[Match thread] Only Test - Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh

[Maweni]

Have you ever seen someone look so clumsy and uncomfortable when defending? Chigumbura better get a 5fer!

[brmtaylor.com admin]

450 is probably out of reach, 400 would be a good target now. One of the tail-enders has to make at least 20 and Taibu will need to do the rest. I don't think that is an outrageous aim and hopefully it would be enough to ensure that the worst result possible is a draw.

[hhm]

And does the cushion of having a Meth at 8 sound all of a sudden appealing?

Perhaps at 9 if he's selected. Now that would be a sign of batting deep.

I've said it countless times and I'll say it again. Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head!!!!

This is the way to go:
1Duffin, 2Taylor, 3Hamilton, 4Vusi, 5Ervine(get Ballance on the line AC), 6Ewing, 7Taibu, 8Chigumbura(while you're at it AC, get Sean on the line too), 9Rainsford(or Meth), 10Price, 11Mpofu
You will continue to argue and deny it, but eventually, your line-ups will start looking very much like mine!

[takleg]

The Zim we know is back. The remaining wickets could be taken cheaply.

[Maweni]

And does the cushion of having a Meth at 8 sound all of a sudden appealing?

Perhaps at 9 if he's selected. Now that would be a sign of batting deep.

I've said it countless times and I'll say it again. Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head!!!!

This is the way to go:
1Duffin, 2Taylor, 3Hamilton, 4Vusi, 5Ervine(get Ballance on the line AC), 6Ewing, 7Taibu, 8Chigumbura(while you're at it AC, get Sean on the line too), 9Rainsford(or Meth), 10Price, 11Mpofu
You will continue to argue and deny it, but eventually, your line-ups will start looking very much like mine!

HHM, I usually like what you have to say and think it's intelligent but your line up doesn't even resemble intelligence.
The top four have done well, why ruin that? The problem here is just with the selections we always thought were contentious-Chigumbura & Ervine (as well as the no brainer about Meth for Jarvis). While I would like to see Ballance and Ewing in there for these two, I can understand that once Ervine finds his form again he'll be a better choice than Ewing for that position, and that for the moment they should have used Regis or Forster going into this match (Ervine had 0 form). As regards Chigumbura, that guy is in his own world. And he wonders why the country turned on him! Why did he sweep the last ball before lunch? I mean who does that? I've seen someone on facebook call him retarded and I can understand why. He also needed to be on some form before being selected for this match, but they selected him anyways, in hopes that he'll produce something flukey-The should have gone with Meth or Prosper or even better, Lamb if they wanted to shore up the batting and have some bowling, considering they went for the extra spinner. But hindsight is a good thing. The team we have out there can do it, Bangladesh is hardly SA.

[jimbo]

If price plays like he did against australia A last match then 400 is still on but it will be a tough ask

[Kriterion_BD]

And does the cushion of having a Meth at 8 sound all of a sudden appealing?

Perhaps at 9 if he's selected. Now that would be a sign of batting deep.

I've said it countless times and I'll say it again. Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head! Experience, maturity, cool head!!!!

This is the way to go:
1Duffin, 2Taylor, 3Hamilton, 4Vusi, 5Ervine(get Ballance on the line AC), 6Ewing, 7Taibu, 8Chigumbura(while you're at it AC, get Sean on the line too), 9Rainsford(or Meth), 10Price, 11Mpofu
You will continue to argue and deny it, but eventually, your line-ups will start looking very much like mine!

That lineup makes as little sense as "spinner all rounders are useless". Taylor is your best batsman with Hammy a somewhat close 2nd. You don't expose the best batter to the new ball. Dravid, Tendulkar are worlds better than Gambhir and Sehwag. Vusi has class and is a good opener. He should only be moved down if a better opener presents himself. The problem is in the middle order (a problem similar to ours). You have a few deadweights in the team.

Ervine is class, give him some time. True he may not have deserved his cap, but he's got class, that doesn't go away. Taibu is over rated in my opinion, has shoddy technique and occaisionally scores big against top sides so he can stay until a better bat is found.

Chigumbura. How is this guy still allowed in the squad of 13, let alone the playing XI. He's nothing more than a poor man's Shahid Afridi and even Afridi averages over 35 in test cricket. His bowling is mediocre at best, and a bunch of monkeys randomly waving a bat would probably score more consistently than Chiggy if not score more runs as well. Get Utseya in his place ASAP.

I support Jarvis over Meth if we just talk about them 2 because like Ervine, I believe Jarvis has a load of potential. He's got genuine pace and you can't substitute that for Meth's over-rated dibbly dobblies, especially in Test cricket.

[hhm]

HHM, I usually like what you have to say and think it's intelligent but your line up doesn't even resemble intelligence.
The top four have done well, why ruin that? ....once Ervine finds his form again he'll be a better choice than Ewing for that position, and that for the moment they should have used Regis or Forster going into this match.

I acknowledge your perspective. I suppose against a quality bowling line-up Mawoyo will justify even more just why he belongs at this level and no doubt get that half-century which eluded him; and of course Ervine will probably find his form & mental strength against that opposition too. Mighty Bangladesh just found him in a bad space!

[hhm]

That lineup makes as little sense as "spinner all rounders are useless". Taylor is your best batsman with Hammy a somewhat close 2nd. You don't expose the best batter to the new ball.

On the best batsman, I have mine as Vusi, with Williams(not there) as second. Just like the others, I rate batsmen differently, so all our opinions will differ on that one. I didn't mention anything about a spinner all-rounder, unless of course you're referring to Ewing. I have him there as a batsman. You should ask next time!

[Kriterion_BD]

That lineup makes as little sense as "spinner all rounders are useless". Taylor is your best batsman with Hammy a somewhat close 2nd. You don't expose the best batter to the new ball.

On the best batsman, I have mine as Vusi, with Williams(not there) as second. Just like the others, I rate batsmen differently, so all our opinions will differ on that one. I didn't mention anything about a spinner all-rounder, unless of course you're referring to Ewing. I have him there as a batsman. You should ask next time!

Vusi has that potential, I agree. I also rate him as among the best, but Taylor is actually translating more potential so far with his big knocks against AUS A and that 145* against SA some months ago.