[OD Match 1] Kenya v Zim A

[CrimsonAvenger]

I just cannot understand how Waller gets selected. Must be demotivating for players performing in domestic cricket. I'm sure others could average 19 with the bat and take one wicket every 6 or 7 matches.

How he gets in ahead of Mutumbodzi baffles me.

+1. This is now probably even beyond the Matsi, Dabengwa, Vusi scenarios. Not probably. Most certainly.

[Kriterion_BD]

I just cannot understand how Waller gets selected. Must be demotivating for players performing in domestic cricket. I'm sure others could average 19 with the bat and take one wicket every 6 or 7 matches.

How he gets in ahead of Mutumbodzi baffles me.

Waller averages 40+ at Logan Cup level. Granted the likes of Vusi also score big, but I think barring Taylor, Hami, Chakabva, and Raza, no one averages over 40 in the Logan Cup (over a career).

[CrimsonAvenger]

Malcolm Waller's carrer FC average (78 matches): 37.19
Forster Mutizwa's career FC average (93 matches): 39.53

There goes a comparison and potential mismanagement.

Just checked others' FC stats. Taylor and Hamilton are both at 39.9 at FC due to the SA D/N test fiasco, while Raza is at 34 (and has probably never hit 40 in FC) and Regis has alarmingly fallen to 35.8. Ervine and Williams are at 41 and 42 though!

It would be bullshit if the management says Waller is ahead becuase he is an "all-rounder". He is rarely given the ball and is made to bat as low as 7 in the name of being an all-rounder. He has actually bowled well at times, but why he is not trusted more in match situations is beyond me. It is a scam to keep picking him like this in the role of an "all-rounder".

Granted that he goes back to domestic scene and sets it alight more often than not, but Vusi did that too and at some point the management realized (hopefully they have) he won't replicate the same at the higher levels. If "more talented" guys like Vusi and Matsi couldn't, how could Waller, who depends on ugly swipes all the time?

I would have still batted for him if he routinely just hit 2-3 sixes in each match - that's how desperate we are at the moment.

[eugene]

Waller's time is surely done, perhaps in T20s he adds value but other than that we all know he is not going to ever be a reliable player.

[TapsC]

And that Mutizwa Waller comparison just about explains it.. if Mutizwa isn't good enough at international level yet he averages 39 at FC level then what makes Waller so exceptional?.. his 99 versus NZ 7 years ago? The truth is if you give even Elton the same number of chances you give Waller he would do just about the same if not better. We dropped Elton.. Why not Malcolm? If Cephas is too old then what's Waller doing there? He will clearly never change at 33. He always tries to smash the first ball he faces and gets out many times doing so..

there is just so much that doesn't add up here. I honestly never felt like this with previous admins. These guys are literally blessed with 20 or so decent players (compared to previous admins) but they never pick the right combinations.. it's really frustrating..

[Googly]

I know him and have seen him play over 50 times. He has a tremendous amount of talent, like it’s ridiculous how well he sees the ball, but he has the brain of a swallow. When he gets going it’s almost impossible to stop him. Very much worth the risk in my opinion.

Yeah I’ve seen him too, tremendously powerful guy. He’s actually quite an intimidating guy, has a real presence about him. Gets himself out playing too many shots, but when he’s seeing it he’s great to watch. I have reservations about how he’ll go against guys that work him out in a few balls, but damn that’s one helluva innings, if he pulls another innings off like that and they ignore him then I don’t know. If they drop him down the order in the next couple of games then you know he’s not on the radar.