[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v New Zealand: 2nd Test

[jaybro]

Tinashe would be the first seamer picked I think if fit, he has a good test record even though from a small sample his line, length and accuracy plus ability to move the ball a little makes him our best test bowler .....

Really was a shame about the umpiring 4 howlers in one innings puts the case for DRS to stay obviously not in Zim where they can't afford it .....

Really hope the Sri Lanka series goes ahead at this point our side seems to have more answers than questions atm. Mawoyo and Chamu seem to be a good opening pair, Craig and Willy give us class and ability to score hundreds in the middle throw in Hami and PJ only leaves 1 spot up for grabs for Waller, Raza, Prince and Vusi to fight for .....

Our bowling will be heaps better with Chatara and Tinashe taking the new ball, I actually think Tiripano and Chinouya bowled well but in a flat pitch against a great batting side it was always going to be tough ......

Cremer is the big concern he just can't keep the runs down at all, a good leg spinner needs to be able to attack and defend with the same ball but at times it seemed like he could do neither. I'm a massive Cremer fan but his rhythm was all out .....

[Jemisi]

Zimbabwe showed a good amount of fight. Obviously the umpiring calls is a major issue because ZIM get victimized in practically every match they play. Normally it has no bearing on the outcome of the game, but in this match had Tiripano and Ervine continued batting for another 15 overs, this match could easily been drawn. The last hour (15 overs) can be skipped if ZIM were only 5-6 wickets down and Williamson thought that there is little chance of nipping them out in that time. Although a ZIM collapse is never far.

As disappointing as it was, this shows that ZIM can potentially draw Tests against fancied attacks. The bowling remains a big concern, but the batting isn't as poor as expected. Ervine and Williams are obviously the engine room and Chamu, Mawoyo, and TIripano showed they have the fighting spirit. Tiripano would be an excellent #8-all rounder time guy. If Shingi, Chatara take the 2 specialist seamer slots, you have a decent lineup forming as follows:

1) Mawoyo
2) Chamu
3) Hamilton
4) Ervine
5) Williams
6) Chakabva
7) Moor
8) Tiripano
9) Shingirai
10) Cremer
11) Chatara

The only weak link there is Chakabva and Hamilton. That is not bad at all IMO. You bat all the way down to 9, and even the 10 can hold the bat. You really can't ask for more. Cremer, Shingi, and Chatara are all strike bowlers. Williams and Tiripano will bowl the rest of the overs. Oh and Chamu can bowl too.

If only we could get that team on the park we might compete against BD and ward off the challenge from Ireland.

[maehara]

Cricinfo's rundown of ten umpiring blunders of the series. All with Zimbabwe on the receiving end, of course.

[Kriterion_BD]

Zimbabwe showed a good amount of fight. Obviously the umpiring calls is a major issue because ZIM get victimized in practically every match they play. Normally it has no bearing on the outcome of the game, but in this match had Tiripano and Ervine continued batting for another 15 overs, this match could easily been drawn. The last hour (15 overs) can be skipped if ZIM were only 5-6 wickets down and Williamson thought that there is little chance of nipping them out in that time. Although a ZIM collapse is never far.

As disappointing as it was, this shows that ZIM can potentially draw Tests against fancied attacks. The bowling remains a big concern, but the batting isn't as poor as expected. Ervine and Williams are obviously the engine room and Chamu, Mawoyo, and TIripano showed they have the fighting spirit. Tiripano would be an excellent #8-all rounder time guy. If Shingi, Chatara take the 2 specialist seamer slots, you have a decent lineup forming as follows:

1) Mawoyo
2) Chamu
3) Hamilton
4) Ervine
5) Williams
6) Chakabva
7) Moor
8) Tiripano
9) Shingirai
10) Cremer
11) Chatara

The only weak link there is Chakabva and Hamilton. That is not bad at all IMO. You bat all the way down to 9, and even the 10 can hold the bat. You really can't ask for more. Cremer, Shingi, and Chatara are all strike bowlers. Williams and Tiripano will bowl the rest of the overs. Oh and Chamu can bowl too.

If only we could get that team on the park we might compete against BD and ward off the challenge from Ireland.

Hopefully the SL tests dont get cancelled. If not, I don't see why that team cant make it our onto the field.

[CrimsonAvenger]

That definitely is the best XI possible. I mean, it is so simple to pick that team. But they end up not picking that way and we start the "what could have been" threads. Hope we get those tests, we play that XI, and we surprise them at Harare.

Cremer is a concern though, his pace (and lack of pace variation) is not threatening and even with huge amount of spin, batsmen can read him easily. Hopefully for the longest format, we start seeing the development of Mavuta. He looked very talented in the U19 CWC. Hopefully him and Wellington can carry the spin burden in the future.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Cremer's the least of our worries. We know what's capable of and it's better than what we just saw. He had a poor game in the 2nd Test, but it's not as if much pressure was being applied up the other end either.

