Lost Zimbabwean Talent

[Paoli]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

i thought you were saying both campbells were test material

Well, I have to agree with stone bird. Ali Campbell definitely was test material; any batsman who scores seven ODI tons is obviously pushing a case for test selection, and in Zimbabwe's case, automatic test selection and captaincy.

Campbell was very classy and was the opener who could regularly take attacks to the cleaners; we haven't had anyone of that material since.

His concentration is, as stone bird puts it, the reason for a 27 test average and distinct lack of success at that level is due to his concentration. He wasn't sorely missed; he did more harm than good for the team's unity and failed to deliver alot given his potential.

[butchering lee]

he deserved to be selected no doubt - and he had some lovely looking shots. he was a very good ODI payer but still not test material as that would require more stamina and levels of concentration.

[Paoli]

Darren Lehmann? Not a heap of stamina. The thing about Campbell is that he led to his own demise and got out at the most stupid times through stupid shots. He was test material; you don't score two test centuries if you are not test material.

Campbell was just an under achiever for the amount of talent he possessed. Oh, and happy 33rd Birthday Ali.

Here are the stats:

Full name Alistair Douglas Ross Campbell
Born September 23, 1972, Salisbury (now Harare)
Current age 33 years 0 days
Major teams Zimbabwe, Manicaland, Mashonaland, Mashonaland Country Districts

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

Darren Lehmann? Not a heap of stamina. The thing about Campbell is that he led to his own demise and got out at the most stupid times through stupid shots. He was test material; you don't score two test centuries if you are not test material.

Campbell was just an under achiever for the amount of talent he possessed.

ok..i meant mental stamina tho'.

getting out to stupid shots at stupid times is pretty much my definition for not test material. 2 100s in 109 innings (masakadza, at one point, had 1 from 1...and whether he is test material we have yet to see) - campbell also had the confidence of the selectors and some decent players around him and still underachieved!

you have to bear in mind i was WATCHING regular cricket between 98-01 and he was just awful at that time. i could see his potential but he flattered to decieve.

having just looked at his record..in his last 24 or so tests he got his 2 100s and passed 50 about 7 times so i may have been a bit harsh by zim standards!!

[Paoli]

Indeed butchering lee, you are very harsh..by Zim standards, of course. Anyway, here is what Wisden had to say in the "All Today's Yesterdays" section in Cricinfo:

The Zimbabwean David Gower was born. The quintessence of the frustrating, languid left-hander, Alistair Campbell never did justice to his natural ability at Test level, but when on song he was nonetheless a wonderfully natural timer of the ball. He captained Zimbabwe between 1996 and 1999, but like so many others found it impossible to maintain his productivity with the bat, and after giving up the captaincy his form slowly returned. After a number of near-misses he finally made his first Test hundred in his 46th match, against India in Nagpur in 2000-01 and added another against West Indies at Bulawayo the following summer. But he read the runes in Zimbabwe cricket, and retired after the World Cup in 2003.

I think the comments are the ones that I totally believe in...and butchering lee, a Zimbabwean David Gower would be in the side without any doubts whatsoever, just for potential!

[butchering lee]

ok - i only remember him as capt.


tho' i think streak and taibu thrived under the yolk of captaincy, i have to admit campbell suffered. honestly there were times i saw him play - i just watched in awe (slight overstatement now - compensating for the earlier harshness), it was beautiful... but ultimately frustrating!!!

[Paoli]

...in essence, the Zimbabwean David Gower! But you're right; as captain he failed, and in the game against Kenya in the World Cup, he was needed to stand up. He made 7. Incredible frustration. I know he wasn't captain then, but anyway, he faded at the end of his career.

He was the captain in Australia in early 2001, and he made some really woeful decisions there. Zimbabwe had the West Indies 2/35 after 20 overs in a One dayer in Perth, so instead of bowling the experienced bowlers, he decided to throw the ball to his part timers. The total ended at about 170, Zimbabwe only got to 135. And Campbell played a stupid stroke to go out as well, tried to smack Courtney Walsh over his head about five balls in to the game.

However, Campbell was brilliant in parts there. He made 130 against Australia in Hobart; indicative of the blugeoning talent he possessed.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

against Kenya in the World Cup, he was needed to stand up. He made 7. Incredible frustration.

However, Campbell was brilliant in parts there. He made 130 against Australia in Hobart; indicative of the blugeoning talent he possessed.

that WC game was one of my lowest points in terms of a zim cricket fan

in the one day game - campbell was good (by pretty much any standards)!

[stone bird]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

ok - i only remember him as capt.


tho' i think streak and taibu thrived under the yolk of captaincy, i have to admit campbell suffered. honestly there were times i saw him play - i just watched in awe (slight overstatement now - compensating for the earlier harshness), it was beautiful... but ultimately frustrating!!!

i don't know about streaky...his batting definitely improved but his bowling didn't benefit

taibu his a natural leader...i am more than happy with him captaining the national team. if he was a couple of inches taller he would be up with the best batsmen in the world

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by stone bird

i don't know about streaky...his batting definitely improved but his bowling didn't benefit

that's true - i was thinking about his batting, or at least how it was always left to him and taibu to stop the rot.