[Match Thread] Zimbabwe v Bangladesh: 2nd Test

[Boundary]

I just caught the last 8 overs or so. Stumps 233 behind with 6 wickets in hand. I must say I was impressed by the glimpse I had of Chigs, the positivity and his quick 45* is impressive and so is Waller. If those 2 can resist tomorrow and if the tail can wag, I'd be happy with a 30 to 40 run deficit. But this must be said, the top order fails again. This is the 8th Test in our comeback, when are going to see a 100-0? It is frustrating to have an opener like Vusi, obviously talented but with no figures to back him up. Recent Test scores of 5, 4; 32,35; 12,15 point to a prolonged slump. I'd say his selection, excluding his Intercontinental exploits against the likes of Ireland and Netherlands, is based on potential more than anything else. Chigs was dropped and it was a wake up call, does Vusi deserve the same? Maybe not, considering that Hami's recent Test scores have been 25,0;14,0;17,2. We can't really keep chopping and changing but those guys have to look in the mirror and take responsibility. It's a slump up top (and Tino's injury doesn't help) and I think exposing the number 5 bat to a fairly new ball regularly is grossly unfair. But Waller, Chigs, Ervine and Cremer recently have given the middle order a bit of a spine. We must all be thankful.

[betterdays]

I just caught the last 8 overs or so. Stumps 233 behind with 6 wickets in hand. I must say I was impressed by the glimpse I had of Chigs, the positivity and his quick 45* is impressive and so is Waller. If those 2 can resist tomorrow and if the tail can wag, I'd be happy with a 30 to 40 run deficit. But this must be said, the top order fails again. This is the 8th Test in our comeback, when are going to see a 100-0? It is frustrating to have an opener like Vusi, obviously talented but with no figures to back him up. Recent Test scores of 5, 4; 32,35; 12,15 point to a prolonged slump. I'd say his selection, excluding his Intercontinental exploits against the likes of Ireland and Netherlands, is based on potential more than anything else. Chigs was dropped and it was a wake up call, does Vusi deserve the same? Maybe not, considering that Hami's recent Test scores have been 25,0;14,0;17,2. We can't really keep chopping and changing but those guys have to look in the mirror and take responsibility. It's a slump up top (and Tino's injury doesn't help) and I think exposing the number 5 bat to a fairly new ball regularly is grossly unfair. But Waller, Chigs, Ervine and Cremer recently have given the middle order a bit of a spine. We must all be thankful.

7 innings without going over 40 is not necessarily a prolonged slump (especially for a Zim opener and especially when you consider that the two 30+ scored were away in a series noone else averaged above 29 - except one player who got a not out). Those scores were also made in, not only a rare away game but, the first after over a year without international cricket:

now, 6,39,6,15,31,7,17*, 24,1,32, 0, 8, 5, 0, 17, 48, 19,13,13,13,0,26,2,11,4,2,0,12,24,3,49,10,0,0 over a period of 18 months ... now, that is a prolonged slump!! 34 (uninterupted/unreplaced/consecutive) sub 50 innings of Grant Flower @13ave (who, lest one forget, was a sub30 ave as opener despite having regular-ish cricket - though these scores were not necessarily in that tricky position)... and did not result in him being dropped either

my point is - rather than to belittle Flower, who has become unfortunate collateral damage - we seem FAR too impatient with these current guys. If you don't want the number 5 to face a newish ball then get your best bats at the top (see if they can do better) - even a completely out of form Elton is making runs coming in after 20 overs - so one must assume Vusi or Hami would also be able to fill that spot with a certain amount of comfort. (Hami's best average is between 4-6, not a great average mind but he didn't get that many goes)

if you look at Taylor's accumulative averages he started with a career ave 11 (as an opener), it 'soared' to 28 (after they dropped him down the order), it dropped to 22 (when they promoted him back up to open). It may be his favourite spot but he averages 19 as an opener. Opening is hard, we don't -nor ever had had - technically gifted enough cricketers to open successfully at test level. This lot have very little genuine quality cricket but they have some experience. Yes, they should look at themselves - and i'm sure they do, by trying to go overseas to get some better exposure - but when they fail next innings, as they most likely will, give them the encouragement eugene requests for Cremer, not fear of losing their spot!

[foreignfield]

It's a bit of a conundrum, as betterdays has pointed out, and the Grant Flower example really is an interesting one. He started life as a decent and by Zim's standards even very good opener, but after a prolonged slump was moved down the order while the position at the top was filled by guys like Gripper or Ebrahim who were only expected to take the shine off the ball.

Tino has done a good job there, and he will be back. Maybe we need to accept that the second opener will forever be the fall-guy. Now this is where the Chakabva experiment comes in: Admittedly he looked vulnerable against the swinging new ball just outside off - who wouldn't in this line-up? But we do need a wicketkeeper and Regis has forever been touted as the heir-apparent to Taibu. In the Windies he did not impress me down the order at all, you do not want your keeper batting at 7 to simply shut down shop, but maybe opening is his window of opportunity, in turn allowing for an extra bat in the middle order.

Then again, Richie Mutumbami might score a great counterattacking 100 tomorrow and make the gloves his own, a thought I find really attractive ... have i mentioned that I like his work behind the stumps?

So much for theories ...
Bring on tomorrow, and day four, and Vusi's long awaited breakthrough innings to end all theories on day five ...

