Who should be on that flight to Sri Lanka?

we lack spin uleh.

Cremer was a huge thing that series.

Unless Burl takes his spinners to the next level we are in trouble.

But you know what? It is possible.

I'd like to see Evans get the nod. He's going to be a decent all-rounder.

He had an ankle operation, a complex repair of a torn ligament. I'd think he's probably 90% fit by now. He'd probably struggle in a test but would be OK for 10 overs shortly. He's been a bit unlucky with stop start covid and this injury in the first game. Watch when he bowls in tandem with another good bowler, he takes wickets, and he has enormous talent with the bat, way more than our other seaming all rounders. He just needs to figure out how not to play get out shots at inopportune times. That's the Zim curse, but I think he can figure his game out and become a really good player.

He also had the benefit of being in a good cricketing environment growing up, went overseas, played decent club and county and is obviously committed to Zim as his passport prevents him from going elsewhere. He ticks a lot of boxes. He actually got shortchanged at school and batted down the order as a bowler when he should have batted at 5 or 6. He played in good junior teams that had good batting line ups and in my view was short changed in the batting dept, he should have been given way more opportunities and we wouldn't be having this conversation, he'd be set up as a dead cert and not having to find a way in.

Private school sides try and find room for everyone so sad parents don't stop donating. 😂

If you're a batsman then you don't do much bowling, and vice versa.

I keep punting this guy.

If I had to choose between Marumani, Campbell and Evans I'd choose Evans. Marumani will get the nod by default, but he's got some work to do. Great eye, but as we said, everyone should have one at international level. Evans has already got the technique and the eye but has not been given an extended opportunity with the bat.

I think he has the ability to be a better bat than Shumba, it's all about someone giving him opportunity and him taking it with both paws. Good players often just disappear because they don't have a backer.

My squad:

Takudzwa Kaitano

Kevin Kasuza

Craig Ervine

Sean Williams

Sikandar Raza

Regis Chakabva

Milton Shumba

Wessly Madhevere

Ryan Burl OR Jonathan Campbell

Luke Jongwe

Wellington Masakadza

Brandon Mavuta OR Ainsley Ndlovu

Big Rich Ngarava

Blessing Muzarabani

Larry Chatara OR Carl Mumba

That gives a 15-man squad. 18 if we take both Burl+Jono and Larry+Mumba and Mavuta+Ndlovu.

Burl is out of form. Needs a kick up the arse and Campbell has had a good season. Big call to make.

Chatara has been poor in national colours recently. Maybe Mumba deserves a chance gain.

- Masuku? Great season but I don't rate him. Wouldn't pick.

- Evans? Hasn't played for a couple of months, they won't pick him. Bad timing.

- Madande? Too soon.

- Mutombodzi? No thanks. Backwards step.

- Tiripano? Please please please please never pick him again.

- PJ Moor? Hasn't quite done enough for a recall yet imo.

Good calls.

I think Mavuta has plateaued. Showed lots of early promise and never really followed through.

Campbell tends to revert to darting it in when he's under pressure. Hard to trust your flight and length and keep at it when they're being positive against your bowling. He needs to work on that. He's got ability though. As you said big call choosing Campbell over Burl, I wouldn't be doing that until Campbell had had a couple of really good domestic seasons.

I've always enjoyed Jongwe's chutzpah, and there's no doubting he's a good player. He used to be a much better batsman than he is now, he's let that slip, but Evans is better than him and has that all-important capacity to improve even more.

Sri Lanka seem to have found some really good players in Asalanka (I think he is the real big deal for SLN), Nissanka, Theekshana, Hasaranga.

I think Zimbabwe, as much as I'd LOVE to see them win, will struggle to win a game. I hope to be proved wrong.

Most likely team

Madhevere

Chakabva

Ervine

Williams

Shumba

Raza

Burl

Jongwe

Wellington

Blessing

Ngarava

---------------------------------

Mumba

Tiripano

J Campbell

Kaitano

I think this will be the squad. I'd love to see Moor in there but I'm not sure if he will get the nod. Myers not there unfortunately. May be the squad will carry a few more players considering the threat of covid. So some youngsters may get in there.

Tinah09 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:04 am

Good team, I would alter the opening partnership, kaitano and Kasuza are both test-style batsmen, I doubt they will cash in on the bowling power-play, which will create unnecessary pressure for the middle order and tail to set a defendable score or chase, I would choose one of these two (my preference is Kaitano) to be partnered by Chakabva. Luke Jongwe has he brash arrogance and confidence with the ball, which is okay, but If we are strictly picking an allrounder, as in an okay bowler who can bat, then Tiripano is ahead of Jongwe by a long shot

I think Kaitano and Kasuza have done well enough in limited overs this season and last season to deserve a chance in this format. We don't really have any other options at the top - unless Ervine and/or Reggie open, which is less than ideal for both. Idk why PJ is wasting his time batting at 3 in domestics. He should be opening if he wants to get in this team.

And I know I've beaten this drum to death, but Tiripano is woeful. He is an absolutely awful bowler at international level. People need to look at the last year or so, not five years ago. I honestly think there are club cricketers in Zim who are better bowlers nowadays. He's past it. We can't be picking dreadful bowlers just because they can score 30 runs from number 9. Thats what losing teams do. Thats a losing attitude, an attitude of minnows. If anyone is taking Jongwe's place, then its probably going to be Evans - but obviously he's been injured. I like Jongwe a lot. Where as the best Tiripano can do is hold an end up for a while and hope not to do too much damage, Jongwe is a gamechanger. He might bowl 3 overs of dross but he'll pop up and take the key wicket in the game when the opposition are 80-0 or something. He makes stuff happen when heads are down, and I really like that. He's a livewire too, and a bit mad - a good person to have on tour. Jongwe is a much much better bowler than Don.