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Best "LOST" Zimbabwean Player

Who was the Best "LOST" Zimbabwean Player?

  • Grant Flower

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Andy Blignaut

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Stuart Carlisle

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Henry Olonga

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Raymond Price

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    30
  • This poll will close: .

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
Throughout the last ten years various players have boycotted Zimbabwe Cricket.....

It would be interesting to see who was the best cricket player.......
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Taibu always looked to be a player of pretty high class. It always amused me when he had to take off the keeping pads and show his team how to bowl.

Its very disappointing that he hasn't played proper international cricket for so long.
 

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
Taibu always looked to be a player of pretty high class. It always amused me when he had to take off the keeping pads and show his team how to bowl.

Its very disappointing that he hasn't played proper international cricket for so long.
Taibu is back and currently playing for Zimbabwe
was also in the T20 world cup.......:)
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yes - I just looked him up and noticed that. Last I heard, he was going to qualify for South Africa - shows how much I care about Zimbabwe's results these days!

My point still stands though - he's not playing test cricket these days and he's a real loss.

Of the other players - Andy Flower, Grant Flower and Heath Streak played nearly to the end of their test lifetime, so to speak. One player who was a great loss at a bit of an earlier stage was Neil Johnson - he looked to have some class and should have been a permanent fixture in the Zimbabwe side.
 

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
Yes - I just looked him up and noticed that. Last I heard, he was going to qualify for South Africa - shows how much I care about Zimbabwe's results these days!

My point still stands though - he's not playing test cricket these days and he's a real loss.

Of the other players - Andy Flower, Grant Flower and Heath Streak played nearly to the end of their test lifetime, so to speak. One player who was a great loss at a bit of an earlier stage was Neil Johnson - he looked to have some class and should have been a permanent fixture in the Zimbabwe side.
Yeah Neil Johnson and Murray Goodwin were spectecular players......

but are a old story now.....
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Throughout the last ten years various players have boycotted Zimbabwe Cricket.....
but are a old story now.....
Neil Johnson last played for Zimbabwe in 2000 as I recall. I may even have been at his last ever test match. Hence, he should be in the poll. His loss to Zimbabwe was more significant than either of the Flowers or Streak given their careers were nearly over.

Players like Ervine, Friend, Price, Carlisle whilst losses, bear no comparison to Johnson in my opinion.
 

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
Neil Johnson last played for Zimbabwe in 2000 as I recall. I may even have been at his last ever test match. Hence, he should be in the poll. His loss to Zimbabwe was more significant than either of the Flowers or Streak given their careers were nearly over.

Players like Ervine, Friend, Price, Carlisle whilst losses, bear no comparison to Johnson in my opinion.
Well, Johnson and Goodwin were in the top of my mind.....but i dont know how i forgot:)

and I think Ervine was very very impressive in his short career....
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
and I think Ervine was very very impressive in his short career....
I thought Ervine showed some potential, and so I guess he comes into this pot somewhat, given that he was so young when his international retirement came about.

It would certainly be good to see him back into New Zealand colours. Goodwin as well, he would be the star batsman in the current Zimbabwean line up by some way, even now.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Being frank, I think Greg Lamb was a big loss. Never played a game after being their best junior player for a long time.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Being frank, I think Greg Lamb was a big loss. Never played a game after being their best junior player for a long time.
Is he the guy who played (plays?) for Hampshire? I saw him 2 or 3 years ago for Hants and he looked fairly ordinary to me - but I think I only saw him play the once, certainly not enough for a proper assessment.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
In A Perfect World- Zim XI

Ok. Close your eyes and imagine.

Zim is stable and safe. There is food on everyones table and a freely elected government in office.

ICC re-grants Test status and all players are available.

What is your Zimbabwe XI for the first Test back?
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Tough - the team even 3 years ago would be very different to the one you'd get now. No more Streak or the two Flowers these days, I'd expect.

Its also very tough to know how good some of the 'retirees' such as Carlisle, Whittall, Friend, Campbell etc. etc. would still be these days. They probably wouldn't be good enough after so long out of first class cricket to be called upon at this stage.

In all likelihood, in the short term, you'd have a pretty similar squad of players available as now, just with (potentially) Ervine and Price back in the mix.
 

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
Ok. Close your eyes and imagine.

Zim is stable and safe. There is food on everyones table and a freely elected government in office.

ICC re-grants Test status and all players are available.

What is your Zimbabwe XI for the first Test back?
1.Neil Johnson
2.Stuart Carlisle
3.Murray Goodwin
4.Andy Flower
5.Brendan Taylor
6.Tatenda Taibu (wk)
7.Sean Ervine
8.Heath Streak (c)
9.Andy Blignaut
10.Ray Price
11.Henry Olonga

:) :) :)
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If all those players were available, a good Eleven, though Johnson at 3 and Goodwin as opener would make more sense I'd expect.
 

Jonty Lathwal

U19 Debutant
If all those players were available, a good Eleven, though Johnson at 3 and Goodwin as opener would make more sense I'd expect.
If u remember ,,,,,,Johnson was an opener and Goodwin used to bat at 3....


when they last played in 2000 i was only 8 years old....I remember ....how couldn't u????

:)
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Nah, Johnson was never a Test opener. He and Grant Flower used to open in ODIs, but Johnson only did the job once or twice (and failed horribly) in Tests.

Anyway, agree with Heathmeister on several points this thread - there's no way of knowing how good the likes of Alastair Campbell and Neil Johnson would be these days. Andy Flower is certainly no longer available as he's now an international coach and retired at "normal retirement age" anyway.

Also, always thought Neil Johnson was a terrific ODI player, one of the best of the 1990s and 2000s. Fine opening batsman and decent seam-bowler. He's the biggest loss of the "prematurely retired" types of the last 8 years.

Most of the best prematurely retired types would now have retired anyway, the question of the next generation of stars would now be being asked - and, if the system had been managed properly, probably answered in the affermative.

Best Zimbabwe XI I ever saw in ODIs was this:
Johnson
Grant Flower
Wishart
Campbell
Goodwin
Andy Flower
Carlisle
Guy Whittall
Streak
Brent
Olonga
Twelfth-man: Andrew Whittall

Best Test team never took the field, but I'd have liked the look of this:
Grant Flower
Gavin Rennie
Campbell
Goodwin
Andy Flower
Guy Whittall
Streak
Paul Strang
Bryan Strang
John Rennie
Olonga
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
Haha, when I read the title I thought of the Zimbabwean players being marooned on a Lost-like island...lol.

I voted Andy Flower who I regard as one of the top three wicket keeper-batsmen of all time. I think his loss was the greatest given that he had the most potential of all players on the list to lead a team on the back of his performances.

I'm sure at least one of Goodwin and Johnson played for Zimbabwe at the 99 World Cup before leaving (though neither are on the list)?
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Aye, both of them did, then left a year later in the same country.

As I said though - much as Andy Flower was indeed a magnificent batsman, with only a few of his time better (not really a good enough wicketkeeper to rate up there with the best though TBH IMO), I don't think he can be considered a loss, as he played on to the age of 34 anyway, and would almost certainly have retired not long after he did even if the country was in a fit condition.

I think it's only those who are still no older (as of now) than 31-32 who can be considered "losses". As, Goodwin and Johnson aside, the real exodus only started after WC2003.
 

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