[eugene]

So then does that mean you put your most naturally gifted people in the middle order and sacrifice an ordinary player at the top? This was hhm's theory I seem to recall. Why not just use the opening spots to blood youngsters such as PJ Moor and Kevin Kasuza so we can see what they are made of? If they succeed we can then push them down the order when someone else fails. There must be a better option than this thinking? Do specialist openers exist anymore?

[foreignfield]

So then does that mean you put your most naturally gifted people in the middle order and sacrifice an ordinary player at the top? This was hhm's theory I seem to recall. Why not just use the opening spots to blood youngsters such as PJ Moor and Kevin Kasuza so we can see what they are made of? If they succeed we can then push them down the order when someone else fails. There must be a better option than this thinking? Do specialist openers exist anymore?

Bear with me, it's been a long day ... ... but the most naturally gifted players traditionally play in the middle order (there are more exceptions to this rule in recent times, but overall most Test line-up have their most productive and consistent performers from 3-5). In an ideal world you would not have ordinary players in your side, but sadly we are talking about Zim.

This was more about Chakabva. I was only thinking along the lines of: If we play a keeper who likes to block he might as well well block the first ten overs instead of overs 80-90, thereby opening up another slot for a strokeplayer. But the more I'm thinking about it the more I'm hoping for Mutumbami to prove his worth as a batsman tomorrow.

I think I'd better go to bed now ...

[betterdays]

So then does that mean you put your most naturally gifted people in the middle order and sacrifice an ordinary player at the top? This was hhm's theory I seem to recall.

hhm's theory, from what I recall, was more to do with 'who exactly' was always sacrificed in the top two/three spots ... and it was a sustainable if uncomfortable arguement

Why not just use the opening spots to blood youngsters such as PJ Moor and Kevin Kasuza so we can see what they are made of? If they succeed we can then push them down the order when someone else fails. There must be a better option than this thinking?

What you describe here is exactly what everyone seems to be baying for ... drop X and bring in Y, Z and F ...but I agree it's a non-option (and thankfully ZC has agreed so far too). Sending in such youngsters where there chances of success are SO low would open a case for 'mistreatment at work' ... but give the guys who exist in the job a wide learning curve and you will get more people viewing it as a career option and will then hopefully be willing to open in the franchises

Do specialist openers exist anymore?

Specialist openers have not existed in Zim for at least 20 years! However, we have long had 'specialist openers' by Zim's definition: "take the shine off son!" and we learnt to live with it. we no longer seem to want to live with it but I think we have to.
We've been lucky so far with Tino - he has been a bright spot for Zim as he has actually been the first opener i have ever seen for Zim to actually look like he believes he can do more than just take the shine off - he wants to make a few too

[betterdays]

I was only thinking along the lines of: If we play a keeper who likes to block he might as well well block the first ten overs instead of overs 80-90, thereby opening up another slot for a strokeplayer. But the more I'm thinking about it the more I'm hoping for Mutumbami to prove his worth as a batsman tomorrow.

I watched a little of Chaks at the top and I thought his judgement was mostly pretty good ... maybe if he started opening for his franchise for a season or two!!? but if Mutambami stepped up tomorrow that would be absolutely fantastic ... let's hope.

For me, basically, I'm pretty happy with this team. I was surprised but elated we did so well last test (though maybe my expectations for WI were too high because i was truly disappointed by the way they played spin there...I did not expect Zim to win anything there but i thought we'd see something a bit better with the bat). I expected BD to come back hard (i do believe BD are better than us - and so they damn well should be), even to win, but i have been pretty content with the response so far to their total. A drawn series is still a good one (all past records with BD are almost irrelevant), the last one-off test we were able to throw a surprise at them but they would've come back hard if there'd been a second test.

[eugene]

One thing that is lacking here is a strong interaction between the franchises and ZC in terms of player roles. If the selectors can pinpoint who they view as openers (whether it be Mawoyo, Moor, Chakabva, Taylor, whoever), then it would be nice if the franchises also used these players as openers. ZC seems to have a lot of control over the franchises so maybe they should dictate selection a bit more.

[Kriterion_BD]

When I left, ZIM was 61-3...they had a very good final session although they did lose Taylor. You know, a lot of BD fans were expecting Taylor to come and score 300 on us, and it really did seem that way when he survived that over from Robiul. Seemed we'd never get him out. Surprised to see Chigs has scored so many, but looks like he has cemented his place in the side for now as an all-rounder. He definitely can't graft, so perhaps attacking is his best option. Waller is doing a good job of holding fort.

We will be looking to retain as much of our 233 run lead as possible to ensure we have a defendable total for the 4th innings. Personally, I feel we cannot let ZIM score more than 300, and ideally under 250, but that will require a lot of hard work (or poor batting) given how deep you guys bat down the order.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Guys don't lose faith here. The beauty of this lineup we have is there is still plenty of batting, unreliable sure, but still plenty of batting ahead. If these boys can put on another 59 runs together - and one of them to kick on beyond that, then you only need need to hope mutambami comes to the party with at least one of the bowling all rounders to chip in. We may not get their 390 but 300+ is very achievable. Then we just need to demolish them in the second innings for under 200 and set 250 to win thereabouts. Doable. Just requires some fight.

Remember this is only Bangladesh we are dealing with... Not Australia

And we have Taylor