2021 Zimbabwe Test team Watch

Im talking just the fast bolwers. NZ apart from Jamieson aren’t all that tall. And Blessing is probably taller than Jamieson.

Very harsh on Mumba, we've sat here and cheered on Tiripano with a bowling average in the 60s FFS yet apparently Mumba is 'done'

Mumba is worth preserving with, everyone is creaming their jeans over Evans, I'll bet only Sloan and maybe one other person here has ever seen him bowl.

Jarvis is retiring, Chatara looks done in Tests and maybe even limited overs stuff too, that leaves us with Blessing & Ngarava as the spearheads, with Nyauchi, Tiripano & Thsuma next inline if we're putting Mumba on the scrap heap.

Wes will play in the next Test, and so he should, so the big question is how do they fit him in the side?

I'd rather they not make him open, so that means either Ervine and BT move up one spot each, or they go without a front line spinner and rely on Raza, Wes & Williams for spin.

I'd be happy to drop Regis, he hasn't scored a run in ages and he isn't squeaky clean behind the stumps, unless of course they get Regis to open and keep like he did against Sri Lanka. It might not be the greatest situation for him, but if he gets Wes in the side I'd be happy to give it a go.

Kasuza

Regis wk

Ervine

BT

Williams

Wes

Raza

Chisoro

Mumba

Blessing

Ngarava

jaybro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:16 am

Very harsh on Mumba, we've sat here and cheered on Tiripano with a bowling average in the 60s FFS yet apparently Mumba is 'done'

Mumba is worth preserving with, everyone is creaming their jeans over Evans, I'll bet only Sloan and maybe one other person here has ever seen him bowl.

Jarvis is retiring, Chatara looks done in Tests and maybe even limited overs stuff too, that leaves us with Blessing & Ngarava as the spearheads, with Nyauchi, Tiripano & Thsuma next inline if we're putting Mumba on the scrap heap.

Is it confirmed that KJ is retiring? Thats sad. I'd have loved to see him for another 3-4 years espeically in red ball cricket. He should just retire from white ball cricket.

Also harsh to say Chatara looks done as he hasn't played a Test in a long time.

Kriterion_BD wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:51 am

jaybro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:16 am

Very harsh on Mumba, we've sat here and cheered on Tiripano with a bowling average in the 60s FFS yet apparently Mumba is 'done'

Mumba is worth preserving with, everyone is creaming their jeans over Evans, I'll bet only Sloan and maybe one other person here has ever seen him bowl.

Jarvis is retiring, Chatara looks done in Tests and maybe even limited overs stuff too, that leaves us with Blessing & Ngarava as the spearheads, with Nyauchi, Tiripano & Thsuma next inline if we're putting Mumba on the scrap heap.

Is it confirmed that KJ is retiring? Thats sad. I'd have loved to see him for another 3-4 years espeically in red ball cricket. He should just retire from white ball cricket.

Also harsh to say Chatara looks done as he hasn't played a Test in a long time.

He can’t stay fit and looked out of shape in Pakistan, there ain’t no bigger fan of Larry Chatara than me mate, I wouldn’t be righting him off completely but at his age and with his injury record I cant see him being able to play tests

Yeah, I think it is pretty scary, the Chatara situation. He looked in very bad shape with his bowling arm in the Pak match.

jaybro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:16 am

Very harsh on Mumba, we've sat here and cheered on Tiripano with a bowling average in the 60s FFS yet apparently Mumba is 'done'

Ii would bet my left nut that if Tiripano batted at Mumba level and was still getting selected in the test team, people will be vicious in calling for his head.

Yeah, the Don is very much supported for his batting skills.

I don't think people support Tiripano as much as they accept his selection and appreciate the extra 20-25 runs he adds to the total on average.

He's not like BT, Raza, Williams, and now Wes in terms of unanimous support.

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:47 am

Ii would bet my left nut that if Tiripano batted at Mumba level and was still getting selected in the test team, people will be vicious in calling for his head.

That's the thing Mumba can bat as well, he's still green and needs to improve a lot but he's worth persisting with, I'm a firm believer Mumba can be a match winner for Zimbabwe

jaybro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:13 pm

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:47 am

Ii would bet my left nut that if Tiripano batted at Mumba level and was still getting selected in the test team, people will be vicious in calling for his head.

That's the thing Mumba can bat as well, he's still green and needs to improve a lot but he's worth persisting with, I'm a firm believer Mumba can be a match winner for Zimbabwe

He can’t get the basics right, we were talking about him maybe having potential in 2015 and here we are. He is the exact same bowler.

People keep saying he is quick, but then in the same breath ‘compared to Don/Nyauchi/Tshuma’.

If that’s the bar then sure. But he is only a 130 bowler himself that gets progressively slower as the innings progresses.

Nor does he seem to carve up domestically any more.

My mind is still open but patience is wearing thin.

