Zimbabwe Preliminary Squad

[Chubb]

Bring forth the lambs, the knives are being sharpened;

Squad : Prosper Utseya, Gary Brent, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Keith Dabengwa, Terrence Duffin, Trevor Garwe, Ryan Higgins, Tinashe Hove, Anthony Ireland, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Friday Kasteni, Blessing Mahwire, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Christopher Mpofu, Tafadzwa Mufambisi, Tawanda Mupariwa, Mluleki Nkala, Edward Rainsford, Piet Rinke, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Gregory Strydom, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.

The horrible thing is that Matsikenyeri is the only survivor from the 2003 World Cup squad.

Timycen Maruma has played for Zimbabwe A and is an offspin bowler with 8 wickets @ 46 from 3 games and 8 @ 13 from 5 domestic one-day matches.There is no information about what Tendai Chisoro, from Masvingo, does, but from the stats he appears to be a bowler, though of what kind is uncertain. It might be better to select Chibhabha's sister Julia who is a gun for the Zimbabwe women's side than these two, because she'd probably make more runs and take more wickets than them!

All of the players have been in the full national and A squads in the past year so they have played a limited amount of good-standard cricket but we'll be lucky to record a win.

[Stumped]

they look tough to beat..

[_Ed_]

Some talent in there but the lack of experience is shocking. There are probably players around who have played more ODIs than that whole squad put together!

[Goughy]

Probably the wrong thread for this, as it is probably more test related.

but given the weakness and lack of decent experience in the Zim team (ODI and Test) why cant this guy get a look in or at least be considered?

He is coming off a big double hundred for Northerns and is in fine for this season, averaging over 80. Its not like he is unkown outside Zim, just ignored.

Neeten Chouhan

http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/zimb...yer/55337.html

[Prince EWS]

Presumably he isn't available.
Interesting to see Coventry in the squad given that he actually retired recently.
Also, where is Keegan Meth? Did well in a few matches and has since dissapeared.

I seriously agree that Julia should have been chosen.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Presumably he isn't available.

Well, IIRC, he is in SA on a student visa, and he has to plan for his future which may have to be outside SA.

I would suspect he hasnt been contacted or asked about availability. Ill ask him and see what he says.

If he is available he should seriously be looked at.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Goughy

Well, IIRC, he is in SA on a student visa, and he has to plan for his future which may have to be outside SA.

I would suspect he hasnt been contacted or asked about availability. Ill ask him and see what he says.

If he is available he should seriously be looked at.

If he hasn't been contacted, it's a disgrace really. Although it doesn't shock me.

There are probably a lot of players who wouldn't want to play for the Zimbabwean cricket side regularly as they are pursuing careers in other countries, but who would seriously consider the opportunity of playing in a world cup. If ZC haven't tied to contact the likes of Scott Brant, Andrew Gait, Barney Rogers, Travis Friend, Neeten Chouhan etc who are playing cricket overseas with the prospect of a world cup, they are mad. Although, we all knew they were mad anyway.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Although, we all knew they were mad anyway.

True. Pretty silly of me to ask for a rational reason why an irrational body made a certain decision.

[Goughy]

I have just found out that Neeten has been contacted this week about his Zim future and becoming part of the fold.

Someone at the ZCU been reading this thread?

[Chubb]

In 2003 ZC tried to get Murray Goodwin to come back for the World Cup- this time apparently they've contacted Tatenda and Ray Price- probably Ervine and Blignaut too, so Chouhan would be no surprise. If I were him, I'd accept it because he won't get into the South Africa side and he has his contract in SA for money, so it would be a good test for him. Obviously though there are other issues, like the fact he would be the only Asian in the side and the Zim Asians are discriminated against as much as the whites.

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Zimbabwe need some quality bowling if they're to prevent defeat at the moment. Because regardless of how Ervine and Taibu may bolster the batting, the bowling attack can't defend any total against the top 8 teams, for mine. And Ray Price is not the solution to that dilemma. He only gets 10 overs. Blignaut DEFINITELY is not the solution.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk

Zimbabwe need some quality bowling if they're to prevent defeat at the moment. Because regardless of how Ervine and Taibu may bolster the batting, the bowling attack can't defend any total against the top 8 teams, for mine. And Ray Price is not the solution to that dilemma. He only gets 10 overs. Blignaut DEFINITELY is not the solution.

Utseya is a good one day bowler. Brent isn't completely awful. If Price can be lured back for the World Cup, he'd be a large boost. Ed Rainsford can bowl... he's been horrible inconsistent of late though.

There's no way in hell Zimbabwe will compete with the top 8 teams though.

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Utseya is a good one day bowler. Brent isn't completely awful. If Price can be lured back for the World Cup, he'd be a large boost. Ed Rainsford can bowl... he's been horrible inconsistent of late though.

There's no way in hell Zimbabwe will compete with the top 8 teams though.

I rate Rainsford. I think he's potentially Zimbabwe's best bowler, even given Utseya.
I rate Utseya as a cricketer. He gives it his all. All heart, that guy. And he's a really good one-day bowler on most days, in that he can be very difficult to score off, especially as far as spinners go. Without a Streak though, Zimbabwe's bowling attack is not going to pose many difficulties. Price is not a wicket-taker and Brent is generally not going to give you more than 1 or 2-50odd.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk

I rate Rainsford. I think he's potentially Zimbabwe's best bowler, even given Utseya.

Im not sure how much class he has to deliver at the top level but I really enjoy watching him bowl.

I love the way he hustles and gives his all and has a little bit of attitude. Just wish he could be 5-10 ks quicker and he could be a real handful.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Goughy

Im not sure how much class he has to deliver at the top level but I really enjoy watching him bowl.

I love the way he hustles and gives his all and has a little bit of attitude. Just wish he could be 5-10 ks quicker and he could be a real handful.

He's still a young man - has some bulking up to do so I think he'll get a tad quicker than he currently is.