Pakistan tour of Zimbabwe 2013

[CremerCurrans]

You are correct. What was nice to see was Zimbabwe's will to fight it out. Raza is a surprise inclusion despite his good knock against India as he had an average outing this FC season. I would have loved to see Taylor and Williams in the side but they are out as a result of the players' dispute with ZC I guess.

Taylor decided to stay with his wife during her pregnancy instead of playing in the first test. She gave birth to a boy yesterday.

Williams & Cremer are waiting until they get paid before playing again. Can't work-out where Keegan Meth has gone, nobody seems to know.

 

[Owzat]

Good effort by Zimbabwe, I fear their batting won't be enough to force home a good position

Considering the pitch type , I think that Zimbabwe won't be able to score big.

They often rely on their big guns, I think they'll struggle to score big on most pitches without a big input by someone like Taylor.

Too many bits n pieces cricketers, cricketers who can bat, can bowl, but aren't particularly strong in either suit, and bizarrely five bowlers with other bowling options available, they always seem to put too many bowlers in their side regardless of format

Sibanda (11 Tests) - 465 runs @ 23.25
Mayowo (7 Tests) - 381 runs @ 34.64
Masakadza H (24 Tests) - 1153 runs @ 26.20
Raza (1 Test) - yet to bat/bowl
Waller (7 Tests) - 273 runs @ 24.82
Mutumbami (3 Tests) - 65 runs @ 16.25
Chigumbura (10 Tests) - 319 runs @ 18.76 & 16 wkts @ 43.80
Utseya (3 Tests) - 64 runs @ 21.33 & 4 wkts @ 42.50
Masakadza S (4 Tests) - 74 runs @ 18.50 & 13 wkts @ 23.85
Panyangara (4 Tests) - 128 runs @ 32.00 & 11 wkts @ 32.45
Chatara (3 Tests) - 6 wkts @ 33.33


Before anyone gets excited by any of those figures, Singirai Masakadza for example has played 2 Tests against Bangladesh and 1 against New Zealand, it is the 10 wkts @ 16.80 countering 1/102 against Bangladesh making his good bowling average possible.

Tirotenda Mawoyo has a HS of 163no against Pakistan, his only score above 52 and that not out big score take his average from the other 11 innings (218 runs @ 19.82) to 34.64.

Some may question the policy of doing that with stats, but if you want to know what his average score is like, or expectations, it isn't 163 and it most certainly isn't 18 runs shy of his second highest score (52). He has potential, but his average is skewed.

So despite the zimmers not playing that many Tests or big guns, their batting is far from strong and nor is their bowling. Since their return to Tests in 2011 they've only played nine Tests, the strongest side arguably Pakistan (2) or maybe New Zealand (2) or West Indies (2), but not Bangladesh (3).

Either way you'd expect with so many sides from the lower end of the Test rankings, the averages might be a bit more 'average' (ordinary figures for a top side)

 

[CremerCurrans]

We usually have too many bowlers because quite a few of them score just as many runs as an extra batsmen would. Chigumbura's bowling has been awful lately, so he's just going to be playing as a batsmen this match. Seems to have lost confidence in his bowling.

 

[Ahmad94]

Pakistan win, but damn well played by Zimbabwe until Younis' innings.

Can see them being a quality test side in 10-15 years, if they stop relying on a few players.

 

[Sulaiman7]

Pakistan win, but damn well played by Zimbabwe until Younis' innings.

Can see them being a quality test side in 10-15 years, if they stop relying on a few players.

Well said bro! Rahat disappointed me a lot , he was amazing vs RSA , don't know what happened back there. Ajmal as-run-of-the-mill , 11 wickets.

Zimbabwe played irresponsibly in the last innings, they could've drawn easily , Richmond Mutumbami should've been opening.

 

[Ahmad94]

Same here. I never watched him against SA but his stats seemed amazing. With an average of 21 in domestic circuit. Expected him to run through the Zimbabwean batting. Pitch probably wasn't to his liking.

 

[Owzat]

We usually have too many bowlers because quite a few of them score just as many runs as an extra batsmen would.

