So the champions trophy begins

[butchering lee]

i'll return at the end - hopefully to gloat! [there are no zimbabwean bats who will emulate nafees in this game- they just don't have that sort of concentration - so it's going to be tough].

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by greg

Zimbabwe have bowled and fielded tidily enough but 232 is a big total when you consider that Zimbabwe have only scored 226 in the previous 2 games combined.

what i considered with those totals was that zim must have a better bowling attack than SL - not bad!

shame about our endless failure to find decent batsmen

Mashrafe Mortaza to Taylor, FOUR, superb timing through square leg (taylor can bat a bit)

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by greg

Bangladesh have got a number of good young players and the key for them now is to start putting in the good performances on a regular basis not just 1 match in 5 or 6.Shahriar and Saqibul both look useful players and when you add Ashraful,Aftab and Mortaza to that the future looks ok if only they can gain more consistency.

i have always rooted for BD (except when playing us) but i wonder how you praise them and simply slam the zimbos when:

saqibul has earned his figures against zim and kenya (with a 67* against SL - and a 0 vs. WI)
shahriar has played kenya and zim exactly half his 28 matches and tho' hit a good couple of innings initially v. OZ has no innings of note really and remains with a lower ave than chibhabha, taylor ...(who've played more against better opposition)
mortaza can be compared to our main three bowlers (m'pariwa, ireland and rainsford) 'cos he's played a lot v the rest.

ashrafal and ahmed look the goods to me - i'd give 'em a job anytime

i hope they do consolidate and become more consisitent too!!

[greg]

The main reason why you can praise them is they are so young and can only improve.

Mortaza is better than anything in the current Zimbabwe side despite all his injury problems.

Shahriar Nafees is 20 and has a test hundred against Australia and 50's against them and Sri Lanka in only 6 games.Plus his 2 one day tons against Zim.Saqibul is 19 and has only just started out but looks a good prospect.Even Rajin Saleh would do you a job as you lack openers.Then when you add Habibul and Rafique to the mix they have a lot more potential than Zim.

Granted if the defectors returned for Zimbabwe then they would be a stronger side but at least Bangladesh look like they are making progress where as Zimbabwe appear to be going backwards rather than forwards.You also wonder how long it will be until the next crop of players defect?

Remember how long it took Sri Lanka to become respectable when they first entered the top level of cricket,they poor for many years so we need to give Bangladesh the same chance.Zim have had theirs and are just going backwards.I long for a regime change which would see all the best Zim players returning as they would then challenge the West Indies and other lower ranked sides but sadly it doesn't look like happening.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by greg

Mortaza is better than anything in the current Zimbabwe side despite all his injury problems.

a very strange (but not surprising -given the evidence) claim considering the evidence...but a good bowler nonetheless!


not to mention of course that zim are a much younger side so have all the more possibility to improve...of course they don't have experience, in any form, around them but that is no reflection of promise!

and of course, BD are yewt to show any evidence of making progress vs zim - we beat them with a game to spare in our last 5 ODI series.

it seems your desire for regime change has influenced your judgement somewhat. at least we do, like EVERYBODY else i know and respect, want regime change in zimbabwe...but it's influence on cricket will be a subject i'll consider when the time comes...like i said - statistically the old lot were not much better and considering they had things a lot easier...better days!!

[greg]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

a very strange (but not surprising -given the evidence) claim considering the evidence...but a good bowler nonetheless!

Why is that strange?

The evidence of his opening spell would back me up would it not.This game like many others is about opinions and we have differing ones.I just happen to rate Mortaza very highly and have done for a few years.

[Paoli]

52-2. Good start.

I agree with bl about your consistent bashing of this Zimbabwe side, despite the fact that this "farce" beat this same Bangladesh team in an ODI series!

You say Saiqubul is 19 and is a good prospect. Chibbhabha is 18 (or 17?) and is a damned good prospect! Brendan Taylor has ODI 70's against Australia. Match these two up side by side they're about even. Given the problems Zimbabwe have it's not bad.

We've got some batting to come luckily. Strydom I'm unconvinced over as an ODI player, but following him we have Chigumbura (can bat very well!), Brent (can smash a few, I'd have him later tbh), Matsikenyeri and Utseya.

Also, I wouldn't put Mortaza too far ahead of Ed Rainsford who has been injury plagued but bowls upwards of 130kmh (did last time I saw him anyway...) and takes wickets.

[butchering lee]

you were not givibng an opinion - and in fact his openning spell is as good (but not much better) than irelands or rainsford.


i rate him highly too - and have done so for years (but i'd never say he's better than anything we've got) i couldn't back it up statistically or otherwise!

[butchering lee]

hi paoli - yes in fact taylor has scored 40+ against every one


chibhabha has all his scores against WI and SA (he obviously didn't raise his game for BD ) - bit harsh i guess

[greg]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

not to mention of course that zim are a much younger side so have all the more possibility to improve...of course they don't have experience, in any form, around them but that is no reflection of promise!

No they aren't.

The top 4 in the Bangladesh batting line up were 22,20,20 and 19 and the opening bowlers were 23 and 20.Not much difference between Zimbabwe whose top 4 are 20,20,23 and 22 and whose opening bowlers were 21 and 22.Now if my maths are correct the combined ages of the 6 Bangladesh players is 124 and Zimbabwe's is 128.

The only difference comes from Habibul Bashar,Khaled Mashud and Mohammed Rafique who are all experienced players.

On the plus side Taylor has looked useful today and does have a lot of potential.