I was more disappointed with Nyumbu. He was more economical but never looked like taking a wicket. After his Test against South Africa I thought he was going to develop into an unspectacular but reliable Test level spinner but that's looking doubtful now.

I guess the positive is that the seam attack wasn't first choice. Chinouya doesn't offer much (certainly nothing at all with the bat) and I'd be surprised if he played any more Tests. As I said before, I think you could carry Tiripano as the third seamer - someone who can get through a few overs and he can hold the bat. But we're in desperate need of 2 front line seamers who can actually do something. Think the Jarvis/Vitori combination of pace and swing. If Chatara gets back to his best he can offer the pace, and I'd still like to see Vitori return. If he's really not being played because of his action that's so stupid... at least play him until he gets rubbed out? It would have been unimaginable 5 years ago (hhm picked it though!), but we really missed Panyangara's control. He can't bowl fast or swing it either, but he has more control than Chinouya/Tiripano. The number of no balls alone was farcical.

[CrimsonAvenger]

I was more disappointed with Nyumbu. He was more economical but never looked like taking a wicket. After his Test against South Africa I thought he was going to develop into an unspectacular but reliable Test level spinner but that's looking doubtful now.

Yes, but Nyumbu was already downhill and he had not even warranted a place in the XI based on his domestic performances last season and his performance vs SA A. So, he should not have been there in the first place. Questions marks over why Wellington / Chisoro never even came into the frame in the lead up to the test series.

Also, Vitori got a go vs SA A and went for plenty. Picking Vitori straight into national squad with that match behind him and an unproven rectified action is almost equivalent to picking Utseya as medium pacer for the world cup. So, Chatara and Shingi (even based on the SA A performance for the latter, in addition to his stellar Logan Cup stats) is the way to go with Tiripano as first change.

I would not question Cremer's inclusion in ODIs and T20s, but his longer format stats are not worthy of a sure shot place in the XI to the extent that he can also be given captaincy (indicating unquestionable selection into the XI). In absence of other options yes, but I don't think we have tried out all our spin options effectively here.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

If he wasn't selected because his action is ineffective that's fair enough. From another post it sounded like he wasn't selected because ZC were fearful he'd got done for chucking though.

Unfortunately in Zim cricket there are a lot of cookie cutter cricketers. There's probably another dozen bowlers in the Logan Cup exactly the same as Chinouya. Just like there are dozens of Chari clones. Unspectacular journeymen with nothing special to differentiate them from the others.

However, occasionally someone comes along that breaks the mould...

Mawoyo does... he's special because he's an old fashioned grinder
Raza does... because of his sub-continental flair (and his spirited fielding)
Williams does... because of his classy batting
Cremer does... because he gets huge spin and has a great wrong-un

Beyond those guys who played the last Test there's probably only a few truly special players. Chigumbura (because of his breathtaking power hitting when he's on song) and Vitori (because he can get actual visible swing; or at least he did the last time we saw him play) come to mind. And obviously the once in a generation death bowling toe crushing yorker machine that is Daniel Jakiel. But other than that we've got a lot of cricketers who are all very much same-same.

That's why I'd give Vitori (as long as he's still swinging it) a go before anyone else. We need those guys with special talents in the team (not so much Chigumbura for Tests, though), because they can turn games. I am also an S Masakadza fan but probably as the second or third seamer, not the spearhead.

[TapsC]

if we do play sri Lanka I think we will need to make a few changes because we all know that chamu hami and PJ are not the best players of spin.that's where Regis might come in unless we create a track for the seamers.

hopefully chatara can regain some of that pace and Vitori some control.chinouya just doesn't cut it for me. Shingi deserved a chance especially because he can also bat like tiripano

[sixes fan]

When i see names like chatara, shingi, hami, sibanda
being posted i just melt thinking how doomed we are.
hami will never change, post injury chatara cannot even
light up a zpl where 15 year olds are making names
& reputations, shingi was never good enough from
the beginning, about cremer did he not perfom better
than all spinners on show except guptill maybe but he
bowled better than sodhi, santner, nyumbu. ervine &
williams are not world class but are the only 2 we have
if we are to win a test match. If it was me i would
change a lot in the squad for sri lanka tests..

1: chakabva
2: mawoyo
3: burl ( if fit )
4: mire
5: ervine
6: williams
7: pj moor
8: chibhabha
9: cremer
10: aliseni
11: matigimu.. ( jackiel ) ( mafusire) (mumba)

mawoyo only in the squad because no1 else can face the new
ball.pj moor not tested yet. going for straight up pace
not shit we see from our front line bowlers. chamu @ 8
This will only be sri lanka tests if you dont perfom OUT
you go .. lake can open, mugava can play @ 8 another
spin option.bruce all rounder etc ... no need to keep
the same group of useless players thinking they will change
hami should be discarded from zc as a player, panyangara too

Lets move on