NZ Warm Up Match Thread

[Zimfanatic69]

I fancy Matsi getting a spot ahead of Regis & Forster.

So do I, form is temporary class is permanent.

Matsi has class.

[betterdays]

I fancy Matsi getting a spot ahead of Regis & Forster.

So do I, form is temporary class is permanent.

Matsi has class.

i vote we temporarily leave him out then ... and review it on a game by game basis. though i'd like him to play the shorter versions

[zimfan1]

I fancy Matsi getting a spot ahead of Regis & Forster.

So do I, form is temporary class is permanent.

Matsi has class.

Matsi was the only plater left out of the warm up match though!!!

[zimfan1]

1.Tino, 2.Hami, 3.Taylor, 4.Taibu 5.Waller, 6.Matsi, 7.Elton, 8.Meth, 9.Price, 10.Jarvis 11.Vitori

although 6 & 8 are the only question marks here, i have to agree with foreignfield that Matsi, not even being given an outing, is a highly unlikely choice - it will most probably be FM, and rightly so, let's see what he's got!

good to see Tino score a few runs as he really has not been amoungst the runs if the last couple of months.

He seems to up his game considerably on the international stage ... good signs so far!!

True, between his innings against Pakistan and the Test against NZ he only passed 50 once in more than 10 innings and then stepped up and scored a good 50 in the 2nd innings

[FlowerPower]

hhm as usual you have brilliant points, unfortunately clouded with sarcasm and exaggerations that take away from the very valid concerns you raise....

Same old, same old. Zim's poor opening bowlers fail to claim more than a single wicket each! That was very much predictable! (I keep saying this, just find it funny that some actuallly expect them to do better when the trend is that they won't!). It's irrelevant to judge their second innings performance because NZ won't need it! Won't bother going into the no-balls, that's meant to be Shingi's speciality - how the roles are quickly reversing. A sign of what's come perhaps?

They needed it before, why won't they need it now?...ah yes that murky clear crystal ball...sorry my bad...

Glad to see Cremer toiling unsuccessfully as well.

Surely even you can mask your delight at your own team's failure...I know its difficult but try...

Meth & Elton took the 3 real wickets in that NZ XI lineup....If(and I hope) Elton is included, he'll have to seriously do something about that pathetic run rate. He's our best bowler against LH batsmen, but NZ have just one if I'm not mistaken, Daniel Vettori! He's got his work cut out because tight, effetive overs WILL be required of him!

my praise for Meth and Shingi is there for all to read above, but Chigs? Yes he got DV but went for 6 an over! (and note no noballs to explain away there...) Personally I levitate from seeing him as a bowling allrounder to a batting one the next day...never too sure what you will get, but as I said before, he is the lucky one in my books, to gain from Vusi's demise, because in Test you are either picked on your batting (Kallis, Watson, Hafeez) or your bowling (Shakib, Johnson) and the other skill is a bonus, and if came to a tie, then it becomes a tie breaker. For me Chigs the batter is no better than the top 7 (when Vusi is back, and I include Taibu, whom for the obvious he can't dislodge), so no position there, nor is he better than the top three quicks (Jarvis, Vitori, Meth, Shingi or Mpofu et al) and Price and crew...so no position there, hence Vusi's demise has opened a gap of opportunity. But ODI and T20 he's the first man on the team sheet at number 7.

I fancy Matsi getting a spot ahead of Regis & Forster. His part-time spin, together with Waller can relieve BT of the pressure. With Jarvis & Vitori, plus maybe Shingi if he's included, being shown to all ends of the ground wicketless, I doubt they'll bowl that many overs per day.

No one doubts Chakabva is lucky to be in NZ, but I don't begrudge him the experience, and yes I wouldn't mind Matsi ahead of him, but we all know, Taylor is in to replace Chakabva, and he (Chakabva) is only on a learning trip and to keep Taibu honest. Now Mutizwa, my friend you have lost your radar somewhat. Mutizwa has earned his spot with consistant play, against IDENTICAL conditions as those face by Matsi, and their performances are chalk and cheese, not just this season, where Matsi has been ordinary, and I mean FC standards. If you were talking limited overs (Pro50 T20) then by all means, but Test...you've badly lost it there... (see this to get a bit of perspective)

1.Tino, 2.Hami, 3.Taylor, 4.Taibu 5.Waller, 6.Matsi, 7.Elton, 8.Meth, 9.Price, 10.Jarvis 11.Vitori

