Greatest ever Zimbabwean XI

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

11. Eddo Brandes- Wasn't great, but he'd open the bowling with Streak. He bamboozled England at Albury in WC 92, taking 4-14. He filled the void of a fast bowler and did it well. He wasn't of a brilliant class, but he did enough as i said filling a void. He had the ability to take vital wickets.

I would have Brandes in my side for one reason - it invloves Glenn McGrath's wife and a biscuit...

[imaginarydiva]

Wheres Ray Price these days?

Btw,what do you guys think of Charles Coventry?I saw streaks of 'Sehwag-ish' instincts in him.With some luck,definitely a guy to look out for.Maybe 10 years from now,Paoli could include him in his greatestXI ever.I know its too early to say,but that guy has got moi captivated.

Duffin has very good temparement too.The current side is slowly improving in its standards.

[dextrous]

I thought John Traicos was a pretty good player when I saw him play against India...got Tendulkar and Azhar out if I remember correctly.

[vvvrulz]

I think Coventry is a real player for the future, and should be persevered with.

[Paoli]

Alright, I've given it a bit of thought lately and who could go any further in our quest for a coach than MC Funk "Big Dunc" Fletcher. Yes, that's right, Duncan Andrew Garvey Fletcher. The man who led England to their first Ashes victory in 18 years.

Many say his greatest claim to fame when he took up coaching was developing Zimbabwe's car registration system, but how could we go past his 69 not out and 4-42 in Zimbabwe's inaugural ODI which they won, against Australia? He was in my team originally, but nobody else chose him.

So, coach: Duncan Fletcher.

[stone bird]

1. Grant Flower
2. Alistair Campbell
3. David Houghton (Captain)
4. Andrew Flower
5. Murray Goodwin
6. Neil Johnson
7. Kevin Curran
8. Sean Ervine
9. Heath Streak
10. Paul Strang
11. Eddo Brandes

So this was the final team. It seems so heavily weighted on players from the 99 world cup! I have a article by David Lewis from 1997 who was asked to pick his post-war best zimbabwean XI with one condition (he had to be in the team as captain)

1. Tony Pithey
2. Ray Gripper
3. David Houghton
4. David Lewis (c)
5. Colin Bland
6. Perey Mansell
7. Don Arnott
8. Godfrey Lawrence
9. Heath Streak
10. John Traicos
11. Joe Partridge

a lot of the above players played for south africa...but were through and through rhodesian!


notable omissions - andy flower, kevin arnott etc

surely the team needs updating...
the team selected by the world A-team cricket forum seems very short on quick bowlers of quality...surely partridge should gain selection over ervine or brandes....ray price over strang

[Paoli]

Ray Gripper, that didn't come to my mind until after the squad; perhaps a redo in the near future, where I could get a few more opinions.

[greatbear]

My best eleven would be:

Neil Johnson - fast bowler and very good attacking batsman
Grant Flower - very useful bowler for one-dayers, good batsman, very good fielder
Stuart Carlisle - for me, the best captain that Zim ever had, good batsman and fielder
Sean Ervine - brilliant all-rounder
Andy Flower - best batsman of the world
Dave Houghton - doughty and courageous batsman
Guy Whittall - big of heart, great character, useful all-rounder
Duncan Fletcher - the strategist
Heath Streak - most successful fast bowler that Zim ever had
Ray Price - best spinner that Zim ever had (totally befuddled Dravid, Sachin, and Lara's West Indians in his short career)
Paul Strang - another biggie of heart, great spin bowler

Its also a balanced team. Notable omissions - Alistair Campbell (he could provide electrifying starts), Trevor Gripper (very good batsman, unfortunate for his arrival on the world stage), Murray Goodwin (another excellent batsman), Eddo Brandes (large of heart, fiery), and Douglas Marillier (who can forget his strange lofted paddle sweeps, which won a lost game against India and almost another one against Australia).

(http;//dropofether.blogspot.com)

[Quagmire]

1. Grant Flower - Only decent opening batsman that Zimbabwe have had. Better bat than his average of 29.55
2. Alister Campbell
3. Murray Goodwin - Only 19 tests but his has been a very first class player with over 15,000 runs at 47.80
4. David Houghton - Only played for about 5 years but a very good batsman.
5. Andy Flower (c, wk) - Zimbabwes best ever batsman/cricketer. Spent most of his career at no.5
6. Guy Whittall
7. Andy Blignaut - Handy Allrounder
8. Heath Streak - Zimbabwe's greatest ever bowlers and the only bowler to get 100+ and 200+ wickets
9. Paul Strang - Decent Leg spin bowler
10. Ray Price - Left arm offspin
11. Henry Olonga - Opening bowler

[Aurelius]

I know I'm joining in this thread a little late, nevertheless mine's very similar to Quagmire's. I'm choosing mine based on a minimum 15 tests, so Johnson and Curran are ineligible.

1. G. Flower
2. Campbell
3. Goodwin
4. Houghton (C)
5. A. Flower
6. Taibu (W)
7. Blignaut
8. Streak
9. P. Strang
10. Price
11. Olonga