[NEWS] : Sri Lanka touring Zimbabwe for a limited over series

[Googly]

Its as I said in my previous epistle-
They acknowledge that the talent pool is low and yet they want to persevere with guys that can't play at this level.

What theyre yet to work out is that no amount of exposure gets them to go up a level. All you do is shell-shock the guy theyre determined to make into an international player.

This idea that weve got guys who are only good for tests, then others that are good at 50 over and yet others that can play T20 is so far off the mark.

Our "finishers" in T20 go ...4....2...6 and somehow the guy is a finisher. Theyre ending up with a run a ball strike rate because they cant score off a good ball. Never mind a boundary, they can't get off strike, and often cant survive the delivery.

If they need a 50 over keeper it should probably be Tsiga. He's shown us enuf that he can do ok at this level.
Welch has also shown glimpses.
Anyway lets see the usual fuck-up unfold.

[Marshmallow]

Anyway that league probably won’t go ahead and I’m sure the Zim Afro T10 will never happen again. Anyone been following this Indian bill that has banned Dream 11 and similar websites there? Franchise cricket outside the bigger tournaments is quite possibly completely dead….

Is it banning the use of the apps in India or banning the use of these apps for Indian tournaments?

Parliament banned these real money games. So BCCI or any other board in India can't use them as sponsors. The aftereffects of this ban caused the pausing of the ECN tournament in Europe. D11 is the sole reason for the T10 happening across the world, so it may be going to be dead soon.

[Mueddie28]

Its as I said in my previous epistle-
They acknowledge that the talent pool is low and yet they want to persevere with guys that can't play at this level.

What theyre yet to work out is that no amount of exposure gets them to go up a level. All you do is shell-shock the guy theyre determined to make into an international player.

This idea that weve got guys who are only good for tests, then others that are good at 50 over and yet others that can play T20 is so far off the mark.

Our "finishers" in T20 go ...4....2...6 and somehow the guy is a finisher. Theyre ending up with a run a ball strike rate because they cant score off a good ball. Never mind a boundary, they can't get off strike, and often cant survive the delivery.

If they need a 50 over keeper it should probably be Tsiga. He's shown us enuf that he can do ok at this level.
Welch has also shown glimpses.
Anyway lets see the usual fuck-up unfold.

Great point Good Sir..
Your finishers are zmusekiwa and Munyonga..
Some needs to up the stats last 10 games excluding the Qualifiets..Pithful, Pathetic..
Just ask Sean to return and Give BTor Bennet the captaincy..
Batting Lineup of
Curran
BT wk / capt
Bennet
Sean
Raza
Burl
Marumani backup wk

Would win us games

Anyway who has a higher ceiling Musekiwa or Munyonga..
Any experts

[Googly]

Tony has spent more time up the order in domestic than Tashinga, that counts for something, but of the two Musekiwa is more capable of hitting a good ball.
Theyre both good cricketers, it always sounds like I think theyre not, but they are, its just when the bowling is really sharp they struggle. Musekiwa is not good against good spin, if he became enough of a worry against good opponents they'd quickly work that one out.
Our problem in T20 is that the 1-5 guys also tend to struggle with strike rate and rotating strike, but they have no confidence in anyone from 6 onwards and how many times have we seen Raza and Burl nudging it around until the 16th-17th over before they start trying to open up. Then guys like Tony and Tashinga literally have the luxury of one or two sighters before they have to try and play shots. It's such a short but tough role. You end up being judged on a dozen deliveries. You are not winning any big games with that philosophy. The batters have to know that everyone from 1-8 is as capable. That way they play their own innings with clearer heads.

Here's a very relevant question-
Would Ervine (who's notoriously slow in the beginning) be a better finisher than Tony and Tashinga? For me that's a big yes, simply because I'm confident that he can play at this level and firstly survive. Its just a hypothetical because it highlights the problem we have.

Our best ball striker is Marumani, and by a distance. He's had a confusing time of it, they've tried him in various positions and he's never given his extraordinary talent any justice.
But its currently a talent for smacking pretty ordinary bowling. He's absolutely lethal. However, as we've seen, it absolutely does not translate into a big game with big pressure and relentless bowling. You just dont get those deliveries against a good attack, and you don't have the luxury of knowing a hittable ball is coming in the next two deliveries, thats big pressure all by itself- should I go after this one or should I push for one or two? Its a completely different mindset required and it causes everyone problems.
It's why this NPL is so irrelevant. Making runs against this level of bowling is completely misleading. It's better than not making runs but it's not prep for an international game and it far from guarantees that the guys bossing it will be any good at the next level...well about 3 levels actually.

There's only one solution with this guy and that's for him to have his own dedicated coach that really understands his game. He's got some weaknesses and they've never been fixed. That's all our batters, by the way. Thats the problem with these fancy international coaches, they may spot the problem, but they've got a squad to coach, they're not going to spend 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, working with someone. That someone has to be a really sharp coach (who have we got in our system ) and you need a really sharp thrower. Every other country has an abundance of them, we have none. Well we have a couple but theyre busy trying to make a living outside of cricket.

We dont have this vast pool of players playing high level domestic cricket where some guy can emerge as a specialist "finisher". My opinion is we have to convert a really good front line batter, who's got solid technique, can survive, rotate strike and who is capable of banging it.

You could easily establish in a net who our better T20 batters are. Just bowl a hard length and see which batters can deal with it repeatedly. Go a step further and see who's got a 360 game with that one delivery. They'd have the advantage of knowing more or less where it's pitching and still we'd be short of players being able to deal with it. Do the same with an awkward length spin ball at 90kph.

[jontym87]

Lol Jonty, you say things with the confidence of ChatGPT. Well if you say if he is no good then why would anyone argue? Clearly you are trying to assume the role of a "Cassandra".

I told you ages ago forget about Naqvi.

FYI the like of Givemore Makoni were very keen to get him playing but the 'white oakes' were the ones against his fast track.

[Googly]

Which white okes?
Theyve got no say.
Im guaranteeing he will be eligible before Xmas

[Flakeman]

I will say that ODIs are our best format, I reckon. Not a slog fest, and not long enough to expose our inadequacies. Will be interesting to see what’s happening. Still can’t fathom Burl being out. In what planet are Munyonga, Madande, & Campbell in the same breath as him? Anyway…

1. Bennett
2. Curran
3. Ervine
4. Taylor
5. Williams
6. Raza
7. Campbell (Should be Burl)
8. Wessly (should be Cremer)
9. Evans
10. Ngarava
11. Muzarabani

Not a terrible team but could be better and that’s always so bloody frustrating.

[zimfan1]

I will say that ODIs are our best format, I reckon. Not a slog fest, and not long enough to expose our inadequacies. Will be interesting to see what’s happening. Still can’t fathom Burl being out. In what planet are Munyonga, Madande, & Campbell in the same breath as him? Anyway…

1. Bennett
2. Curran
3. Ervine
4. Taylor
5. Williams
6. Raza
7. Campbell (Should be Burl)
8. Wessly (should be Cremer)
9. Evans
10. Ngarava
11. Muzarabani

Not a terrible team but could be better and that’s always so bloody frustrating.

Gwandu will play I reckon.

[Flakeman]

Where is this being streamed?

[Andy31]

Where is this being streamed?

ICC TV