Enough with the Matsi bashing!!!

[sloandog]

-Unless you're blind, it's clear for everyone to see that Regis will be a far better batsman than both Mutizwa&Malcolm ever will

You're opinion, to which you're entitled, but there's nothing to back that up.

Again, Mutizwa has been, across various formats in our domestic league multiple times better than Malcolm,

And ? Waller has been better than Mutizwa in international cricket. Was Mutizwa better than Waller against Pakistan and New Zealand ? no he wasn't. And Waller scored a very impressive half century on debut too, but you obviously 'forgot' about that, as you so frequently do when it's players you dont like.

Again young andybligz93 continues to campaign against and express unwarranted disdain at my mention of a host of players like Matsi, Panyangara, Rainsford etc.
- What motivates him to denigrate such players? No single Zimbabwean bowler right now(Mpofu&Jarvis included) can justifiably claim to be superior to Rainsford - why would anyone have anything untoward to say about him? I never sense the same kind of negative energy against my mention of Duffin&Ewing, and we all know how exhaustive I've been about those two. The difference being Duffin has achieved nowhere near as much as Matsi this season, yet entire topics on him didn't receive responses anywhere near as ill! My unassuming mention of nobodys like Steve Marillier(28yrs old), Nicolson(25) & Benade(25), no problem, smiles broaden! I wouldn't be surprised to hear some here rate Friend higher than Watambwa as a bowler!

More rubbish. Why don't you just make a forum of your own called Hhmbullshitforum.com

[foreignfield]

I think the truth is, as ever, somewhere in the middle. Matsi is neither as great as hhm makes him out to be, nor as awful or rubbish various as other members have it. With the small talent pool available and not many young batsmen pushing for recognition, we can ill afford to write players off. I think nobody can deny that Matsi is among the 10-12 best bats in Zimbabwe across the formats, even if you only rate him at No 10 or 12. It does not necessarily mean that he's international class, but realistically we only have about 2,5 players who fit that bill. What this means is that Matsi will get called up to the national side whenever he shows a bit of form, while others loose it or become unavailable. He's played to many ODIs to be picked merely on potential or as an investment into the future, which means he will be dropped just as soon (no conspiracy there).

I would have wanted Matsi to prove his mettle for a bit longer in domestic cricket before his return to the side, especially in FC cricket, but the Vusi saga changed all that. I wasn't too fazed that he was picked after a few fine knocks in StanbicT/20, because when you think of those "10/12 best bats in the country" quite a few don't strike me as potent T20 or even ODI players (Regis, Forster, Duffin, Mawoyo). The only viable alternative at the top of the order for the limited overs stuff would have been Chamu Chibhaba, also not particularly admired by this forum.

[ZIMFAN]

I remember when I used to enjoy coming to this forum. Now it is just intransigent, war and peace style monologues (or whatever the written equivalent of a monologue is). And it is pretty bloody boring. And before anyone says "you don't have to come here anymore", I don't visit as much anyway.

[bayhaus]

Hhm - Chilliboy captain of the Bulls! That will be veeeeery interesting. interesting scenario and conspiracy theories, i havent really followed the SA scene but it certainly is fishy.

[sloandog]

I remember when I used to enjoy coming to this forum. Now it is just intransigent, war and peace style monologues (or whatever the written equivalent of a monologue is). And it is pretty bloody boring. And before anyone says "you don't have to come here anymore", I don't visit as much anyway.

I'm getting to that stage myself

[betterdays]

No one wanted Philander in the team, and when he excelled 'unexpectedly' and later got injured, they wanted him to sit out for de Lange(his replacement) when he returned, yet Morne had been below par! Instead a good de Lange had to sit out because they want to wait for Morne to reagin form, in the hope Philander slips up, so de Lange can replace him! It's a no brainer that Rudolph was going to fail as an opener, and Alviro deserves it instead, but because it was hard for them to put him in place of Prince in the middle order. Instead of leaving Rudolph out altogether, they axed Alviro instead! After Rudolph fails, they axe Prince and put Rudolph in his place so Alviro can open when he should have in the first place.

I'm not sure i agree with the first half. i think de Lange should be sitting out if SA are in a position to use Steyn and Philander to allow Morne to regain form. For me, Morne can be effin good and with Steyn and Philander opening and Morne on fire at 3 this line-up is unrivalled. de Lange can be there as injury cover for now.
however, on the second point I couldn't agree more .. few people (except possibly Paul Adams ... go study the figures for those who buy the myth of him having been "found out") have been as badly treated as Prince and - arguably - as well-treated as Rudolph (Hall - a journeyman whose FC performances i cyber-follow everywhere in FC, cos i am a fan - was also treated very well considering his questionable international pedigree).

[eugene]

Paul Adams was treated as he should have been. I remember watching him bowl against NZ in Hamilton when there was a big crater in the pitch. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't hit this giant crater, one of the most ineffective spin bowling performances on a minefield of a pitch I have ever seen.

[betterdays]

Paul Adams was treated as he should have been. I remember watching him bowl against NZ in Hamilton when there was a big crater in the pitch. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't hit this giant crater, one of the most ineffective spin bowling performances on a minefield of a pitch I have ever seen.

yeah, i think that is exactly my point. Adams has a better SR, a better average and a much of a muchness econ with the like of Paul Harris, who was persisted with through some very average showings and yet, Adams should be dropped for one poor performance vs NZ. No player had a worse deal - unless it is Prince...

