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How does Mpofu break his way into the national team again?

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Same way as always a couple good performances and the fickleness of coaches and fans. Our bowling attack is a merry-go-round same as the top order.
Veteran
Losart...not too sure about our top order being merry go around. Vusi Hami Taylor Ervine and Waller are farely constant, Williams in for Ervine and because Taylor keeps Raza gets a go. So not so dynamic.

The bowling on the other hand is farely fluid due to the new talent Heath and the franchise system has unearthed (Jarvis, Vitori, Masakadza, Chatara, Muzhange) added to the establishment of Mpofu Rainsford and Panyangara.

For me I truely bwlieve people are just hashing names together. We need to be strategic as we can afford it unlike in the past when Mpofu was the only option. Now we can go horses for courses.

On pacey pitches we can have all our attacking options being pace. I think in Tests Jarvis is the first name on the list irrespective of surface. On pacey tracks we can have Shingi or Vitori or Chatara to attack with Jarvis. We cant only attack so one of Mpofu or Rainsford to contain or attack which they can do and a containing slow option:

Test: Jarvis Shingi/Vitori/Chatara and Mpofu/Rainsford with an economic version of Prosper. Price's days are numbered hence his exclusion.

ODI: Chigs is the aleiunder and 5th bowler. Then a container (Mpofu/Rainsford). Vitori (pace swing and left arm variation) Chatara Shingi or Jarvis (to attack not both) and a slow option. Williams and Hami give extra insurance.

On slower pitches we attack with leggies as our offies are toothless and contain:

Test: Jarvis/Shingi, 2 out of (+Mushangwe/Mutombodzi/Cremer) and a container in Mpofu or Rainsford

ODI: Jarvis/Shingi, 2 out of (+Mushangwe/Mutombodzi/Cremer) and a container in Mpofu or Rainsford

Ofcourse form injuries and opposition counts as much as the nature of pitch. So as much as the brief is set personel arent hence Mpofu will always have a look in.
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer

FlowerPower wrote:Losart...not too sure about our top order being merry go around. Vusi Hami Taylor Ervine and Waller are farely constant, Williams in for Ervine and because Taylor keeps Raza gets a go. So not so dynamic.

The bowling on the other hand is farely fluid due to the new talent Heath and the franchise system has unearthed (Jarvis, Vitori, Masakadza, Chatara, Muzhange) added to the establishment of Mpofu Rainsford and Panyangara.

For me I truely bwlieve people are just hashing names together. We need to be strategic as we can afford it unlike in the past when Mpofu was the only option. Now we can go horses for courses.

On pacey pitches we can have all our attacking options being pace. I think in Tests Jarvis is the first name on the list irrespective of surface. On pacey tracks we can have Shingi or Vitori or Chatara to attack with Jarvis. We cant only attack so one of Mpofu or Rainsford to contain or attack which they can do and a containing slow option:

Test: Jarvis Shingi/Vitori/Chatara and Mpofu/Rainsford with an economic version of Prosper. Price's days are numbered hence his exclusion.

ODI: Chigs is the aleiunder and 5th bowler. Then a container (Mpofu/Rainsford). Vitori (pace swing and left arm variation) Chatara Shingi or Jarvis (to attack not both) and a slow option. Williams and Hami give extra insurance.

On slower pitches we attack with leggies as our offies are toothless and contain:

Test: Jarvis/Shingi, 2 out of (+Mushangwe/Mutombodzi/Cremer) and a container in Mpofu or Rainsford

ODI: Jarvis/Shingi, 2 out of (+Mushangwe/Mutombodzi/Cremer) and a container in Mpofu or Rainsford

Ofcourse form injuries and opposition counts as much as the nature of pitch. So as much as the brief is set personel arent hence Mpofu will always have a look in.


You've forgotten a very important name....The Meth
Veteran

sloandog wrote:.....

You've forgotten a very important name....The Meth


Yep you are right, Meth is definitely in the mix, but Sloan I know you are into bowling am I making any sense or just high on something?
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer

FlowerPower wrote:

sloandog wrote:.....

You've forgotten a very important name....The Meth


Yep you are right, Meth is definitely in the mix, but Sloan I know you are into bowling am I making any sense or just high on something?


I think you're right bud. I mean, the thing with our attack now is the diversity that comes with it. In Keegan Meth you have a bowler who bowls no quicker than 70mph but swings it both ways, every ball, on a line, and on a superb length. That's gold dust, especially in test cricket.

Chatara, Mazakadza Jnr and Kyle Jarvis all have pace behind them, but Brian Vetori swings the ball at pace. For me that's the ideal bowler. I personally think, and i dont know what the rest of the forumites think, that Vitori was bowling in excess of 90mph on some balls in that first spell he bowled. The wicket of Islam was sharp, and you could tell that even on the replays. So we've found something in this guy, but we just need to keep him safe and fit from injuries.

Unlike you FlowerPower, I think Price still has a very important role to play. He's still our best spinner imo. Cremer may have shown that he can spin it, but he's still very expensive, and it needs sorting if he's to become our number 1 spin bowler. I like the two M's that bowl their leg spin, who showed in the Windies that they can spin the ball just as much as Graeme.

If I had to choose between Ed and Bobby, I;d choose Ed. Maybe not as quick, but it sounds like he's***ting his straps too consistantly to be ignored now, so he has my vote.

Just wish Ireland and Nicholson were in the mix :cry: :cry:
Veteran
Tough goings for Bobby and like its been mentioned above him coming at second change in First class will mean less chances of taking wickets. Personally I think it will be very tough for him to come back. Would give him mad respect if he did after all he is only 27, but for me its so long Bobby...
Veteran
It's not just about wickets (though in the most they help) ... if Bobby stayed fit he would still slot into this side (for any of them) in ODIs. His Test spot will depend on whether A Waller wants the same length Test tail that Steve favoured
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
The tail issue is much more important in tests than ODIs. They bat twice and have to make a contribution. In ODIs they face a few balls per match on average. Mpofu has more ODI chance ahead of him, I think.
The Third Innings
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