Indian Tests

[stone bird]

Well zimbabwe would be pretty happy with that effort. Took india into a 4th day taibu led from the front with 2 half centuries and terrence duffin scored a gutsy 50 on debut...his technique is much more sound than neil ferreira's.

Masakadza must be on the way out for the 2nd test. Charles Coventry needs a lot more time in the one day arena and i wouldn't include him for the next test. Ebrahim once again failed...he is very consistent at doing so...his position may be under threat...it would be nice for rogers, carlisle, gripper, vermeulen, marillier or wishart to get a run. Taylor got an absolute shocking decision in the 2nd dig.

Mahwire got a 4 for and blignaut showed his ability in patches. Either Dabengwa or Ewing will make way for Uteysa...more than likely it will be ewing since he is a off spinner.

1. Taylor
2. Duffin
3. Carlisle
4. Ebrahim
5. Rogers
6. Taibu
7. Streak
8. Blignaut
9. Dabengwa
10. Uteysa
11. Mahwire

zimbabwe must really look into having ray price return...he is easily the best zimbabwean born bowler in the world...i'd even say he is leagues above streaky!

[Prince EWS]

I really dont see Carlisle or Rogers returning. Even if they did, Rogers wouldnt be picked - he seems to have been blacklisted for tests. I really dont think Utseya would be useful in tests at all. He bowls tight but he doesnt bowl genuine wicket taking balls. Ewing does, and did, and still only picked up one wicket, so I doubt Utseya would be very effective if picked. Ewing's batting is also much better than Prosper's. I'd go with Cremer, but I dont see that happening either, so Ewing is the better option.

I'd probably leave Masakadza in the side, but I'd bat him down the order a bit. I'd leave Coventry out - he doesnt seem ready for tests yet, although I can see some big ODI scores around the corner.

That leaves:

1. Brendan TAYLOR
2. Terrence DUFFIN
3. Dion EBRAHIM
4. Tatenda TAIBU
5. Heath STREAK
6. Hamilton MASAKADZA
7. Sean WILLIAMS
8. Andy BLIGNAUT
9. Keith DABENGWA
10. Gavin EWING
11. Blessing MAHWIRE

[butchering lee]

price may be better than streak in streak's current form but it would require a lot more scrutiny of price at test level before you could compare him to streak. i'm holding out for that return tho' - of all those missing, i feel he's most missed

[butchering lee]

i think they should stick with the same team for at least the next test. coventry was poor but it's the constant changing that doesn't allow for confidence building.

[stone bird]

yeah ray price is very sorely missed!
he is a much better bowler than his stats show.

zimbabwe need to play a new batsmen to replace masakadza and coventry...but if they do it will prolly be sibanda for one spot.

[Paoli]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

I really dont see Carlisle or Rogers returning. Even if they did, Rogers wouldnt be picked - he seems to have been blacklisted for tests. I really dont think Utseya would be useful in tests at all. He bowls tight but he doesnt bowl genuine wicket taking balls. Ewing does, and did, and still only picked up one wicket, so I doubt Utseya would be very effective if picked. Ewing's batting is also much better than Prosper's. I'd go with Cremer, but I dont see that happening either, so Ewing is the better option.

Cremer is the only genuine-wicket taking spinner in Zimbabwe; in fact, I'd go as far to say as he is one of our only genuine wicket taking bowlers. Ewing doesn't ball many wicket taking balls either; he relies alot on accuracy, and just browsing through the ODI series, this is how Ewing got his wickets:

vs. India, 1 wicket: Kaif, caught and bowled
vs. New Zealand, 3 wickets: McCullum, caught and bowled; Oram, LBW; Astle, Caught Behind. The catch behind was a slash by Astle, and the LBW was one of the most stupid reverse sweeps I've ever seen.

The best way to play Ewing is as an allrounder up the order and let Cremer take over the full-time spinning duties. I'd leave Sean Williams out of it for now, making the side look like this:

1. Duffin
2. Masakadza
3. Ebrahim
4. Taylor
5. Taibu
6. Coventry
7. Ewing/Dabengwa
8. Streak
9. Blignaut
10. Mahwire
11. Cremer

I can't drop Coventry yet; surely he is guaranteed at least two tests? I'd move Maskadza to the top of the order, for two reasons: firstly, he's a natural opener, and secondly, Brendan Taylor grinded out some really, really impressive innings in Bangladesh batting at No.5.

