Battle of the zim squads

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 12:57 pm

very accurate to my mind as well.

Only tweaks Id make is that Vermeulen actually hit the ground running and was a very good player early on in his international career, and Wisharts big innings only came against club sides like Namibia and Bangladesh (at that time).

Wishart a bit like Cephas in some ways.

Yeah I agree with Rex, but his best form was 12 months on when he did well in OZ and scored that hundred at home v the Windies, at that point I thought he was Zimbabwe's next big thing.

Yeah Wish never really mad his mark v the big sides, as you pointed out that hundred v Namibia being his highest point which is why I reckon he was at his peak. He also did ok around the time of the 03 tour to Oz and scored a 96 in the same innings Rex got his 100, a knee injury kept him out of the VB Tri series in Oz, whilst the rebellion then pretty much ended him.

When did Goodwin leave Zim cricket? Shouldn’t he be in that squad? He was an absolutely brilliant batsman. I see his son aged 17 has a professional contract now.

just Googled, Paul Strang and Goodwin had left by then. They were serious players. I can’t remember how good Murphy was as a leggie? Will look now.

2003 squad would win by 5-0.

2003 wins, but if Flower gets injured then its neck and neck, perhaps current squad by a nose hair.

Hard to beat a Zimbabwe side with the Flowers and Streak, just as a reference for people you might not remember this is how I recall the players from 03 and how good they were at that time.

Wishart - probably the peak of his powers

Marrilier - peaked just after the WC

Grant - still a decent player but maybe past his best

Andy - looked past his best going into the WC but was Zimbabwe’s best player and scored a heap of runs

Campbell - Well past his best, originally left out of the squad replaced Vermeulan

Taibu - finding his feet as an ODI player, scored his 1st fifty in the Super 6’s

Ervine - like Taibu was still finding his feet, his best form was 12 months on

Streak - Still at the peak of his powers with bat & ball

Blignaut - peaking

Murphy - past his best, bowled tripe at the WC

Hondo - close to peak

Olonga - past his best

Ebrahim - never was a good ODI player, wouldn’t make today’s side tbf

Wittall - well past his best

Matsi - finding his feet

Vermeulan - finding his feet

So what I’m trying to say is although that side looked great on paper there weren’t many guys ‘at their peak’ compared to the 1999 side where most of the guys on 1st XI were very close of not playing at their best.

Hard to say with the current mob how many are at their best? I’d say most of the batsman are probably on the peaks of their careers and you could argue the same for the bowlers.

On paper you’d say the 2003 side but on the field 2003 v 2019 might be a bit closer than most think.

jaybro wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 8:20 am

Hard to beat a Zimbabwe side with the Flowers and Streak, just as a reference for people you might not remember this is how I recall the players from 03 and how good they were at that time.

Wishart - probably the peak of his powers

Marrilier - peaked just after the WC

Grant - still a decent player but maybe past his best

Andy - looked past his best going into the WC but was Zimbabwe’s best player and scored a heap of runs

Campbell - Well past his best, originally left out of the squad replaced Vermeulan

Taibu - finding his feet as an ODI player, scored his 1st fifty in the Super 6’s

Ervine - like Taibu was still finding his feet, his best form was 12 months on

Streak - Still at the peak of his powers with bat & ball

Blignaut - peaking

Murphy - past his best, bowled tripe at the WC

Hondo - close to peak

Olonga - past his best

Ebrahim - never was a good ODI player, wouldn’t make today’s side tbf

Wittall - well past his best

Matsi - finding his feet

Vermeulan - finding his feet

So what I’m trying to say is although that side looked great on paper there weren’t many guys ‘at their peak’ compared to the 1999 side where most of the guys on 1st XI were very close of not playing at their best.

Hard to say with the current mob how many are at their best? I’d say most of the batsman are probably on the peaks of their careers and you could argue the same for the bowlers.

On paper you’d say the 2003 side but on the field 2003 v 2019 might be a bit closer than most think.

very accurate to my mind as well.

Only tweaks Id make is that Vermeulen actually hit the ground running and was a very good player early on in his international career, and Wisharts big innings only came against club sides like Namibia and Bangladesh (at that time).

Wishart a bit like Cephas in some ways.

I remember watching some of that world cup and I always remember thinking Campbell looked awkward and rushed.

He was well and truly past his best by that point, as was Guy Whittal, although he never lit up ODI cricket throughout his cricketing career.

What that WC squad had which we no longer have were fast bowling all rounders; Streak, Friend, Ervine and Blignaut. They balanced they side out superbly and if you throw in Grant Glower and Marrilliar in there, you have a hell of a lot of bowling and batting depth.

Murphy was class A rubbish. His form in and around 2000/01 was ok but he bowled some s**t. Dylan Higgins was a much better leg spinner, as was Ryan Higgins. Cremer is still, in my opinion, on par with Paul Strang with the ball.