Where to now for Zimbabwe cricket?

Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on November 22, 2008

After a humiliating display, Zimbabwe have to accept that this series is gone, and quite frankly no changes between matches will be of any assistance.

Here is what should be done at the conclusion of this series, but of course has virtually no chance of happening:

1. Prosper Utseya must be removed as captain. He has no tactical ability, and has done nothing to suggest he is learning on the job. For crying out loud, he won the toss and batted first. After what happened in the 1st ODI, only a fool would voluntarily bat first. Tatenda Taibu is the spiritual heart of the team, he - or Ray Price - should be captain.

2. Walter Chawaguta is hopeless, useless. Robin Brown must be reinstated.

3. ZC must move heaven and earth to get the services of Brendan Taylor again. Only he can provide the aggression required at the top of the order with the ability to back it up consistently. He is a match winner, and you need match winners in the side.

4. Develop Graeme Cremer as an allrounder. Timycen Maruma has been included in the first eleven on many occasions, yet Cremer is a better bowler by far, and a better batsman too. Like Elton Chigumbura, Cremer could potentially be a high class allrounder but needs the exposure.

5. Give Regis Chakabva an extended run in the team. Stuart Matsikenyeri, Keith Dabengwa have had many years to learn and get better, but they have never progressed. An average of 20 after many years in the side is not good enough. Chakabva has an ODI average of 41.

6. Try and source some experienced players. Even though the odds are virtually zero of any being interested, ZC should at least try and contact some of the old crew, like Sean Ervine, Barney Rogers, Andy Blignaut or Tinashe Panyangara. These players would walk straight into the first eleven, which in turn gives squad depth.

Realistic suggested lineup:

1. Brendan Taylor (wk)
2. Hamilton Masakadza
3. Sean Williams
4. Tatenda Taibu (c)
5. Regis Chakabva
6. Graeme Cremer
7. Elton Chigumbura
8. Prosper Utseya
9. Ray Price
10. Tawanda Mupariwa
11. Chris Mpofu

12. Vusi Sibanda
13. Edward Rainsford
14. Chamu Chibhabha
15. Timycen Maruma

Development players: Bonaparte Mujuru, Tafadzwa Ngulube, Malcolm Waller, Shingirai Masakadza