Who do you choose between Dabengwa and Ewing? They'll probably both play, that's the reality, but I'd definitely be playing Graeme Cremer. If the choice came down between KD and Ewing, I'd choose Ewing. Ewing's Logan Cup runs came in the days when it was substantially stronger. Dabengwa's a bowling allrounder anyway; that void can be filled by Cremer.

Mahwire was better, and I'm hoping Taibu scores a second test century.

[stone bird]

cremer needs to be sent south australia to work with terry jenner...he will be murdered bu opposition teams the way he bowls at the moment...even bangladesh took to him.

ewing is a strange player...scores plenty of runs in the logan cup...bowls ok...you'd say he is a batsmen, but in test cricket they play he as a bowler.

uteysa will play...he got stung by a bee in the eye, so he couldn't play in the last test.

coventry should have never had played in the 1st test...he is a one day batsmen....you need players to bat for extended periods in test cricket...i don't think coventry can do this.

zimbabwe really do need a new middle order batsmen to come in...masakadza needs a break...rogers would fit in nicely

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

Cremer is the only genuine-wicket taking spinner in Zimbabwe; in fact, I'd go as far to say as he is one of our only genuine wicket taking bowlers. Ewing doesn't ball many wicket taking balls either; he relies alot on accuracy, and just browsing through the ODI series, this is how Ewing got his wickets:

vs. India, 1 wicket: Kaif, caught and bowled
vs. New Zealand, 3 wickets: McCullum, caught and bowled; Oram, LBW; Astle, Caught Behind. The catch behind was a slash by Astle, and the LBW was one of the most stupid reverse sweeps I've ever seen.

The best way to play Ewing is as an allrounder up the order and let Cremer take over the full-time spinning duties. I'd leave Sean Williams out of it for now, making the side look like this:

1. Duffin
2. Masakadza
3. Ebrahim
4. Taylor
5. Taibu
6. Coventry
7. Ewing/Dabengwa
8. Streak
9. Blignaut
10. Mahwire
11. Cremer

I can't drop Coventry yet; surely he is guaranteed at least two tests? I'd move Maskadza to the top of the order, for two reasons: firstly, he's a natural opener, and secondly, Brendan Taylor grinded out some really, really impressive innings in Bangladesh batting at No.5.

Who do you choose between Dabengwa and Ewing? They'll probably both play, that's the reality, but I'd definitely be playing Graeme Cremer. If the choice came down between KD and Ewing, I'd choose Ewing. Ewing's Logan Cup runs came in the days when it was substantially stronger. Dabengwa's a bowling allrounder anyway; that void can be filled by Cremer.

Mahwire was better, and I'm hoping Taibu scores a second test century.

I definately agree about Cremer, but I cant see them playing him to be honest. Ewing does ball wicket taking balls - he has a good arm ball and adjusts well when batsmen charge him. Hes not going to run through a side, but on a pitch that isnt turning a heap, he has more chance of taking a wicket than Utseya.

Masakadza may have played a lot opening, but he isnt really a natural opener. A natural open is someone like Duffin. Masakadza is more a cavilere batsman, and likes to play his shots. This really isnt idea against the new ball. I think Taylor would be better off down the order, but I cant see anyone else thats suited to open.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

Who do you choose between Dabengwa and Ewing? .

it's not easy to take indian wkts with spin (the two best in the world don't do it that often).

i have to repeat that it must be about performance (at least for a while). if they DO make a change ...and i hope they don't...then dabengwa outscored ewing, took more wkts and was more economical in that game.

[stone bird]

you see this is one of the major problems in zimbabwean cricket (opening the batting)

we have never had a settled 2 at the top since we started.

g flower, dekker, g rennie, wishart, whittall, wishart, masakadza, matsikenyeri, madondo, sibanda, duffin, campbell, ebrahim, rogers, ferreira, taylor

the list is endless and pathetic.

blokes like rogers, whittall and wishart are definitely not opening batsmen but were forced to open.

zimbabwe must pick 2 openers and stick with them for a couple of years!