Best Zimbabwe Squad In Years

zimfan · #1 August 7, 2009, 06:24 AM

Prosper Utseya (captain), Hamilton Masakadza, Mark Vermeulen, Brendan Taylor, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Sean Williams, Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha, Malcolm Waller, Ray Price, Tawanda Mupariwa, Graeme Cremer, Ed Rainsford.

Finally the selectors have got it right. After 4 years of turmoil Zimbabwe have finally been able to put out there strongest team including 7 white players this is mainly due to the influence of new selector Alister Campbell

Im backing Zimbabwe to win this series as from all the teams that have contested the Zimbabwe Bangladesh series in the past this is by far the strongest and all though the series will be tight i think the quality of the Zimbabwe batting will pay off at the end of the series.

The key will be in negotiating Shakib's threat with the ball and keeping Tamin quite at the top of the order

One things for sure, its gonna be one hell of a series

Nafi · #2 August 7, 2009, 06:53 AM

interesting

Nadim · #3 August 7, 2009, 06:54 AM

as i said in another ZIM squad looks way better than they played us in January...

Sohel · #4 August 7, 2009, 07:04 AM

Great news! Tatenda Taibu is the only missing piece here ...

Looking forward to an excellent contest.

Gowza · #5 August 7, 2009, 07:11 AM

what happened to sean ervine? i know he came to australia an d played for western australia for a bit but haven't heard anything of him for awhile. he's a quality player, would have though he would have been selected, did the selectors leave him out or has he chosen not to play for zimbabwe?

Nadim · #6 August 7, 2009, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gowza
what happened to sean ervine? i know he came to australia an d played for western australia for a bit but haven't heard anything of him for awhile. he's a quality player, would have though he would have been selected, did the selectors leave him out or has he chosen not to play for zimbabwe?

He is playing for Hampshire in country cricket for quite long now(don't know why is not playing for ZIM though)

Gowza · #7 August 7, 2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nadim 98
He is playing for Hampshire in country cricket for quite long now(don't know why is not playing for ZIM though)

thanks for the info mate, i guess i'll keep an eye on him there.

mahbubH · #8 August 7, 2009, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gowza
what happened to sean ervine? i know he came to australia an d played for western australia for a bit but haven't heard anything of him for awhile. he's a quality player, would have though he would have been selected, did the selectors leave him out or has he chosen not to play for zimbabwe?

He is now playing for Hampshire regularly. I saw him several times in last few days while he was playing for Hampshire in English domestic Pro40 tournaments.

zimfan · #9 August 7, 2009, 07:30 AM

Sean Ervine married Rod Marsh's daughter and is trying to qualify for England now so i doubt we shall ever see him back in Zimbabwe team again

mahbubH · #10 August 7, 2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zimfan
Sean Ervine married Rod Marsh's daughter and is trying to qualify for England now so i doubt we shall ever see him back in Zimbabwe team again

I guess you meant Geoff Marsh!

Rifat · #11 August 7, 2009, 08:19 AM

It is great to see finally Zimbabwe finally select some white players...selection should be alway based on quality and performance...not the color of your skin.

yaseer · #12 August 7, 2009, 09:56 AM

Vusi Sibanda
Mark Vermeulen
Hamilton Masakadza
Brendan Taylor
Stuart Matsikenyeri
Sean Williams

The team consist of some very good batsmen. This team really looks strong with spinners like Price, Utseya.

On paper, this team is far more better than the WI that we have played.
Its gonna be a real tough series.

The batting line up that ZIM has also in their home ground, ZIM definitely gonna score runs. Our batsmen has to perform to win the series.

FagunerAgun · #13 August 7, 2009, 10:01 AM

Yeah! Still skin color really matters in some parts of the world.

Farhad · #14 August 7, 2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FagunerAgun
Yeah! Still skin color really matters in some parts of the world.

Don't kid yourself. Skin Color matters in nearly all parts of the world. Its just a little more subtle in some...

FagunerAgun · #15 August 7, 2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farhad
Don't kid yourself. Skin Color matters in nearly all parts of the world. Its just a little more subtle in some...

Farhad

Listen, I do not kid like this.

You missed my point.

As we live in the West, we are more aware of the role of color of skin in our personal and business life and how this issue is expressed.

But if some one writes in public "After 4 years of turmoil Zimbabwe have finally been able to put out there strongest team including 7 white players this is mainly due to the influence of new selector Alister Campbell (who is another White)", then it breaks some norms - business or corporate, and this is my point.

Hope this helps now.

zimfan · #16 August 7, 2009, 11:32 AM

sorry guys i was just highlighting the point that in the last couple of years there has been an unwritten rule that the selectors can only select one or two white players in the same side

now the team is being picked on merit which is good to see. To most Zimbabweans including my self race is not an issue, it is only used by the desperate Zanu PF political party to gain votes E.G farm invasions

WarWolf · #17 August 7, 2009, 10:10 AM

I am sure that the series will be pretty much competitive. In fact Zim has better experience in their side than Bangladesh.

Dhakablues · #18 August 7, 2009, 11:03 AM

I am loving it... this is exactly what we need a good competitive cricket. I dont want BD to lose any of the match but I expect that the matches will be really tight. Zimbabwe is finally getting it and thats what we really want to see because the more Zimbabwe and Bangladesh puts fights and start to beat teams ranked higher than us,, the more this ridiculous theory of Two-Tiering, "Top Eight Team", "Minnows vs. " will fade... Well done Zimbabwe to put a great team together. Game on!!

Beamer · #19 August 7, 2009, 11:07 AM

I fear Elton Chigumbura 's power hitting more than anyone else in this Zim squad. He always play well against us. This should be a cracking series. I think Zim wins it at home by a whisker.

Fazal · #20 August 7, 2009, 11:10 AM

Its a tricky series and a Do or die series for some of the players....

abz..+ · #21 August 7, 2009, 11:16 AM

zim team looks better then before this series will be a good one

boka · #22 August 7, 2009, 12:33 PM

Probability is very high that BD will loose the series by clear margin...
Perhaps 4-1 or 5-0

But my heart wants BD win it 3-2 ...

kalpurush · #23 August 7, 2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boka
Probability is very high that BD will loose the series by clear margin...
Perhaps 4-1 or 5-0

But my heart wants BD win it 3-2 ...

A boka statement ...

*AsifTheManRahman* · #24 August 7, 2009, 12:38 PM

This is why I've been looking forward to this series more than the ODIs in the WI. If we manage to win it, by even 4 - 1, we will have done very well.

al Furqaan · #25 August 7, 2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AsifTheManRahman
This is why I've been looking forward to this series more than the ODIs in the WI. If we manage to win it, by even 4 - 1, we will have done very well.

my sentiments exactly.

we will do well to even win 3-2, but you know what. the cricketing world, led by its de facto indo-pak leaders to go along with the traditionally racist and elitist brit-aussie alliance will ridicule us even if we win 3-2.

my only hope is that the same zimbabwe team starts beating other top 8 sides every now and then. thats the only thing which will save our faces.

now that i think of it, weaker zim teams have beaten Ausralia in a 20-20, beaten WI at home, and nearly had SL on the ropes 3-2. it would be idiotic to underestimate this ZIM team.

however, i still back us to lift the Grameenphone Cup on august 18.