Given the opposition you've played, and the needs for big scores, 10s, 20s and the odd 30s from your bowlers won't compensate the lack of 50s and 100s from your top order.

I thought Zimbabwe might prove me wrong re the batting, but they didn't make most of their 1st innings and collapsed in a heap in the second. You missed Taylor, but even when he's in the side there is too much reliance on him and he can't carry the batting all the time.

I've looked at your last seven Tests and the runs scored, one win in among those seven and another run close

vs : 1st inns top order/tail & 2nd inns top order/tail

PAK : 262/47 & 78/35
BAN : 190/74 & 214/28
BAN : 278/98 & 147/74 - won thanks to Taylor 100s in both innings
WIN : 145/23 & 93/31
WIN : 169/52 & 93/31
NZL : 42/9 & 26/110
NZL : 262/46 & 293/25 - lost by 34 runs

The losses to West Indies were with seven batsmen I believe, but generally speaking the number of runs from your tail doesn't matter to the result, when you've scored 250+ in the 1st innings among your top order you've registered a win, a 34 runs defeat and could have done better but for a 2nd innings disaster against Pakistan.

Australia lost the Ashes because their batting was well below par too often, tail end runs might be seen as "handy", but the only times they tend to make a difference is if the top order has already levelled you up against the opponent or it is hammering home a situation of say 250 ahead with only a handful of 2nd innings wickets left.

Batsmen runs win you matches, bowler wickets win you matches, it is rare bowler runs and batsmen wickets win you matches. And despite the adages "catches win matches" and "you need to take 20 wickets in a match to win", the truest of the lot is you only win Tests by scoring more runs than your opponent..............................

Chigumbura's bowling has been awful lately, so he's just going to be playing as a batsmen this match. Seems to have lost confidence in his bowling.

I had hoped a few years ago he might turn out to be quite handy, but his batting average is very ordinary as is his bowling average with no discernible decline in it in Test matches - apart from a 5/54, 3/75 and 2/50against Bangladesh he hasn't taken more than one wicket in any innings (12 bowled other than those three)

vs PAK/SAF/SRI (5 Tests) : 10 inns, 168 runs @ 16.90 (50x1) & 3 wkts @ 106
vs BAN (5 Tests) : 9 inns, 247 runs @ 27.44 (50x2), & 13 wkts @ 35.08

Pretty ordinary against Bangladesh, to be expected against the rest maybe but even then wickets at an average of 106 is pretty awful.

In ODIS, his record again is fairly ordinary when broken down :

vs AUS/ENG/IND/NZL/PAK/SAF/SRL/WIN : 78 inns, 1461 runs @ 20.01 (50x8) & 50 wkts @ 44.60
vs BAN/BER/CAN/IRE/KEN : 60 inns, 1487 runs @ 27.54 (50x7) & 39 wkts @ 36.74

He has amassed over 1300 runs against Bangladesh and Kenya alone at 28.37, that out of 2999 scored overall. Again for the quality of opposition in the non-Test nations and Bangladesh, his record against them is very average with the ball.

Is he your Luke Wright? Good record in T20Is but the only reason we should/would pick Wright for ODIs and (shouldn't happen) Tests is based on that T20I record hoping he can make it as an ODI player, I'm guessing lack of better options for Zimbabwe.

Even if Tests and ODIs did split into tiers I'm not sure Chigumbura will be anything more than average.

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Can see them being a quality test side in 10-15 years, if they stop relying on a few players.

Too much politics, and their better players are hounded out or prefer to play county cricket than for Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe destroyed their Test side, they weren't great last time we played them but at least they had more half decent players than now.

They need a Heath Streak and/or a Paul Strang, but I think they lack the resources and hamstring themselves at the same time. If Pakistan think it's bad what with teams not willing to tour, they should look at Zimbabwe.

 

[Ohm]

After Zimbabwe got lead over Pakistan in first inning, I was hoping that Zimbabwe have a chance to win.Hmmm! But then after a good innings by Y.Khan and a strong bowling attack destroyed Zimbabwe's bowling and batting in second inning which lead to a loss by 221 runs for Zimbabwe.It was a good test match.Not one sided in my opinion.Because one sided matches shouldn't be conclused on final result, It should concluse on the bases of each day play.

