HEADACHE FOR MAKONI AS WEST INDIES BECKONS

The sport has been brought to yet another conundrum of dealing with the racism matters in this day and age, unfortunately. As we curiously await the announcement of the final squad that will travel to West Indies from the 24 men training squad (In the midst of a selection controversy).

But looking on the brighter side we continue to ponder in our thoughts on who will exactly make the cut of the final squad to tour the West Indies in about 20 days time. There is players that have shown some hunger after being left out of the 30 men training squad and there has been rumor that the likes of are Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Raza Butt, Mark Vermulen and Shingi Masakadza might force their way into the side.

In the truest sense of trying to win it would appear sensible for some of these individuals to be drafted into that travelling squad but judging from the reasons cited for them being dropped, the selection panel must just stick to its original plan and keep them dropped.

A look at possible candidates according to The Chief, In the One Dayers, Brendon Taylor is the captain of the team and has been exceptional in the past year so he would be the rightful man to lead the team despite having failed a fitness test. He has an added advantage of being the keeper and gives selectors that option of fielding either an extra bowler or batsman. That would be bad news for Regis Chakabva who hasn’t been at the top of his game in the ongoing domestic season.

In terms of the batsman l would opt for Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza and definitely its time Givemore Makoni and his team to give Tino Mawoyo the nod in the shorter version of the game. He has a proven track in these games especially in the past two seasons where he made a commendable number of good performances bettering fellow “specialist” batsman. Maybe to a very distant extent the inclusion of Malcolm Waller would work for Allan Butcher when the crunch time calls, off cause considering how powerful the West Indians can be since they are the raining Twenty20 champions.

Talking of giving chances Tino Mutombodzi and Natsayi Mushangwe are now suitable replacements for the aging Ray Price, in my opinion they must get the spots ahead of Price. In that spin department Graeme Cremer is a player par-excellence but must be given time to rehabilitate that knee if we are to have him for longer. But obviously one player who is enjoying a good spell of form is Prosper Utseya, in my view he mu be part of that team.

In the fast bowling department Chris Mpofu and Kyle Jarvis must lead and maybe be partnered by Heath Streak’s favorite Kegaan Meth. Here Utseya, Mutombodzi maybe played as all rounders and maybe the possibility of including Sean Williams in the fray to balance up the all rounders.

In the Test Arena, Williams, Chakabva and Price will definitely have to be in there somewhere to consolidate and add experience to the fairly young inexperienced team. However in the fast bowling lane Brian Vitori has to get a chance to play, to me he is a natural paceman who needs mental fine tuning.

Well for now we can only ponder and wait for the Makoni led selection panel to provide us with the men they think are ready to do battle in the next 20 days.

Training Squad:
Brendan Taylor (Captain), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Mike Chinouya, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Keegan Meth, Christopher Mpofu, Natsai M’shangwe, Cuthbert Musoko, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Tinashe Panyangara, Raymond Price, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Nathan Waller and Sean Williams.