Letters

Editorial address: jward@cricinfo.com

STILL A BIG FAN!

I am an ex-Zim from way back, but still a huge fan. I was in the stand at Eden Park in Auckland when Zim won the series against NZ. Mine was the lone voice in the crowd that shouted, "We won!" as Heath hit the last runs. My wife looked up at me and said, "Who's 'we'?". Never mind, we still love each other. Pity about current results against SA, but we all love giving the Poms a pasting. Soften them up for NZ, please.

George Booth (New Zealand)

THE ONE-DAY SIDE

From the side G T Magezah put up (Letters last issue) I would not include Travis, Henry and Hamilton. The first two have proven to be too expensive for the one-day game and Hamilton has shown his inexperience and it may be more prudent to use him in the warm-up games with the Zim A side for a while. I would also not use A M Blignaut at number six as I think he is more of a bowler and it would be better for him to be in the side primarily as a bowler. He can then come up with an explosive innings at the end of the batting line from say no 8 or 9. I also think it not so important for us to have someone who comes in as an opener to keep the run rate high. We could still do well with a run rate of four an over at the beginning of an innings and then build our momentum with time. What is important is to get people who do not lose their wickets too early but are also able to maintain the run rate not too much below four an over.

Alistair has done well as regards opening; we only need someone who is able to keep up with him and stay in there for a while. The biggest problem though seems to be that our batsmen don't come good at the same time. The only one who has been consistent is Andy. All the others come good in fits and starts and not at the same time, so while someone is making a good score the others are all getting out and in the end we don't achieve good scores. The bowling has also been guilty of being wayward and unable to bowl sides out. It may be an idea to try to get Travis and Henry to bowl slower, from being fast bowlers to try to bowl fast medium but with more control and accuracy. That way they will be economical and may still get wickets. The best bowlers in the world at the moment are mostly fast-mediums, like McGrath and Pollock.

My one-day team would be

• 1. Alistair Campbell
• 2. Craig Wishart
• 3. Stuart Carlisle
• 4. Andy Flower
• 5. Grant Flower
• 6. Guy Whittall
• 7. Dion Ebrahim
• 8. Heath Streak
• 9. Paul Strang
• 10. Douglas Hondo
• 11. Brighton Watambwa

I was looking at the figures of the players given in the newsletter and I wonder why I A Engelbrecht has not been considered for a run in the team. At least he deserves a run in the Zimbabwe A side. Also as most of our bowlers are not doing well they have been very expensive especially Travis Friend who I think should be given a rest from the one-day side as the team cannot really do well with bowlers who concede as many runs as he does. From today's side I would think Douglas Hondo and Dirk Viljoen have made a stake as bowlers. Hope to see the team putting up a better performance against England than the one against South Africa which we all want to forget. We were very, very bad.

Rose Chinondo (Zimbabwe)

THE ZIMBABWE TEAM

Thank you very much for the information which other reporters seem not to be interested in telling the public. We often wonder what is happening to a particular player when a series starts because there is no mention of him whatsoever. For example, after Marillier's heroics in Australia he has been largely ignored until recently and one wonders if it had to do with injury or the selectors felt he was not good enough for the occasion. What has happened to Brian Murphy, when is he expected to be back in the team? What is also happening to Brighton? These are the questions we ask ourselves and no one provides the answers. I agree with you that we should keep players like Gary Brent, Pommie Mbangwa, Dirk Viljoen and Craig Wishart involved at international level although they might not be playing in the national team. In my own opinion Masakadza is not a one-day player at the moment. First of all the trend with Masakadza is that he blossoms in the second innings and there is no second innings in a one-day game. Secondly we are placing unnecessary pressure on the youngster. Finally Hamilton is a good batsmen who has a good temperament but unfortunately there is no time in an ODI to wait for bad balls because it is a limited overs-match and you need to score quickly. He also needs to work hard on his fielding, which at the moment is below the standard of his team-mates. What progress has Andy Blignaut made towards recovery? I understand Bryan Strang is also nursing an injury, what is the latest? Finally I have noticed that the video on the Aussies/India series is on sale. How about coming up with a video on some of Zimbabwe's best moments? Examples are beating SA in the 1999 World cup, Olonga's six-wicket haul against England in SA, and the one-run loss to Australia earlier this year. Keep up the good work.

Victor Basopo (Zimbabwe)

Reply: Doug Marillier was actually in England playing club cricket during the off-season as he did not expect to get selected, and so was unavailable for the tours by Bangladesh, India and West Indies. Brian Murphy is virtually fit again and has just gone to Australia for coaching with Terry Jenner. Brighton Watambwa has managed to pull another leg muscle and expects to be out for at least a further month; I have no updates at present on Andy Blignaut or Bryan Strang. Good idea about a video, but the problem is that the costs involved and the small local market would at present make it a non-starter, unless some generous sponsor came forward.

MY ZIMBABWEAN TEAM

This would be my Test Team when fully fit.

• 1. Alistair Campbell
• 2. Grant Flower (VC)
• 3. Hamilton Masakadza
• 4. Andy Flower
• 5. Stuart Carlisle
• 6. Dion Ebrahim
• 7. Craig Wishart or Guy Whittall
• 8. Heath Streak (C)
• 9. Andy Blignaut
• 10. Paul Strang
• 11. Brighton Watambwa

I think that Grant Flower is ready to open the batting again. He may gain some confidence if the selectors choose to put him up the order. Zimbabwe should stop protecting Andy Flower and put him up to No 4, unless he feels more comfortable at No 5. I think Guy Whittall has had a dream run for some time now. He may be experienced but the experience isn’t doing much for his scores. Craig Wishart could do a good job at 7 when the bowlers aren’t as fresh. Paul Strang is a great spin bowler and he can also bat. Zimbabwe bat right through to 10 in this team.

My One-Day Team fully fit.

• 1. Alistair Campbell
• 2. Grant Flower (VC)
• 3. Paul Strang
• 4. Andy Flower
• 5. Hamilton Masakadza
• 6. Dion Ebrahim
• 7. Barney Rogers or Stuart Carlisle or Wishart
• 8. Heath Streak (C)
• 9. Andy Blignaut
• 10. Gary Brent
• 11. Brighton Watambwa

Once again I think Grant Flower can open the innings again. Paul Strang I feel should come in at No. 3 because he goes for the quick runs, something that Zimbabwe lack. Barney Rogers is a good batsman and will only gain experience if he plays cricket at the top level. Gary Brent’s bowling figures in one cricket speak for themselves. Players to keep in mind for the Test and one-day teams are: Viljoen, Friend, Nkala, Whittall, Hondo, Ervine, Greg Lamb, Marillier, Vermeulen, Matsikenyeri , Taibu, Olonga, Mbangwa, Matambanadzo, Croxford, Neil Ferreira and Mutendera.

James Matthews (South Africa)