USA vs Tuskers A

[Donald]

Have Mayavo and Nyauchi joined Tuskers?!

Seems strange unless they are just playing to make the side more competitive.

Expected better by Nyauchi today, shouldn't be slapped around like that, almost glad he didn't make the cut for the WC.

I think nyauchi has lost some heart after not making squad.
He should remember that if there are injuries this performance wont get him on as reserve either.

[secretzimbo]

As expected really. It would have been a shock if an international side DIDNT smash a franchise B team.

But Nyauchi, being the senior player in the side, really should have performed better. Disappointing!!!


Evans and Jongwe still have age on their side, as do Blessing and Richard. You’re right though there isn’t a huge amount of depth in the bowling below that.

I always liked Musekwa, who played today, but for whatever reason he has never been fancied.

One guy I think has a lovely action is Sydney Murombo. I’m not sure why he hasn’t been given more attention by those in power. I presume it’s because he’s from Masvingo.

Dube and Falao didn’t do great in their debut seasons. There’s a couple of decent seamers in the next batch. It’s hard though with bowlers to tell who’s going to be good. With batters everyone can see who is gifted and who isn’t from a relatively young age but it’s not as obvious with seamers

[Kriterion_BD]

With batters everyone can see who is gifted and who isn’t from a relatively young age but it’s not as obvious with seamers

Not true. At all.

I would say its significantly easier to earmark a fast bowler for talent than a batter. For one thing, if a fast bowler is under 6 feet tall, you can almost immediately write him off. The exceptions to this rule in the past 20 years can be counted on the fingers of one hand (Dale Styen, Indian quicks). Secondly, you can visibly see if they swing or seam the ball and how much control they have over it. Then there is raw pace. Pace and height you can't coach, or develop. The only things you cannot tell are durability, desire to compete/excel, and intangible things.

With a batter, you can judge technique and temperament, but there are so many little mental aspects that only come over the course of time at high levels of competition. Then there are the list of batsmen who's technique's look like shit but end up finding success somehow (Fawad Alam, Steve Smith, Chanderpaul Sr, Shakib al Hasan to name just a few).

I think its much more difficult to judge a batters real ability than a quick bowlers.

[secretzimbo]

I disagree completely

[Kriterion_BD]

I disagree completely

Impossible to tell with batters.

For example, you look at Najmul Hossain Shanto...who has all the "talent" in the world. Plays all the orthodox cricket shots (cut, hook, sweep, drive, glance), is a 360 degree scorer, adept at both pace and spin, has decent temparement, solid technique (barring a single flaw of flirting with balls outside of off - but thats as much a mental issue). Anyone who looks at all that, can only come to the conclusion that he is a world class prospect.

But there is no guarantee.

There isn't even the guarantee that he will be a half decent player. He currently averages under 30 in every format.

With all the being said, I believe he is an asset and will come good. But lots of people believe lots of outrageous things.

[secretzimbo]

I actually said it's easier to tell a gifted/talented bat than bowler......... I didn't say anything about mental strength or temperament etc. Cricket's a funny game, natural talent doesn't necessarily equal huge international success.

But it's absolutely easier to spot a naturally gifted batter than a bowler during high school without doubt.

Height aside, you can learn to bowl a good line and length, you can learn variations, you can learn game plans as a bowler. As a batter you need that special something as a kid or the vast majority won't make it.

I think most coaches would agree with me.

[Kriterion_BD]

You can't separate mental strength and temperament from a batters talent or skill tho. Its part and parcel of it.

The main issue with spotting batting talent is that if you take a young schoolboy who looks good at his age level, you won't know how good he is until he starts facing bowlers in the 130-135 speed range.

[TapsC2]

You can't separate mental strength and temperament from a batters talent or skill tho. Its part and parcel of it.

The main issue with spotting batting talent is that if you take a young schoolboy who looks good at his age level, you won't know how good he is until he starts facing bowlers in the 130-135 speed range.

How does Pakistan find so many fast bowlers? I know people troll their quicks saying their all gas and no talent but they have serious serious depth in that department. I don't know how they do it. That Shaheen's attack was serious. They would walk into maybe 4 or 5 full member teams yet they are far from being senior team regulars.

[zimbos_05]

Pace and height you can't coach, or develop.

I kind of agree with some of your points in the rest of the post, but disagree with this completely. I've seen pace be coached and developed. It's possible. I was reminded of this with an Instagram post the other day. A bowler was below his speed. Coach had a chat, changed up something in his action, instant reward.

[Kriterion_BD]

That Shaheen's attack was serious. They would walk into maybe 4 or 5 full member teams yet they are far from being senior team regulars.

Idk about that.

I wouldn't be surprised if that Shaheen lineup had every guy bowling 140+...but in terms of quality they seemed to be quite ordinary to me. They conceded quite a few 300+ totals. Ervine nearly hit a double ton! Craig is good, but even Scotland or Nepal's attack wouldn't allow him to score a double ton.

But yeah, Pakistan probably has the highest number of genuine quick bowlers per capita than any other side in world cricket. Actually maybe Australia is up there as well. IMO it comes from mindset more than anything else...that and a diet rich with red meat perhaps. Its why the Indians churn out so many top class batters...its in their collective DNA (read: mindset).