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Zimbabwe All-Time Test XI - Open Voting

Flem274*

123/5
If you decide to give the gloves to someone in the middle order (since Flower, Taylor and Houghton can all do it), you leave the #7 slot open to an all-rounder.

I'd be picking Whittall/Taibu at 2 and 7 respectively though - stronger team overall and lets the batsmen bat without needing to worry about 'keeping as well. Plus Tatenda probably isn't far off justifying a spot as a batsman anyway.
Yeah I'm thinking something like

Flower
Whittall
Goodwin
Houghton
Flower
Taylor
Taibu

should be the top 7, though there is the option of Whittall down the order and Goodwin opening.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Yeah I'm thinking something like

Flower
Whittall
Goodwin
Houghton
Flower
Taylor
Taibu

should be the top 7, though there is the option of Whittall down the order and Goodwin opening.
I think Whittall opening makes a lot more sense than Goodwin opening; Goodwin never actually opened for Zimbabwe in Tests to my knowledge. Whittall didn't do it a lot, but he was quite successful on the handful of occasions he did do it, outperforming his Test average and scoring a Test century there. Furthermore, none of Flower/Houghton/Taylor have any record to speak of at 3 anyway.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
I think it was a good move just selecting the one opener, but I think Whittall would be lucky to hold onto an opening spotin a Zim all time XI, as I don't think he is one of the six best batsman to have played for them. I understand the reasoning behind it though, as it allows us to field Zim's two best spin bowlers.

I kind of envisaged that he'd make a decent squad member in that 12th or 13th spot that kyear puts in each time, but the voting will decide in the end.
 
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HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Flower, Streak, Jarvis.

Personally think that Jarvis will be a better bowler than Brain. Risky selection though, really.

And I can tell you now for nothing that I'll be voting for Johnson in the middle order. His stats don't do him anywhere near justice. 2nd best middle order bat for Zimbabwe after Houghton (and Andy Flower if you want him to just bat, perhaps).

Better bowler than Guy Whittall by a country mile too.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think Whittall opening makes a lot more sense than Goodwin opening; Goodwin never actually opened for Zimbabwe in Tests to my knowledge. Whittall didn't do it a lot, but he was quite successful on the handful of occasions he did do it, outperforming his Test average and scoring a Test century there. Furthermore, none of Flower/Houghton/Taylor have any record to speak of at 3 anyway.
Whittall's number of test opening is even less than the number Johnson played. Insufficient sample size.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Whittall's number of test opening is even less than the number Johnson played. Insufficient sample size.
Of those who have scored a Test ton opening the batting for Zimbabwe, Whittall opened the third most amount of times after Flower and Gripper. And as much as I'd love to pick Gripper, it'd be a bit silly.

Incidentally he's opened the batting in more innings than Jarvis has opened the bowling (and in fact only one less innings than what Jarvis has bowled in at all).

There are a couple of spots in this side that don't have many options, so we're going to have to be liberal with the sample size dramas. If I pick Whittall as my second opener (which I will), then it'll be based primarily on what he did as a batsman overall, taking note of the fact that he did very well in his short stint as an opener and of course gives the side as a fifth bowling option, allowing a specialist batsman at six and Taibu to keep at seven.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah, with Jarvis, it's not like there's any other options with vastly more experience (other than Streak).

I'd still rather pick Johnson than Whittall as to my mind, Johnson was the superior player (despite the records).

Let's not forget that Johnson has the better first class record and plied his trade outside of Zimbabwe (in RSA and Eng) - averaging 38 for Hants, 63 for Leics, 42 for Western Province and a disappointing 30 for Natal.

The point being that for two players who offer very similar balance options, Johnson is the better player - and unfortunately for him and seemingly this exercise - he didn't deliver to his overall record when playing Tests.
 

harsh.ag

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
How about something like this:

G Flower
Campbell
Goodwin
Houghton (w)
A Flower
Taylor
Johnson
Blignaut
Streak
Strang
Jarvis (it seems)

I think we need every bit of incremental batting prowess possible here, and thus Campbell gets it over Whittall. Anyway, who would be bothered be Whittal in an All Time Teams scenario anyway.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
How about something like this:

G Flower
Campbell
Goodwin
Houghton (w)
A Flower
Taylor
Johnson
Blignaut
Streak
Strang
Jarvis (it seems)
+1.

Although, I'd think there should be room for Fletcher or Price.

As an aside, I didn't realise until just now that Gary Ballance is related to Dave Houghton. Interesting.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Streak and Strang are good enough to bat at 8 and 9 so its not as important to select a player like Blignaut, but I suppose the question of a 3rd seamer vs 2nd spinner will impact on Whittal's chances of being selected. I know Heath likes Johnson, I rate Sean Ervine highly, although his Test career has been brief.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Campbell for the batting slot and Streak must be the first bowler on the list

As to the second on the strength of the man I saw in county cricket I'd go for Johnson
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Kevin Arnott. Never heard of him but he can't be worse than the others who I have heard of and are awful. So take a punt on the devil you don't know.

Opening Bowlers. Heath Streak and Peter Rawson. The latter a member of the 1983 upset team iirc. Anyway its his birthday today and he was a good bowler who never got much of a chance.
 

Flametree

International 12th Man
Streak and Pommie to bowl, though I think if we could extend the requirement to "representative" cricket then Rawson would be a shout.

Grant Flower as opener. Arnott was unlucky test cricket didn't arrive 5 years earlier - he averaged near 40 against the various international and youth teams that Zimbabwe played in the run-up to test admission.
 

Chubb

International Regular
Flower, Streak and Jarvis

Tempted by Arnott, but to be honest about it he probably would not have maintained that average if he had played a lot of tests. Grant had a very long decline as we all know, but for a few years he was a genuine test-class opener.

Streak picks himself, and I back Jarvis to surpass every other Zimbabwean fast bowler. Rawson was good, but we don't know how he would have gone in tests. Is it possible to pick him as a third seamer?
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Flower, Streak and Jarvis

Tempted by Arnott, but to be honest about it he probably would not have maintained that average if he had played a lot of tests. Grant had a very long decline as we all know, but for a few years he was a genuine test-class opener.

Streak picks himself, and I back Jarvis to surpass every other Zimbabwean fast bowler. Rawson was good, but we don't know how he would have gone in tests. Is it possible to pick him as a third seamer?
You can pick whoever you like. I prefer to judge at least primarily based on Tests for Zimbabwe which rules Rawson out for me (otherwise I'd be considering Hick as well) but you don't have to go by my criteria. You'll have an opportunity to pick a third seamer later, although I imagine you might end up voting for Price instead of one during that round (assuming the forum picks Strang as the main spinner).
 

harsh.ag

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You can pick whoever you like. I prefer to judge at least primarily based on Tests for Zimbabwe which rules Rawson out for me (otherwise I'd be considering Hick as well) but you don't have to go by my criteria. You'll have an opportunity to pick a third seamer later, although I imagine you might end up voting for Price instead of one during that round (assuming the forum picks Strang as the main spinner).
Jarvis has only played against Windies and Bang though. Not enough of a test. Rawson could very likely have been better.
 

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