[Match Thread] Pakistan v Zimbabwe, 1st T20I

Surely you've got to have Choppa opening the batting...

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BOOM!

Not sure I want Ervine anywhere close to the T20 side, but what are the other options....Vusi, Mutumbami, Kaia?

Might be an idea to blood either of the last two in the hit and giggle...yes, Vusi has lovely drives and if the stars are correctly aligned, the moon phase is correct, he hasn't forgotten his lucky underpants, etc. he might hit a double century, but I'm tired of waiting!

jaybro wrote:Not sure what all the hate for Ervine is for? He was probably our third best batsman at the WC and is probably suited to short form cricket more so than tests ......

The fact we only have 5 matches mean there isn't much time for experimentation ......

He's woeful that's why. The sole reason why Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams (Mooney notwithstanding

took us close but still failed to take us over the line. 16 balls, 11 runs in the dearth overs. That's why he shouldn't be anywhere near the T20 side.

I have no idea who will open, in the new absence of Brandan Taylor. Its upset the balance of the whole side. But I think Choppa Coventry is best in the middle overs, though that responsibility seemed top have been taken up by Raza lately.

Really want Vusi to succeed sometime but maybe best we wait for the ODIs.

In other news, isn't it curious how cricinfo seemed to want to quote Sean Williams (He's no Taylor) and Craig WErvine rather that the erudite, lucid Sikandar Razza?

Williams: "Safe and sound in Lahore..time for rest and training begins tomorrow..#PAKvZIM."

Ervine: "Sitting in the business Lounge at Harare airport awaiting departure!#nervous#rightorwrongchoice."

Raza: "We have been welcomed with open hearts,smiles and love from people of PAKISTAN!

May allah bless both nations and their citizens."

Chibhabha: "A lot of Pakistanis here at the airport wishing us well,this is a big deal for them and I hope everything goes smoothly."

Must say Ervine is class. Conant is just being a closet racist again :o

Raza

Kaia

Hami

Williams

Ervine

Choppa wk

Chigs C

Mupariwa

Prosper

Vittori

Cremer

Anyone want to bet a burger and beer? I say Zimbabwe will win- the mood in the camp is great(despite the defeatist, treacherous treasonous loser comment from Overlord Bvute- he should be sacked)

The Technical team is good and positive. A happy team for the first time in many years means a winning team.

Look I know we lost but it turned out to be a very intriguing game of cricket :)

And suddenly this tour doesn't seem like a bad idea after all!

jaybro wrote:Ervine averages more then Hami, Vusi, Chamu, Raza, Chigs and pretty much any other under achieving batsman in Zimbabwe yet he is useless??

On the mark as usual Conant ;)

jimmylesaint wrote:Must say Ervine is class. Conant is just being a closet racist again :o

Technical team is good and positive. A happy team for the first time in many years means a winning team.

As it turned out, Whatmore and co didn't believe Ervine has a place in the T20 side either. Ming was quite right, and I'm willing to bet he wont play in the next one as well, despite the misfiring Vusi who, oddly, is promoted ahead of Justice Chibhabha.

Comparing Mtumbami , who batted at 8, with Craig Ervine is a quite pointless: what would Ervine be doing at 8? (So too was Mutiumbami - no point playing him as a lower order if he wasn't keeping).

You make a make case of Ervine superiority, having a better average than Masakadza? I didn't even bother checking the validity of this statement: His strike rate at 80 is poor enough to dismiss this assertion. Chris Gayle the other night made 41 but from 50 odd balls: I am quite certain he alone was responsible for that sub par total of 14 and subsequently lost the match for Bangalore against Chennai.

Nobody in his right mind these days would play a batsmen with a T20 strike rate of 80.

We wait and see. The next match is tomorrow .