Zimbabwe

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

ON live telly ? I doubt it....well I'd hope not.

[Victor Frankenstein]

well if they're going to shoot you you might aswell go full on for the power wedgie, see how mugabe likes it then!

It's a no win situation for everyone really, after mcgills statement this morning i read gilchrists response and he was basically saying that they felt if they didn't go then zim cricket would be finished, by not going they're not saving anyone but by going they can at least keep the cricket team going. I know the team is being heavily politicised but still..

[Mark Kidger]

After the euphoria of the first ODI where one suspects that Sri Lanka were very relaxed indeed, the second ODI is giving a pretty unpleasant reminder of just how competitative this Zimbabwe side may be.

Zimbabwe 136, Sri Lanka 68-0 after 8 overs

And one fears that the 3rd ODI may not even be this competitative.

[Victor Frankenstein]

yeah, it's a shame as it's not their fault, i've always liked zim as a team, they made the best of what they had and always played above themselves, could certainly teach some of our players something about determination.

[Mark Kidger]

Originally Posted by Victor Frankenstein

yeah, it's a shame as it's not their fault, i've always liked zim as a team, they made the best of what they had and always played above themselves, could certainly teach some of our players something about determination.

One wonders, in the first ODI were the Sri Lankans perhaps told to go easy on them? This game is so totally one-sided that it is hard to believe that they are the same two teams.

[cantplaycantalk]

Lets refine that eh, it's not the players fault, it most certainly is the ZCU's fault, and you can trace that fault right back to Nutty Bob the president.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I think its a real shame about Heath Streak, who was head and shoulders over the rest of the team, and would stand a good chance of getting into other international sides.

Would he get into an england side ?

[Victor Frankenstein]

definatly, him and andy flower would have been in like a shot

[Goatman]

I reckon so. He's a quality pace bowler capable of keeping it extremely tight and getting top batsmen out even when set. Add to that some pretty impressive lower order biffing, and you have a player who - for me - would shunt many of our current crop aside. I rate Flintoff for example, particularly in the pyjama game, but I can't see how he could be considered as superior to Streak, who has real pedigree and surely would have performed even better as part of a stronger side. For me, Freddy would be left pushing for inclusion at expense of Giles/other spinner or one of the other specialist seamers. Not sure who would suffer in the long run, but I'd certainly look to include him at the expense of Giles if he were avaliable for the NZ series. Imagine Streak taking the new ball with Harmison, backed up by Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff. That a fairly intimidating attack. And then Streak coming in at 7 with G. Jones at 6 and Flintoff at 8. A pretty meaty lower order that....

[Mark Kidger]

Originally Posted by Goatman

Imagine Streak taking the new ball with Harmison, backed up by Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff. That a fairly intimidating attack. And then Streak coming in at 7 with G. Jones at 6 and Flintoff at 8. A pretty meaty lower order that....

Certainly Heath Streak is a genuine attacking bowler and has been in the PwC top 10. Funny thing was that his spell at Hampshire was short and not so productive.

Your line-up does genuinely produce sensations of drooling. With a real all-rounder Freddy would also wake up properly.