how would a full strength Zimbabwe side go in world cup?

[jemo27]

Zimbabwe made super 6 in last to world cups before mass player exit, so how do you think they would go if they had all players availble to them, that are eligable to play for Zimbabwe,

they should have beaten ireland and possibly Pakistan

[Richard]

There's no such thing as a full-strength Zimbabwe. Even though they went from half-decent to absolutely rubbish immidiately after WC2003, most of the players who went en masse then would have left by now anyway. The reason they became so abysmal on the spot is because the cricketing infrastructure had by then been pretty well eroded away by the incompetence of the ZCU.

For the last 4 years, no-one should ever have taken Zimbabwe seriously as a cricketing power, or as much else for that matter. And that will stay the same as long as Zanu PF retains power.

[Poker Boy]

Hard to say what a full strength Zim side is these days, but I think they would have beaten Ireland but no more (although if they had beaten Ireland Pakistan would still be in WC despite the St Patrick's day defeat)

[pup11]

I believe jemo is talking about the likes of Streak,Ervine,Carslile,Blignaut,Taibu,Price,etc.


But mate when these players are in danger of being killed in their own country and have to runaway from their own country to save their lives, so how do you expect them to play for ZIM is such circumstances.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by pup11

I believe jemo is talking about the likes of Streak,Ervine,Carslile,Blignaut,Taibu,Price,etc.

Such players long since ceased to be Zimbabwean internationals and indeed many are in the process of qualifying elsewhere.

[Prince EWS]

Without arguing the reasons or realities for what has happened, a Zimbabwe side with everyone that still plays cricket in some form available would have made the Super 8 stage of this World Cup, IMO.

[Richard]

Including the 38-year-old Neil Johnson and Andy Flower?

I'd hope both would have retired by now.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Richard

Including the 38-year-old Neil Johnson and Andy Flower?

I'd hope both would have retired by now.

I think Johnson has retired from all serious cricket now anyway, although I'm not 100% certain. I think that Flower would still be playing for Zimbabwe had politics not intervened.

[Fiery]

They would struggle big-time. They were carried by the Flower brothers and Streak through their glory days

[Richard]

Neil Johnson was a better ODI player than any of those 3, and that's before you think about Alastair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Henry Olonga, Bryan Strang, Paul Strang, John Rennie, Mpeulolo Mbangwa, Craig Wishart, Stuart Carlisle, Guy Whittall, Gary Brent, and several others.

[jemo27]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Without arguing the reasons or realities for what has happened, a Zimbabwe side with everyone that still plays cricket in some form available would have made the Super 8 stage of this World Cup, IMO.

that exactly what i meant, if there were no poltical problems in Zimbabwe and everyone who is able to play for Zimbabwe played

[JASON]

Originally Posted by pup11

I believe jemo is talking about the likes of Streak,Ervine,Carslile,Blignaut,Taibu,Price,etc.


But mate when these players are in danger of being killed in their own country and have to runaway from their own country to save their lives, so how do you expect them to play for ZIM is such circumstances.

If the above named and players like Goodwin/Johnston/Andy Flower/Olonga were still playing they would probably reach a Semifinal atleast and may have gone further as circumstances may have allowed in each game thereafter .

[The Baconator]

No way we can really say how they'd do, cos we don't know what side they'd be putting out. I don't think it'd be quite up there with their 99/03 performances, but I reckon they would have made the Super Eight, with the Pakistan side in its current state anyway.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by The Baconator

No way we can really say how they'd do, cos we don't know what side they'd be putting out. I don't think it'd be quite up there with their 99/03 performances, but I reckon they would have made the Super Eight, with the Pakistan side in its current state anyway.

Well, we do know what side they'd put out - the exact side they did put out.

The thread asks for "full strength" though - which has a number of definitions. I chose to take it as any players that would be available for Zimbabwe that are still playing competitive cricket doing so - in which case I seriously think this WC could have seen one of the best Zimbabwean sides in history. Here's a list of Zimbabwe-eligible players playing List A cricket in SA, Australia and England, and their performances in the most reason season:



Quite obviously, going by domestic form, their batting would be very, very strong (even though I know listing Hick really is pushing it..) - those stats genuinely stack up against the best batsmen in the respective domestic seasons. Obviously the bowling isn't as good - but with Streak leading the way with support from 10-off-the-reel-economy Brant, Price and Utseya to bowl super-economic spells in the middle overs and strange the batsmen, and then solid support from bowlers who can chip in and take key wickets like Ervine and Lamb, they'd have a passable attack.

1. Vusi Sibanda (don't laugh - he's proved himself a good player of late - I could have chosen Grant Flower, Brendon Taylor or Sean Williams, but I didn't..)
2. Ryan Watson
3. Murray Goodwin
4. Andy Flower
5. Graeme Hick (okay, stretching it I know.. can be replaced with Lamb)
6. Tatenda Taibu
7. Sean Ervine
8. Heath Streak
9. Ray Price
10. Prosper Utseya
11. Scott Brant

[BoyBrumby]

Interesting. I think it shows how remarkably well Zimbabwe did a few years ago to be so competitive given how shallow their player-base obviously was. Quite a fair few international-class players produced per capita.

There are also players like Dale Steyn who, although SA-born, is of Rhodesian/Zimbabwean parentage. But for the troubles over there his folks may not have joined the diaspora. There are probably others too, but he's just the one I happen to know about.

Are you Zimbabwean originally Prince, hope you don't mind me asking?