**Official**Zimbabwe in Bangladesh Thread

[Neil Pickup]

To be fair Craig, Dippenaar missed out through injury, it was van Jaarsveld who was dropped for Amla (owing to the large Asian population in Durban)

Except van Jaarsveld played in Durban. I think you meant de Bruyn.

 

[Richard]

Except the fact that it was only 9 years earlier that the Australians were taught overarm bowling

Still won the inaugural Test, though, didn't they?
Were good enough to beat the team who'd been playing for 100 years.

 

[Richard]

Hey I always found that Boeta Dippenaar is a good player and he eventually broke through with a 100 against England

Let's hope it is the breakthrough.
We might have thought his 3-chance 92 at Lord's was going to be the breakthrough too - single-figures in both innings next Test.
This is his first century in the middle-order in proper Tests.

 

[marc71178]

van Jaarsveld was initially dropped, then Dippenaar's injury meant he was recalled.

 

[Richard]

But van Jaarsveld had been dropped for the last 2 Tests, too.
The man who was dropped for Kingsmead to accomodate Amla was (rather inexplicably) de Bruyn.

 

[a massive zebra]

Does anyone believe this series will reach county standard?

 

[a massive zebra]

this competitiveness and quality of players in this series is much greater than England v Australia in 1877 and if that never happened then we wouldn't be here today

How do you know that? Very presumptuous IMO.

 

[Langeveldt]

Does anyone believe this series will reach county standard?

Only when Vermeulen, Bashar and possibly Taylor are in action

 

[Neil Pickup]

Only when Vermeulen, Bashar and possibly Taylor are in action

And Rafique, Ashraful, Taibu, Mortaza...

 

[biased indian]

Every game have weak links but they do allow them to play

look at football india is ranked if i am correct 140+ in the world and they play in the world cup qualifiers, clearly knowing that they wont even make it into the asian level second round, and get beaten by japan 7-0 or 8-0 what the point in having such games then????

give them thier chances and we should see a better team and more teams!

 

[Richard]

You and everyone else know that World Cup qualifiers and Test-cricket are totally different things.

 

[Richard]

Does anyone believe this series will reach county standard?

Nope - but nonetheless in Taibu, Rainsford, Mortaza, Mohammad Rafique, Habibul Bashar and (maybe - only maybe) Mohammad Ashraful there are a handful of decent players in there, who'd make most county sides considerably stronger.

 

[Chubb]

Well done to Stu Matsikenyeri and Vusi Sibanda for their centuries today. I think I'm right in saying it is Matsikenyeri's first first-class hundred and in alien conditions too. I thought he had some talent when I saw him play at Taunton in 2003.

I think that this will be a drawn series 1-1 with Taibu getting his first hundred. I hope Vermeulen comes back to form against the slower pace of Bangladesh. I don't know how he bats knowing if he gets hit again he might die. Brave guy.

This'd be my Zimbabwe team for the first test

Ebrahim
Taylor
Masakadza
Vermeulen
Sibanda
Matsikenyeri
Taibu
Utseya
Rainsford
Panyangara
Hondo

But Taylor might be dropped with that complete f-all rounder Nkala or the young leggie Cremer or even Barney Rogers. Good luck to Bangladesh as well but I'll be supporting Zimbabwe in this series. Time for them to show the world they can play and win.

 

[Langeveldt]

I'll be supporting Zimbo this series.. We all know Mugabwe is not going to last for ever.. Time to look to the future boys, don't let all the past struggles go in vain..

 

[Neil Pickup]

Credit to Stuart and Vusi for their tons, but it's a raw pace attack even by Bangladeshi standards on a pitch that's seemingly a turner. For Tushar Imran to make an unbeaten ton against anyone is never a good thing...

A lot of this series is going to come down to the Bangladeshi spinners - they're likely to play at least two - and whether they can strangle the Zim middle order to add to the inevitable Mortaza wickets. Bashar and the other more experienced batsmen will need to make runs to boot - I make the Tigers favourites and will be 110% behind them, nothing will ever allow me to support a Mugabe XI.

 

[Pratters]

Nope - but nonetheless in Taibu, Rainsford, Mortaza, Mohammad Rafique, Habibul Bashar and (maybe - only maybe) Mohammad Ashraful there are a handful of decent players in there, who'd make most county sides considerably stronger.

Zimbabwe or Bangladesh would lose to counties in England. But bring a few of the lower counties to Bangladesh and they would give those teams a run for their money. Zimbabwe does have a few promising players as well.

Obviously the game will not be test standard but it isnt below county level..

 

[Richard]

It's seriously close if you ask me.

 

[Pratters]

Bangladesh has a huge home advantage and Rafique is likely to be the key factor who will tilt the balance towards a Bangladesh victory.

Pity though that such matches are considered of Test standard in the first place.

 

[Pratters]

It's seriously close if you ask me.

If its close, then it may well be county standard!

 

[Richard]

No, no - I mean the standard of cricket is likely to be seriously close to the standard of county cricket!