[Match Thread] Intercontinental Cup - Zimbabwe XI v Kenya

[Detective RDS]

You are pointing out the motive of these matches I reckon, Train Driver.

Well, personally I think

* Zimbabwean XI or Zimbabwean ''A'' side has to win the matches for the reputation.
* As for the players, it has to be the second string side who can win matches.
* The players have to come by performing for their respective domestic sides.
* There has to be a good mixture of experience and youth. But not that inexperience and not good enough players aren't thrown to face these matches.
* The players who will be picked has to be strong contenders pushing for the national side.
* So that the selectors can judge them by their performance in a FC match against a nation.

For me, I initially thought about picking Terrence Duffin in the ''A'' side. But he didn't do well for the Tuskers since his return. Even not Regis Chakabva who isn't having a good time with the bat.

I would have liked to have Craig Ervine and Dion Ebrahim in the ''A'' team also.

1. Tatenda Taibu (C+WK)
2. Justice Chibhabha
3. Malcolm Waller
4. Craig Ervine
5. Gregory Strydom
6. Friday Kasteni
7. Timycen Maruma
8. Admire Manyumwa
9. Trevor Garwe
10. Shingirai Masakadza
11. Douglas Hondo

12. Dion Ebrahim
13. Prince Masvaure
14. Alester Meregweede

[tawac]

If you read Hunte's report, it should really be the full national side that plays in these - but as you point out, if we fielded our top XI and then lost even one match, there would be calls for our Full Member head.

Playing a weakened side (I think 'Zimbabwe XI' is technically intended to fall in between the 'A' and national sides - some members from each) gives us some deniability - "sure we lost, but it was a development side..." - but ruins the argument that we're in the tournament as part of the preparations to return to Test cricket. For that, we need to get some good, competitive 4-day matches for the full national side, and they're not getting that at the moment.

Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. The important question is why are we playing in this cup? If it is in preparation for our return into the test arena then we need more of the National Players in this Zimbabwe XI if not the national team proper. Whats the point of playing fringe players?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. The important question is why are we playing in this cup? If it is in preparation for our return into the test arena then we need more of the National Players in this Zimbabwe XI if not the national team proper. Whats the point of playing fringe players?

Very true...

[Sir Mupariwa]

Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. The important question is why are we playing in this cup? If it is in preparation for our return into the test arena then we need more of the National Players in this Zimbabwe XI if not the national team proper. Whats the point of playing fringe players?

I agree to an extent, but if we can field a second string side that can beat Kenya , Ireland, Canada etc we have a better chance of getting the recognition we want. Test cricket status is given to good performing teams who have structures and selection depth. We should field the best players in the current Logan cup to reward them for good performance, the Duffins, Deons have to do well to be selected in any of the Zim team they cant just come - perform poorly and get selected coz that will greatly demoralize the upcoming talented guys we have.

[zimfan1]

Kwekwe to host Kenya

By Mehluli Sibanda

THE Midlands city of Kwekwe will host an international team for the first time in three years when Zimbabwe A take on Kenya in an International Cricket Council Inter-Continental Cup four-day cricket match starting at Kwekwe Sports Club on Wednesday.


