SL expected in Zim on Sunday

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SL expected in Zim on Sunday

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http://www.zimcricket.org/?pid=art&articleid=547
SL expected in Zim on Sunday for tour

THE Sri Lanka cricket side is expected to arrive in Bulawayo next Sunday, for a three-week tour of Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka will play a four-day match against the Zimbabwe Select at the Queens Sports Club from Wednesday the 12th to Saturday the 15th of this month. This is part of the Zimbabwe Cricket programme to expose the country’s top players to continuous and competitive First Class cricket in preparation for the resumption of Test participation.

The two sides will also play a one-day warm-up match at Queens on Monday the 17th.

After the Bulawayo leg, the tour will move to the capital for five One-Day International (ODI) matches at the Harare Sports Club.

The first ODI is on Thursday the 20th of this month, the second on the Saturday, the third on Monday the 24th , the fourth on Friday the 28th and the fifth and final on Sunday the 30th of this month.

The 2008 Sri Lanka tour comes four years after their last visit to Zimbabwe. It is part of the International Cricket Council Future Tours Programme.

The players in the current squad who also toured in 2004 are captain Mahela Jayewardene, who was then vice-captain, the current vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, Dilhara Fernando, Thilina Kandamby, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof and Muttiah Muralitharan.

The Sri Lanka squad
Mahela Jayewardene ( captain), Dilhara Fernando, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Farveez Maharoof, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Mirando, Jehan Mubarak, Dhammika Prasad, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara (vice-captain), Upul Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte.
Stand-by:
Tillakaratne Dilshan and ChanakaWelagedara.
Technical staff:
Manager – Nishantha Ranatunga, Coach – Trevor Bayliss, Assistant coach – Paul Farbrace, Physiotherapist – Ranjith Nanayakkarawasam, Trainer – Jade Roberts, Computer analyst – Nalin De Alwis and Masseur – Lal Thamel.
The two games against Zimbabwe Select will be interesting, I'm wondering how different the teams will be to the ODI team. We should play the first eleven in the 4-day match, but perhaps inject some more youth into the 50 over tour match.

I'd like to see Price, Utseya, Masakadza, Taibu, Chigumbura rested for the 50 over game and this team played:

1. C Zhuwawo
2. C Chibhabha
3. B Staddon
4. S Matsikenyeri
5. K Dabengwa
6. R Chakabva (wk)
7. G Cremer (c)
8. T Maruma
9. A Manyumwa
10. T Mupariwa
11. C Mpofu

It's time someone other than Matsikenyeri or Dabengwa scored the captaincy, and Cremer captained Northerns for a while so seems a suitable choice. He has the best Test record of anyone in that team anyway...

Zhuwawo because if the selectors are hellbent on giving him opportunities, it might as well be in a game that doesn't really matter. Staddon because Queens is his home ground, if anyone is going to rise to the occasion, it might be him.

Maruma and Cremer will be a good spin duo. It's the one department that Zimbabwe have depth in... it's a shame that we aren't touring Sri Lanka really.

And Manyumwa to provide a bit of batting down the order and perhaps take a few wickets.

I haven't forgotten about Rainsford (or Kasteni), I just don't think they will be selected. We all know the selectors love to pick a smokey instead of an established performer :mrgreen:

jimbo
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Re: SL expected in Zim on Sunday

Post by jimbo »

I woudnt mind seeing Nglube or Mujuru play as opener but your probably right Zhuwayo will probably get the openers berth. :?

Selectors need to differentiate players from the four day/One day arena. Dont think zhuwayo has the neccesary techique at first class level or the experience but then who am I to judge when you have..AHEM..WORLD CLASS SELECTORS picking the squad :lol:

aydee
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Re: SL expected in Zim on Sunday

Post by aydee »

I can't see this tour ending in anything other than 5-0. Mendis & Murali were too much for India recently, and they are now beating Australia... Zim had a few encouraging performances at home last season (West Indies), but have managed to lose three crucial players since then, so not much hope to be honest.

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Re: SL expected in Zim on Sunday

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jimbo wrote:Selectors need to differentiate players from the four day/One day arena. Dont think zhuwayo has the neccesary techique at first class level or the experience but then who am I to judge when you have..AHEM..WORLD CLASS SELECTORS picking the squad :lol:
This could have changed, but I believe this is the selection panel:

Kenyon Ziehl (convener), Jackie du Preez, Vumi Moyo

In fairness, there are 145 matches of experience on that panel. But frankly, it's a problem that 142 of those matches are from du Preez. Why blokes like Mbangwa, Jarvis, Campbell etc aren't in the selection team is disturbing. But just like the cricket team, it doesn't matter whether you are the best man for the job or not, it's just whether you are liked by the right people.

jimbo
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Re: SL expected in Zim on Sunday

Post by jimbo »

True. i suppose that du preez has the experience to make decisions but the three as a collective they have made some baffling decisions
I suppose my postings of late have been overly negative, I dont mean to be as I want like everyone on the board for zimbabwe cricket to do well, I have got somewhat frustrated with the player exodus. Sean williams should have been a regular in the ODI's all the time, Dabengwa should be dropped. Zim are carrying a few players who have had ample time to make an impression in ODI's on a consistent basis. At nearly 100 ODI's and only averaging a mere 20 runs a match you cant say that matsikenyeri has not been given ample time. Dabengwa has had around 20 matches i believe and hasnt yet scored a 50, Keegan meth in contrast scored a 50 in only his second match and has now vanished without a trace

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