Bloated squad of 20 for SL Tests

[Detective RDS]

1. Tinotenda Mawoyo
2. Sikander Raza
3. Hamilton Masakadza
4. Sean Williams
5. Craig Ervine
6. Malcolm Waller
7. Peter Moor (WK)
8. Graeme Cremer (C)
9. Donald Tiripano
10. Christopher Mpofu
11. Carl Mumba

That's about the best XI we have.. Chari is scoring runs so he has to be included.. Raza, my favourite player, needs to sit out and play a few more A side games to rediscover his form.

Chari is scoring runs but he was exposed against quality pace in tests. I think he needs some more time in domestic cricket to sort out his technique. But as Streak also said, he is talented. T Musakanda is also scoring & waiting in the wings. One domestic season at 3 will do a whole lot of good to him. I've picked Raza because he has something X factor about him & can bowl also, has a knack of picking up wickets.

[tawac]

Vitori left out over Muzarabani. something is amiss here.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

The 16 man squad is:

Graeme Cremer
Tinotenda Mawoyo
Hamilton Masakadza
Craig Ervine
Sean Williams
Regis Chakabva
Peter Moor
Donald Tiripano
Christopher Mpofu
Taurai Muzarabani
Michael Chinouya
Brian Chari
Sikandar Raza
Malcolm Waller
Carl Mumba
Tarisai Musakanda

[brmtaylor.com admin]

In light of the Vitori omission, I guess I'd go with Mpofu. IMO there's only room for one of Chinouya or Tiripano for that workhorse type role. And even though Mpofu is not much different I guess he's got some extra height. I don't rate Muzarabani.

Overall we have a pretty lousy seam attack. Why don't we give Madziva a go? Everything that guy touches turns to gold.

1. Mawoyo
2. Raza
3. Masakadza
4. Williams
5. Ervine
6. Musakanda
7. Moor (wk)
8. Cremer (c)
9. Tiripano
10. Mpofu
11. Mumba

[Kriterion_BD]

Vitori says he's not fit enough for Tests. He was always a stout guy. Wonder if he's at Tinashe level fitness now. Surprisingly, with all that rotundity, Panny was a technically sound seamer and a pretty decent one at that. But that obesity was always going to catch up.

The other issue with Vitori is will he be effective with his new action?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Taibu supports Cremer as skipper and promises positive changes in approach and performances: http://pakobserver.net/being-full-time- ... age-taibu/

Mumbai—The 30-year-old leg-break googly bowler Graeme Cremer has been retained as a captain for the Zimbabwe team. This was confirmed by Tetenda Taibu, the selector.
Speaking exclusively over his mobile from Harare on Wednesday, the selector, Taibu says, “Cremer is retained as a captain for the forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka”.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have announced a 16-man squad without naming the captain.
Sri Lankan team, also to be led by a bowler, Rangana Herath, will be playing two Tests matches against Zimbabwe at Harare (Oct-29 – Nov. 2 and Nov.6-10).
“Cremer will also lead the side for the tri-nation ODI series”, the selector added.
West Indies will be the third team participating in the tournament.
“Having bowler as a captain is not disadvantageous”, Taibu believes. “It’s just more of the individuals understanding of the game which I believe he does”.
Taibu lives in England but he is now in Zimbabwe overseeing the team’s performance.
The two-man selection committee has head coach (Heath Streak). “We also take opinions of captain and other coaches- Makhaya Ntini (bowling) and Lance Klussner (batting)”.
“You will see a new Zimbabwe team from here on”.
“We have helped in sorting out the contract issues and basics that will allow the players to be free to just play”.
“I believe the players are starting to see and buy into the vision we are bringing in and ultimately the players will benefit. Just watch these Test matches and note the difference”, Taibu concluded.

"Two man selection committee" it seems. With inputs from skipper, Ntini and Klusener. Need more input from ground zero though, the latter 3 don't seem to be great cricketing brains. Taibu not being around regularly won't help either, and Streak has shown in the past that he leans a bit too much towards his personal favorites...