We tend to agree except Matsi, and my reasons are clear for all to see above, I suspect you will harp on about experience and technical astuteness, and a bit more...I keenly await Also tempted to sandwich Taibu between Waller and Mutizwa, for experience. Also tempted to have Waller at 6. as he seems much calmer and competent to bat with the tail. I'm also tempted to bring Vitori further up the order, yes largely due to his maiden FC 50, but also because I don't see him hanging around and blocking so let him have a swing and if it got desperate at the end have someone who can block, (not that Price is that much more competent!), and Jarvis' batting for me is better than that of Price's which largely is a myth if I am to be honest!

1.Tino, 2.Hami, 3.Taylor, 4.Mutizwa 5.Taibu, 6.Waller, 7.Elton, 8.Vitori, 9.Meth, 10.Jarvis 11. Price.

...But if there is any credence to what Ross Taylor has been trying to feed the media, then I'd be open to going all attack, Hami and Chigs (and maybe even Waller) can be used in tandem to shorten the spells of our 4 quicks:


1.Tino, 2.Hami, 3.Taylor, 4.Mutizwa 5.Taibu, 6.Waller, 7.Elton, 8.Vitori, 9.Shingi 10. Meth, 11.Jarvis

[hhm]

Nothing against him personally. We all know, I together with all of you, have him as Price's 'heir apparrent'. Fact is, Cremer deserved to get bad returns. Injured, lacking match fitness and battered in the T20s. There is no basis to gamble on him in a match of this magnitude - even as a spectator! It's the only way that the selectors will learn to do their job properly. After we declare, NZ XI will have little left to play for, and I assure you, they will absolutely murder him!

Elton has impressed me since the A Team Tri-Series, and into the international series we've hosted. One thing I've observed is that he's evolving, becoming more careful with his batting, and combining it with his free flowing nature, so he can develop into a genuine batsman. That's hard to achieve but he's gradually getting there. Another thing is that he's regained confidence (or been forced) to bowl often enough, and his contributions with ball have been impressive. He's shown me enough to prove that he can become our best player once more, and I have reason to believe that the coaching department agrees with me on this one.

My preferrence for Matsi, over both Regis&Forster, stems from his ability to bowl part-time spin. Our attack will need all the help it can get. As for the comparison in batting, Regis' time will come so he can wait. But I've seen enough to write off Forster, just as much as I've seen enough to write off Waller. None of those two have shown that they are good enough to stick around our Test team for long. We've had countless opportunities to see Waller & Forster play, but if anything what that T20 competition revelead is that Matsi the batsman is way superior in comparison to all those three(not to metnion many of our other bastmen), any neutral would have told you that. Anyway, as you wish, give the 'dog a bone', so we can put this to bed properly! Over to you then Forster!

Matsi has class.

Nuff said!

[betterdays]

But I've seen enough to write off Forster, just as much as I've seen enough to write off Waller. None of those two have shown that they are good enough to stick around our Test team for long. We've had countless opportunities to see Waller & Forster play, but if anything what that T20 competition revelead is that Matsi the batsman is way superior in comparison to all those three(not to metnion many of our other bastmen), any neutral would have told you that. Anyway, as you wish, give the 'dog a bone', so we can put this to bed properly! Over to you then Forster!

Matsi has class.

Nuff said!

'yup, i've heard enough!! I think it it's one of your more slack comments (or maybe i'm looking for a fight with you because i find myself too often in agreement ), it's a very safe observation because you know it's unlikely Matsi'll be unleashed on Test cricket any time soon but will probably do pretty well in the shorter formats. On the other hand, FM will probably not shower himself in glory in the most difficult form of the game and will also unlikely get a go in the shorter formats. In the end, Matsi (who in truth may have finally matured into a decent bat in the way the Vusi has) will very likely come away from the tour with better seeming credentials.

[betterdays]

seem to have gotten through the first over unscathed ... shall we call it a good start? (to the innings, it certainly is).

[eugene]

Interesting that hhm takes so much delight in Zimbabwean players failing. I guess it shows that his posts are more about him than about genuine support of Zimbabwe.

[foreignfield]

I'm not sure how reliable this blackcaps.co.nz scorecard is, or else Tino is showing some truly remarkable skills, because he is apparently blocking from both ends at the same time