Foster Mutizwa 5000 FC Runs

[pariah]

I've just noticed that Fozzie doesn't keep in this match. Anyone else think that we mess our potential keepers around by not concentrating on two or three guys and have them always keep for their franchise, especially in the Logan Cup? It's often been the same with Regis at Eagles (with Gumbie as replacement), with Moor and earlier BT at Rhinos, and even Mutumbami has at times not donned the gloves once he had made the national team. How do we expect those guys who are only half decent at the best of times to improve and get some consistency going. No wonder that Regis couldn't stick it on day five in SL when he doesn't challenge himself to do the job day in day out.

I think it is a way of giving lesser cricketers, like Gumbie, Mayavo and Sauramba a role in the team, other than makeshift batsman. However, I totally agree that it is shortsighted, and that the guys in contention to keep for the national team should be keeping in domestic cricket. Firstly for practice, and secondly so that a informed decision can be made about who is best.

Shoun Handirisi didn't keep in the last game did he? So clearly when a batsman wants to earn a plce in the side as a keeper he can demand the gloves. Moor did it, and we often saw Mayavo out of the side. Maybe Forster is tired of doing everything to win a place in the side while keep and batting with no recognition. Regis might as you say trying to build Gumbie's confidence because he's been having a tough time with the bat, and we all know he;s a very capable batsman. No harm in that. More often than not Regis keeps. My worry is other players like Sauramba are more suited to the shorter forms of the game. That's what they should focus on. Tino Mawoyo needs to be a better leader in that respect. Mutizwa in keep in FC, but specialist bat in ListA/Twenty20, where Sauramba will keep.

[jaybro]

There is also the arguement that Mutizwa is poor with the gloves so maybe the Goats coaching staff would rather Sauramba keep?

[foreignfield]

There is also the arguement that Mutizwa is poor with the gloves so maybe the Goats coaching staff would rather Sauramba keep?

As a Goats fan I can't make out any strategy. I don't have the numbers, but I've often seen Fozzie keep with Sauramba in the side as a batsman only, other times Sauramba has kept. It's one of the many puzzles unsolvable if youre not on the ground. All I wanted to say was that I can't make out any long-term strategy regarding the national team either.

[Jemisi]

Yep

[Conant]

A lot of barbs at mutizwa in yesterday's first day report in the herald. Tiripano apparently played the only impressive innings while mutizwa innings was slow and passive

Jeez he seems to have upset somebody

Its more of reporters not being exactly being knowledgeable about cricket. Read only from Muchinjo the rest discard.

*Edit: After reading the article, will revise opinions about lack of knowledge thereof.

Well written article it must be said. So maybe a rookie then ' just watched a little too much T20 cricket - enough to be annoyed at Foster accumulation rate?

But then again article has no byline so maybe one of John Ward's?

[Conant]

He must have had an issue with the Bvute and Makoni duo because it doesn't make sense why a black player with that kind of average would not get picked for so long. I think any average near 40 in FC cricket can be considered to be good enough to play in the national setup. From my quick research only Taylor Williams and Ervine (Burl is still just 15 games in so I didn't count him) are in the 40s. Followed by Hami on 39 and then Mutizwa and Waller on 38.. makes you wonder what's really going on. He literally has the 5th best FC average in the domestic setup for guys who have played at least 30 games

There was a time when Foster Mutizwa avaraged 50 in FC cricket and still didn't get a look in. I remember he had a pretty impressive strike rate too of nearly 70 in FC.

At the time we couldn't rely on anything other than cricinfo score sheets (as Zim wasnt playing Test cricket) so the only excuse offered at that time came from I think zimfan who commented something a supposed "iffy" technique, as the reason why he might not be getting a look in.

So nobody ever exactly saw him play. But I guess if he was as fluent as say Musakanda, he would have been irresistible.

I don't wanna be a contrarian in this thread as I was one of his biggest advocates in 2012 but after than near humongous avarage, he had a terrible dip of nearly three years for his average to fall to below 40 now.

[TapsC]

Judging by Taibu's comments on Twitter I doubt they will ever give him a chance. To me there is clearly a bigger story. Something personal. He found a hundred excuses including that Mutizwa isn't the first choice keeper at the mountaineers and that besides his high average he only looks at 100s not 50s( ironically he had just hit 124 not out and now has more hundreds than Regis).

Is PJ the first choice keeper at the rhinos? But he still let him keep. Mire doesn't have a first class hundred but he played. The irony that maybe besides Taylor all the guys have been playing in the same competition and Mutizwa has a top 5 average yet he doesn't even make the A team.

Don't want to sound like I'm obsessed but I just hate unfair treatment when I see it. No point of even talking about it anymore if the chief selector already has an attitude against someone with a career average of around 40 after almost 90 games.

[jaybro]

If there were a bigger issue I doubt Taibu would air it on Twitter. Who knows maybe Mutizwa is a shit bloke or he’s had a run in with Makoni or somebody ??

It is a mystery why he hasn’t been selected but the responses by Taibu on twitter looked like there was more to be told