Before I call for his head completely is like to see a new fast bowling coaching setup. Homdo can only do so much and 5+ years of the same guy isn’t healthy.

TapsC2 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:12 am

It still surprises me that Mpofu is the fastest guy we have right now. Only guy I see consistently bowling over 135kph when he is in the team. I’m hoping the SA import is faster

Is he still though?

i dont think ive seen him on tv for a few yers, he is now 35 and isnt taking many wickets this season just yet.

Very big chance hes come back to the pack

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:56 am

Is he still though?

i dont think ive seen him on tv for a few yers, he is now 35 and isnt taking many wickets this season just yet.

Very big chance hes come back to the pack

Yeah I think Mpofu is actually the quickest ZIM bowler currently. He can regularly clock upwards of 138 or so. I think Jarvis and Chatara will get one delivery per series in at 137, but usually around the 125-130 mark. Mumba might be quicker than Mpofu but not by much if he is. And Blessing is up there as well...certainly bowled a few in the 140+ range back in 2018. Blessing is probably the most recent one to actually hit 140.

8 Test matches scheduled for 2021 (vs AFG, PAK, BD, IRE, AFG again) makes this a bumper year, and so I'm bumping this thread :D

About a month or so to go for the Afghanistan series and no replies on this thread. Very disappointing...

What say you guys?

I guess I’m not getting too excited because there’s always the chance it will get cancelled, especially with the news sport has been banned in Zimbabwe again due to Covid.

If the tour does go ahead in either North India or the UAE, Afghanistan will start massive favourites as they’ve already beaten Ireland & Bangladesh in these conditions. Rashid, Zahir, Hamza & co will be tough to handle for Zimbabwe despite the likes of BT, Willy, Raza & Ervine being more comfortable against spin than pace.

Due to Covid restrictions Zimbabwe will again likely send a 20-man squad for the entire tour who will be in the bio-secure bubble. For most teams this would be an issue as their Test, ODI & T20 XI’s are so different, but for Zimbabwe they mainly use the same guys for every format.

Openers Kevin Kasuza & Prince Masvaure will be brought into the squad, this could mean either Brian Chari or Tinashe Kamunhukamwe could miss out? Or the selectors could spring a surprise or two as they usually do, especially with Chari who seems to get dropped after playing well, then recalled after doing very little.

Looking at the Test XI I doubt we will see many surprises, Wes will obviously come in along side Blessing Muzarabani & Tendai Chisoro, I’d assume they will revert to the ‘8-3 lineup’ with two seamers, Chisoro & then the allrounders/ part-time spin off Wes, Raza & Williams.

Blessing will be the first seamer picked & will be joined by either Tiripano, Mumba or Nyauchi. I doubt Chatara would be risked in a Test match in such conditions, Ngarava will also be amongst the chances, I actually think he’d be a better long form bowler than limited overs. I reckon they’ll go Tiripano as the safe option due to his experience, batting & ability to bowl long spells.

Chisoro is the key for me as he will be the No.1 spinner and in such conditions he will need to bowl a lot of overs, and take a truck load of wickets if Zimbabwe are going to win. Is he capable of being more than a restrictive bowler & becoming a genuine wicket taker? The jury is still out.

Brandon Mavuta could be picked for the tour, but considering he hasn’t been picked for a while now you’d think that was unlikely. Milton Shumba will undoubtedly be on the tour and he could be the dark horse for selection in the test side, but I doubt he’d be picked as the No. 1 spinner.

In the end of the day the entire tour depends on how well the batsman can deal with Rashid Khan, he’s tormented Zimbabwe for many years now and unless they’ve worked out a way how to play him it could be very ugly for Zim. The recent struggles against Usman Qadir suggests they’ve still got no idea how to read a leg spinner that can bowl a googly or wrong’un.

Anyways they’re my thoughts

Covid-enforced large squads will be a dream for ZC. They love selecting 28-player squads for a two-game T20 series.

jaybro wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 12:09 am

If the tour does go ahead in either North India or the UAE, Afghanistan will start massive favourites as they’ve already beaten Ireland & Bangladesh in these conditions.

But Zimbabwe have also beaten Bangladesh in identical conditions!

Good thoughts nonetheless. Has Jarvis officially retired???

For a series in Asia against AFG this is a good working 15 - obviously with COVID you will probably need a squad of at least 18-20 to cover for injuries.

Openers:

Chari, Kasuza, Masvaure

Middle Order bats:

Taylor, Ervine, Williams, Raza, Madhevere,

WKs:

Chakabva, Mutumbami

Spinners:

Chisoro, Mavuta

Seamers:

Chatara, Blessing, Mpofu

I picked Chari ahead of Prince because I think Chari is a far fitter player and thus more likely to play a long innings. I also don't think Prince is significantly better than Chari. That being said, an extra specialist opener is probably warranted.