Not all is proving just however.
Former captain Prosper Utseyas recall and batsmen Craig Ervine’s selection is a mystery.
The conveyor of selectors, Givemore Makoni, was reported to have said that after being
banned from bowling off spin, Prosper Utseya remains their “mystery bowler”. One
presumes he was joking, or trying a hand at sarcasm.
Save for picking Utseya as an outright batsmen where pundits will compare him on merit,
the real mystery remains how his now medium pacers and off cutters he is supposedly
now bowling supersede those of other medium pacers like Shingi Masakadza or Neil
Madziva in the country who have practiced their craft for years.
Former captain Brendan Taylor has been in skunk form and it doesn’t look
promising. Over 23 tests in the course of his career, in which he averages 35 runs, 10 of
them have been played away from home, and he averages an alarming 21 runs per
innings. Familiarity breeds comfort.
In fact, take out the fortress Harare Sports Club in his stats in international cricket and his
average dives southwards. He might yet come good if there is no lateral movement in the
pitches he will be playing on; introduce any seam movement however, and you may bet
your bottom dollar he will come in, and go out, early.
This year’s squad still looks low in stock but this has been the case for at least the past
decade. Chamu Chibhabha might yet prove his worth at the top despite a two year
absence, and if Sean Williams tightens a loose technique and angling bat against the
quicker bowlers he might turn that languid style on the crease into meaningful substance.
Certainly opening batsman Sikandar Raza Butt has played with a fearlessness than has
never been seen in Zimbabwe before, perhaps only fleetingly with Neil Johnson 1999.
It might be the Pakistani genes, the daredevils and unpredictable of international cricket,
but it certainly adds impetus to the Zimbabwe cause and will shore up a sensible top order.
Only a strong number six seems missing and despite the emergence of Regis Chakabva,
once again one ruminates at the sheer frustration of all that hastened the departure
Tatenda Taibu into ministry.
Captain Elton Chigumbura will typically come in at 7 and for the umpteenth time he
captains while he fights for his place in the team.
Is the captain a batter who bowls, or a bowler who bats, or one who can’t do both
adequately enough to put questions of his temperament to rest? All will be answered next
month, but his captaincy and field placing have been much better than the unimaginative
Taylor.
Goodness knows why with Williams and Kamungozi selected, Utseya, who bats at eight,
was also necessary; a subject that has extensively been discussed by those who avidly
Title of the
book