Bowler speeds

Zimbabwe lacks a genuine pace bowler. While spin bowling stocks are at an all time high (Utseya, Price, Maruma, Cremer, Williams, Kamungozi, etc) there are a distinct lack of fast bowlers, a crisis worsened by the exit of Anthony Ireland.

The figures below are only meant as a guide and may or may not be 100% accurate. Figures were taken from the Ten Sports coverage of the series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in early 2008, the Supersports coverage of Zimbabwe's tour of Bangladesh in early 2009, and reports from members of the community.

All figures are approximations.

Elton Chigumbura (max 135 kmh · avg 127 kmh)
Currently one of the quickest bowler in the Zimbabwean team, he is the opening bowler. He has a maximum speed of approximately 135kmh, but really was straining for this pace.

Ed Rainsford (max 138 kmh · avg 125 kmh)
Rainsford is likely one of the quickest bowlers in the country and a genuine new ball threat for Zimbabwe. Most of deliveries lie in the high 120 or low 130 region, although he has reached the high 130's on occasion.

Christopher Mpofu (max 132 kmh · avg 125 kmh)
Quite a similar bowler to Elton Chigumbura, but with more height so he can extract more bounce from the pitch. In the 5th ODI between Zimbabwe and Pakistan in 2008, he reached a maximum speed of 132 kmh but perhaps he could go a little faster. Mpofu has a good slower ball, going as low as high-90's.

Gary Brent (max 120 kmh · avg 110 kmh)
Brent has lost a lot of the pace he had a decade ago, in some part due to injury. Now his specialty is a nagging line and length, as he demonstrated against Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup, but if the pitch doesn't suit him he can be exposed for a lack of variation. Generally, Brent also opens the bowling, but if a quicker option is available, such as Christopher Mpofu or Tawanda Mupariwa, he will be first change. He has an interesting slower ball, despite a massive grant during the delivery it can go as slow as 90 kmh, perhaps deceiving some batsmen.

Chamu Chibhabha (max 120 kmh · avg 115 kmh)
Often playing the role of first or second change, Chibhabha is a typical medium pace bowler that would in any other team only be turned to "for that breakthrough", much in the same way Andrew Symonds of Australia is used. If Chibhabha could work on his accuracy and more importantly his economy rate, he could turn into a genuinely good allrounder.

Tawanda Mupariwa (max 110 kmh · avg 100 kmh)
A bowler in the same mould as Gary Brent, Mupariwa's speed is surprisingly a touch slower, with most deliveries in the high 90's.

Raymond Price (max 90 kmh · avg 85 kmh)
Price can vary his pace quite significantly, with his slower balls clocking low 70's. His faster balls can come down at as high as 90. Ultimately his variation of speed, not to mention the decent turn that he extracts, is what makes him such a successful bowler

Keith Dabengwa (max 85 kmh · avg 80 kmh)
Dabengwa has a quick bowling action, an arm movement much quicker than Ray Price's, but has a maximum speed of only about 85 kmh.

Hamilton Masakadza (max 110 kmh · avg 105 kmh)
Probably one of the slowest medium pace bowlers you could find, Masakadza is able to bowl 110 with relative ease. Unlike Chigumbura, he doesn't strain to reach is maximum speed, so I believe if he tried he could get mid 110's.


In the domestic circuit, there have been reports of some good fast bowling. More can be read in this post at zimcricketforums.com

Gerald Aliseni (max 149 kmh · avg 145 kmh)
At 14 years of age he was rated the fastest bowler in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Perhaps has the wrong attitude towards cricket, but properly managed Mark Vermeulen thinks Aliseni can bowl in the 150's.

Trevor Garwe (max 132 kmh)
A regular Zimbabwe A bowler, he has yet to make an international debut so little is known about him.

Taurai Muzarabani (max 132 kmh)
Played in the South African domestic tournaments in 2008 with little success, but is able to get speeds in the 130's.

Brian Vitori (max mid-130's kmh)
Vitori has been in and out of his provincial team (Masvingo/Southerns) for a few years, but at just 18 years of age he is a promising prospect with some good First Class performances.

Kyle Jarvis (max low-140's kmh · avg low-130's kmh)
The son of former Zimbabwean cricketer Malcolm Jarvis, Kyle has been described as having "raw pace" and was the spearhead of the Zimbabwe U-19 attack in the U-19 World Cup in 2008. Hopefully he will play First Class cricket in 2008-09, but his future is uncertain.