eugene wrote:Did I hear someone mention Matsi? Hopefully it was only the wind.
I knew I'd get a response with that, even if there are no takers for the idea of doing without a specialist spinner. Last time against Bangladesh Price bowled something like 14 overs out of 97 in the first innings and only 2 in the second. Hamilton did not bowl a ball, I think.
I'm all for strengthening the tail. For example Shingi is not an inferior bowler to Chatara or Mpofu, but ten times the batter.
And Shingi is no batsman either, showing just how inept Chatara and Mpofu are.
My All-time Zimbabwe XI
Neil Johnson, Brendan Taylor, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), David Houghton, Sean Williams, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Paul Strang, Eddo Brandes, Blessing Muzarabani
Am I the only person who thinks Mpofu is our most competent bowler, not necessarily spectacular but competent and consistant. He's the first name on my team sheet (Test). Jarvis has shown lots of promise (in Test...Limited overs is what Chigs is to Test for me). Raisnford was an embarassing ommission. Masakadza is there abouts. Chatara is in the queue.
Hence for me:
1. Mawoyo
2. Sibanda
3. Williams
4. Masakadza
5. Ervine
6. Taylor (wk)
7. Waller
8. Price/Utseya (on a pace attack frendly surface your spin is to contain, hence Cremer should be spared)
9. Jarvis
10. Rainsford
11. Mpofu
12. Chatara/Masakadza/
If Taylor is to bat (specialist) then in the absence of Regis, Mutambami for me is a no brainer....
1. Mawoyo
2. Sibanda
3. Williams
4. Masakadza
5. Ervine
6. Taylor
7. Mutambami (wk)
8. Price/Utseya (on a pace attack frendly surface your spin is to contain, hence Cremer should be spared)
Its funny how the bowling in the west indies was quite good while the batting was pathetic, You would think it was the other way round with all the changes being mentioned to the bowling while peoples respective sides here on the batting front seem to be largely unchanged. Lets get Sikanda Raza in somewhere....lets fit coventry in as the counter attacking option and hell yes lets get mutunbami in there :D
Useful looking sides, but for me, Waller doesn't (yet?) cut it at test level. Mutumbami has been possibly the top Logan cup batsman this year, showing grit and determination in sometimes desperate situations...something we so desperately need. Waller sometimes looks like a rabbit in the headlights.