 

[Samuels]

After Zimbabwe got lead over Pakistan in first inning, I was hoping that Zimbabwe have a chance to win.Hmmm! But then after a good innings by Y.Khan and a strong bowling attack destroyed Zimbabwe's bowling and batting in second inning which lead to a loss by 221 runs for Zimbabwe.It was a good test match.Not one sided in my opinion.Because one sided matches shouldn't be conclused on final result, It should concluse on the bases of each day play.

It was one of those test matches where the 3rd day of the match was not as important in terms of the swinging the pendulum in a team's favor like it normally does but it was an exciting test match before Zimbabwe's inexperience led to their loss from a prime position at one point. That said, these are the kind of matches that will help learn the Zimbabwean players to deal with pressure and out think an individual. It will surely take time but they are on the right track. They just need to hope they don't lose more players like they have in recent times.

 

[Sulaiman7]

That said, these are the kind of matches that will help learn the Zimbabwean players to deal with pressure and out think an individual. It will surely take time but they are on the right track. They just need to hope they don't lose more players like they have in recent times.

I said that before didn't I ? I said that Zimbabwe needed to play some regular series , series-after-series so they can be experienced , experienced about everything , how to handle pressure , how to keep runs coming and finding gaps in the fields , how to rectify our weak point (especially the batsman , probably by replacing him or giving him a rest for few series but not for a team like Zimbabwe) , how to change game-plans during the play , how to play against the favor of the opposition etc....They're getting chances , chances it what they wanted and the should take the full advantage out of it.

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IMO , Richmond Mutumbami needs to be promoted probably to an opener because he needs to bat with some seniors and experienced to got experience and all (most) of the experienced player of Zimbabwe like Vuzimuzi , Hamilton , Taylor etc...play in the top order or above , he can bat better than Tino I think.

 

[CremerCurrans]

IMO , Richmond Mutumbami needs to be promoted probably to an opener because he needs to bat with some seniors and experienced to got experience and all (most) of the experienced player of Zimbabwe like Vuzimuzi , Hamilton , Taylor etc...play in the top order or above , he can bat better than Tino I think.

Tino was lucky to be selected for this test, sounds like he got a bad decision which is unfortunate, but his last decent performance was a half century against West Indies earlier in the year. Raza probably should of kept his spot, he did pretty well in the first test.

I doubt Mutumbami will move-up the order, Chigumbura has more experience, and if he gets dropped they should replace him with another batsmen. Also I don't think Mutumbami has ever opened, they kept doing that with Chakabva in different formats, and he kept failing. I think the best Mutumbami can hope for is a move up to sixth spot, which will give him more time with the experienced batsmen.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Nice to see Zimbabwe putting up a fight in the test arena against good opposition. I see Vitori got a 5ver.

 

[Sulaiman7]

Zimbabwe's on the top of the world!

 

[Ohm]

Lead in first innnings over Pakistan again continued in second test match too. Well played all. Not don't want to see replay of first test match. But I think Pakistan will comeback.

 

[Owzat]

Certainly interestingly poised at effectively 185/4, and the return of Vitori helped add some bite to the bowling. I think if they can find a decent spinner to support Jarvis and Vitori then they just need more steel from the batting and they can become a half-decent side - it might even tempt some of the batsmen who've "retired" back.

I was curious why Zimbabwe seemed to be employing nightwatchman after nightwatchman, I gather Sibanda is not fit to bat but am surprised they promoted Utseya. And the nightwatchman proper got what the role deserves, a prompt sending on its way.

If Zimbabwe can muster another 100+ runs then Pakistan will be in a fight, I reckon it will be close with Pakistan no great shakes as a side and quite a long tail.

Not sure what Utseya offers the side to be honest, a handy batting average of 15.29 that doesn't compensate any failings in the top order, a bowling average of 0.29 under FIFTY and his ODI record is very similar (17.36 & 47.76)

Is Cremer not available? Is there noone better? Frankly if that's the pick of the spinners I'd play four seamers and play a spinner only when conditions require, or use a part-timer to fill in necessary overs