Ervine
Williams

Acceptable ONLY because Makoni held his own.

But again, why the general allergy to opening for Ballance?

We need him up top to get 200* one day

As I said in my first line, without the other options to bat in the middle order I’d be hesitant to open with Ballance, especially since Makoni did a good job.

With everyone on deck I’m happy for Ballance to open or No.3

[jaybro]

Ballance needs to start farming the strike I reckon

Take some time out of the game and see off Joseph

As I say that Ballance drops and runs and exposes Mavuta to 3 balls of Joseph

[zimbos_05]

It was clear in the World Cup and has been clear in most of our series, our batting is our weak point. Matsi is stealing a living and we really need to get someone new in the role. He is clearly not cut out for it.

Our bowling hasnt been better.

Its simply the quality in teams and the pitch.

Everytime we pile on runs in a batting pitch we say the bowling isnt up to scratch and vice versa.

We definitely do need a new bat coach, didnt even realise Matsi is still there.

Our bowling has been better than our batting for sure. I haven't watched much of this test so can't talk about this test, but in the last few months for sure, it's been our stronger asset.

It's not so much the quality of the teams, because when you refer back to the World Cup, we struggled against the likes of Netherlands and Bangladesh. The West Indies struggled to trouble the Aussies big time - and I know the Aussies are a different level - but we are making a meal of this. I don't think this pitch is as bad as our scorecard suggest.

[zimbos_05]

He can't be the scape goat. We've literally had dozens of coaches who've not made any difference over the decades. Houghton is a batting coach. Kirby knows about batting, everyone knows about batting.
If you don't have the right material to begin with you're on a hiding to nothing.

At this level they should be working on a couple of little gremlins and mental stuff, not the ABC's of technique.

Matsi has been the batting coach for a fair chunk of that. It's his one job. Houghton has more than the batting to worry about and Kirby is our bowling coach. May have batting experience, but it's not his role to work specifically with batters.

Yes, we need better material, no doubt, but a batting coach should still be developing better qualities and techniques with the younger players at least. Once you are an international player, does not mean you can't learn the basics and improve on it. So many players have adjusted their styles and techniques well into their international careers.