Kenya will arrive in Kwekwe tomorrow and will have a practice session the following day before the start of the match.
Kenyon Ziehl, the Midwest Rhinos franchise chief executive officer, who are hosts, said they were ready for the visit by the East Africans and there was a lot of excitement among the locals ahead of the match.
“We have done some work on the pitch itself and the changing rooms as well.
“Our wicket is good for four-day cricket and we have renovated the changing rooms. There is a lot of excitement among the local community and hopefully they come out in their numbers for the match,” said Ziehl.
Kwekwe who have hosted a big team like West Indies before have not played host to any international team since they hosted Bangladesh A in 2006. Kenya played a One-Day International match in the Midlands city in 2002.
The locals will get an opportunity to watch local heroes like Friday Kasteni and Bothwell Chapungu who have been in good form for the Midwest Rhinos in the Logan Cup.
Besides Kasteni and Chapungu, the fans will get an opportunity to watch former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu in action.
After the four-day encounter, the Kenyans will proceed to Harare to play against Zimbabwe in a five One-Day International series.
Meanwhile, Midwest Rhinos coach Andy “Bundu” Waller is a happy man as his team is yet to concede defeat in both the Logan Cup and the Faithwear Clothing one-day competition.
They have played four matches at home, two in the Logan Cup and the same number in the Faithwear and have not lost any of those encounters.
The Vusumuzi Sibanda captained Rhinos beat Matabeleland Tuskers by 135 runs in their first Logan Cup match before they fought out for a draw against Mashonaland Eagles.
In the Faithwear series, the Rhinos trumped the Tuskers by 61 runs before they sensationally beat the Eagles by three runs last Sunday.
In the Logan Cup match against Mashonaland Eagles, the Rhinos were lucky to get away with a draw. Centuries from Kasteni and Brendan Taylor saw the hosts post 344 in their first innings. The visitors made 380 runs with an unbeaten 156 runs from Foster Mutizwa.
“I am delighted at the way things have gone so far for us. I think Matabeleland Tuskers played good cricket and we still beat them. In the four-day match against Mashonaland Mutizwa batted really well and we tried our best to get him out without success.
“I still believed we were not going to lose that match and we just batted through for a draw,” said Waller.
Mashonaland Eagles blew up a chance to record their first win in the Faithwear series. Set a target of 253 runs, Mashonaland Eagles seemed like they were on course for victory. Four runs were required to win the match with Admire Manyumwa and Tino Mutombodzi the last batting pair for Mashonaland Eagles at the crease.
Mutombodzi set off for a run that was never there and Sibanda sent in the ball for wicketkeeper Taylor to run him out to spark wild celebrations from a sizeable crowd that came to watch the match.
“In the one-day match we fought all the way and were lucky to get away with that win, we capitalised on their mistakes,” said Waller.
One of the batsman who has not scored runs is the coach’s son, Malcolm who was the leading run scorer in the Logan Cup last season. He was out for first ball duck last Sunday after having been dismissed without scoring during the Rhinos’ second innings in the four-day match.
The coach believes the right-handed batsman is just going through a bad patch and will come through soon.
The Rhinos who have a bye in the third round of both the Logan Cup and the Faithwear series resumed training last Wednesday ahead of their away matches against the Masvingo based Southern Rocks.

http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx ... 4578&cat=5

[Train Driver]

Here is the article that zimfan1 got his squad information from

http://www.cricinfo.com/icccont2010/con ... 28638.html

On a franchise breakdown we have

Eagles : Forster Mutizwa, Regis Chakabva & Sam Mwakayeni

Mountaineers : Timycen Maruma & Shingi Masakadza

Rhinos : Vusi Sibanda (c), Friday Kasteni & Ed Rainsford

Rocks : Chamu Chibhabha & Tafadzwa Kamungozi

Tuskers : Greg Strydom & John Nyumbu

Unattached : Kyle Jarvis

I'm sure we all agree with some of the selections but are, equally, as surprised by some of the others. Personally i don't see that any XI that are chosen from this squad are strong enough as a batting unit, hopefully i'll be proved wrong and trust that the Kwekwe magic supplied by the Sibanda/Kasteni/Rainsford threesome will rub off on the others

As this is a cricinfo report though, will it be the same squad when the toss is made tomorrow morning

[zimfan1]

i have a sneeky suspicion that Taibu's suspension has been lifted and the sqaud that is listed as the national side sqaud is correct. But i reckon they may of mistaken Taylor for Waller. It will be great to see what Kyle Jarvis can do in these games remember he has never played a game of first class cricket before so its one hell of a gamble.

[CrimsonAvenger]

i have a sneeky suspicion that Taibu's suspension has been lifted and the sqaud that is listed as the national side sqaud is correct. But i reckon they may of mistaken Taylor for Waller. It will be great to see what Kyle Jarvis can do in these games remember he has never played a game of first class cricket before so its one hell of a gamble.

Oh no that can't be! Can it

Garwe gets a look in, no Rainsford / Mupariwa / Mpofu / Manyumwa. And Jarvis comes in from nowhere. What effect will this have on those who are playing in the domestic season? Or is this a gamble, as you said, by the new bowling coach, with a focus on tearaway fast bowling?

In fact, I cant quite comprehend Strydom getting a look-in in Zim XI itself, there are better returnees. Hope we get a clearer picture soon...

[Train Driver]

Report from supersport.com

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/artic ... &id=318632

[dylan]

interesting to see that strydom and sidbanda are drop and well done to jarvis making his first class debut