SA v. ZIM 1st ODI

[Wanderer]

I believe Kevin Curran is making the best of what he has available. Zim does not even have a club system going at the moment. Where will they get their next crop of players from? Considering all this, that and the other, Curran has done well, taking Zim to a victory over Bangladesh recently...

On Smith and Arthur. They have been talking about playing "brave cricket" since Arthur's appointment last year. That is all good and well, but one can't play brave cricket (positive cricket) when the situation does not ALLOW it. Point in case, yesterdays ODI India vs Windies. Pitch and conditions did not let the batsmen go out there and knock 50's in 17 balls etc...

Also, your opposition will not always allow you to play your brave cricket. You cant smash bowlers like McGrath and Lee, Shoaib and Asif, Harmison, Bond, Malinga...etc etc...around the park every time you go out there. And in the middle overs you have to contend with Murali, Rafique, Flintoff, Afridi, Gayle, etc etc etc...

Zimbabwe yesterday, had a snow-ball's chance in the hot place, to get to that mammoth SA score. The only thing they could do, was set themselves a target. And not getting bowled out while scoring at about 5 an over, was a target they could achieve. And admirably so. To compare Zim to any of the top 8 test playing nations at the moment, is a futile excercise. Zimbabwe is playing brave cricket. They are a brave team because they know what their limitations are, and how to make the best use of what they DO have. They are also a brave team because against all the odds, they go out there against the top teams, and give it their all.

Brave cricket or positive cricket, is not only about hitting all the bowlers out of the park all the time. It is about putting your team in the best position to win a game. Last night, that was not possible for Zim. So what would have been the use of they went out and tried to hit Langeveldt, Nel and van der Wath out of Sedgars Park? It would have been all over before the PowerPlays were up. And what positives would they have taken from the game then?

Zimbabwe need a domestic system, but they have none. We could go back to when they were still Rhodesia, and implement the 2 systems we had then...THAT would certainly help Zim's cause. Of course, it was the ICC that changed all that and only the ICC can change it back again. For now, Zim can only play the bravest cricket they are allowed to play...

[butchering lee]

well, of course that's true wanderer. but i think the point utseya is making (certainly that i was) is that when they were in the last 40 overs there were 8 wkts in hand and a chance to throw the kitchen sink (the situation DID allow for it - they had already achieved credibility) instead the last 7 overs the rr didn't shift.


they had set themselves up with a perfect opportunity to do what you're supposed to do in the last 10 overs and they disappointed.

in any case Duffin has not shown he is an ODI player (you described a test scenario - accurately - as clearly they had no chance - and duffin showed that's what he does best: though still managing a 60+ sr) i judge him on his short OD history and yesterday, when all the players were finding batting relatively easy HE failed to capitalise fully imo - and in fact didn't he lose his wicket as soon as he attempted to up the rr?


this sounds harsh considering he hit 80 (and HONESTLY - respect to him) but they'd have got just that little more positivety out of it had they got closer to 300 - imo.


still, like the WI and BD tours, i remain pretty content with where we are!

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

We could go back to when they were still Rhodesia, and implement the 2 systems we had then...THAT would certainly help Zim's cause.

not having been interested in cricket at that time could you describe this system?

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

I believe Kevin Curran is making the best of what he has available. Zim does not even have a club system going at the moment. Where will they get their next crop of players from? ...

from the same place they got this lot of teenagers...the school yards

how is cricket in schools utseya - do you know?