[hhm]

And ? Waller has been better than Mutizwa in international cricket. Was Mutizwa better than Waller against Pakistan and New Zealand ? no he wasn't. And Waller scored a very impressive half century on debut too, but you obviously 'forgot' about that, as you so frequently do when it's players you dont like.

sloandog, ahead of the 2011 season, when Waller had received more game time, Mutizwa had a better ODI average than Waller(whose was horrible) - and they'd both played only Kenya&Bangladesh. While they all have half centuries against NZ, Mutizwa's one is far more valuable. He came in at 4-21 in the 11th over, and perished in the 42nd over after compling 69 runs in a partnership with Taylor, against an attack comprising Mills, Bracewell, Franklin, Mckay, Nicol & NMcCullum - minus Southee their preferred attack! Against whom did Malcom get his 99*? NMcCullum, Alridge, Oram, McKay, Woodcock, Nicol - even Scotland would fancy their chances! Plus he joined the action in the 31st over with the score 5-183 - Zim going at a run a ball! Plus with Elton firing from the other end, he had to do well!

It's clear you haven't bothered to check their FC stats, neither has it occurred to you that Forster has a higher pedigree than Waller! What makes his record even more impressive is that he comes in at 3(captaining and keeping wicket on many occasions), not 5 or 6 like Malcolm(who also bowls a few overs)! I was hoping he'd go on to make a 100 against NZ in that Byo Test! Flat wicket, coming in at six, tiring attack - conditions were ripe as Regis also showed. Unfortunately Mutizwa wasn't in that playing the XI.

Aus FC matches:
Tour match vs Aus A: Elton-95, Craig-N/A, Mutizwa-67, Waller-25, Regis-47, Chibhabha-32 (Hilfy, Siddle & Copeland in the attack)
FC match 1 vs Aus A: Elton-0&108, Craig-21&0, Mutizwa-N/A, Waller-14*&12, Regis-28&12 (Hilfy, Siddle & Copeland in the attack)
FC match 2 vs Aus A: Elton-0&), Craig-34&15, Mutizwa-N/A, Waller-N/A, Regis-18&28 (Siddle, Starc & Copeland in the attack)
Tri-Series vs SA&Aus A:
vs AusXI 1: Elton-3, Craig-9, Mutizwa-0, Waller-N/A, Regis-0
vs SA 1: Elton-20, Craig-12, Mutizwa-14, Waller-N/A, Regis-47
vs AusXI 2: Elton-15, Craig-14, Mutizwa-14, Waller-N/A, Regis-45
vs SA 2: Elton-0, Craig-15, Mutizwa-39, Waller-21, Regis-50
Tour matches:
vs Bang: Elton-N/A, Craig-21&42, Mutizwa-5&87, Waller-18&22*, Regis-0&14, Raza-5&39
vs Pak: Elton-N/A, Craig-23, Mutizwa-N/A, Waller-32, Regis-0, Chibhabha-70
vs NZ Byo: Elton-0, Craig-N/A, Mutizwa-12, Waller-66, Regis-40
vs NZ Gisborne: Elton-0, Craig-N/A, Mutizwa-0, Waller-58, Regis-87*

Like I said, not taking into consideration Regis' performance away in NZ, and the runout affected one in Byo, you'd have to be blind to fail to see that he'll soon be better than both Waller&Mutizwa, if not already! As always, Ewing is my preferred option ahead of these four(Craig, Mutizwa, Waller&Regis), but in his continued absence, one yearns for Elton to be consistent with the bat - because his bowling was more than useful in that period. That way we can forget those other two misfits and wait for Regis to mature.

[hhm]

foreignfield, after Vusi, Taylor, Hami & Taibu, personally I'd say Matsi is 5th best of the active players in Zim right now. Were entitled to our own views, but if anyone finds themself going beyond 10 there's something wrong with you! I agree about Chibhabha. Just like Craig, he shouldn't have fallen this far off the radar!

Yes Bayhaus, Chiliboy should've been leading the Blue Bulls! Even Spies's kin agree. Besides being a poor #8, Spies was never captain material! I'll take Ashley Johnson or Willem Alberts at #8 for the Boks any day! Preferrably Johnson - I'm a Cheetah!

betterdays, I know what you mean, but Merchant had just taken 8 wickets in a debut Test match! How do you drop such a player? Remember, Morne was coming off a 'poor' home Test series against Australia. After Morne had failed relatively failed in that Test match and the previous one, he should have been the one to go. The final Test match against SL vindicates what I mean! What they actually wanted was for Philander to remain out of the team because they didn't want to bring themselves to drop Morne. If Morne Morkel read 'Lonwabo Tsotsobe' he would've been shipped out in a heart-beat!

As for trying to convince eugene that Paul Adams was poorly treated in comparison to his inferior namesake Paul Harris, spare your efforts! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if eugene was happy to see the 'vastly superior' Boje take over!

NB: ZIMFAN, that's actually a familiar phrase. I have, and continue to hear, plenty of certain people say that, up until circa 1990, Zimbabwe and South Africa were actually more interesting and exciting. I wonder why? Having left to Aus, Can, America, UK etc, they rarely visit those places anymore! Do enlighten me boet, how much more refreshing was the ZCF? That may inspire me and 'few' deprived new members to delve into the archives from time to time.......