Only Thing More Embarassing Than Losing a Test Match to Minnows

[jonas10]

.....Losing a Test Series....at home to minnows...with "all time greats" :hysterical: just a reminder this is nothing new :two_thumbs_up: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63824.html

[Vilander]

1999 zim side was not a minow...dude come on what are you some 15 year old kid

[carnish]

1999 .. Zimbabwe was by no means minnows back then ... They had the worlds best wicket keeper batsman of that time( Gilly was new then), one of the top 5 fast bowlers in the world ... A very good all rounder in Neil Johnson ... A brilliant captain in Campbell ... And had a more than decent spinner in strange. Guy whittal was an excellent all-rounder too

[singhprakash72]

India in that period of 1998 to 2001 lost 2 test matches including one off series in Zimbabwe...besides losing to them in ODIs including the WC'99 match which effectively sealed India's chances of going to Semis.

[fineleg]

1999 .. Zimbabwe was by no means minnows back then ... They had the worlds best wicket keeper batsman of that time( Gilly was new then)' date= one of the top 5 fast bowlers in the world ... A very good all rounder in Neil Johnson ... A brilliant captain in Campbell ... And had a more than decent spinner in strange. Guy whittal was an excellent all-rounder too

Agreed, Grant Flower was there too, decent batsman. But I dont think Heath Streak was top 5??

[Desi Cartman]

.....Losing a Test Series....at home to minnows...with "all time greats" :hysterical: just a reminder this is nothing new :two_thumbs_up: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63824.html

Ok we will travel 15 years back in time and then come back and then laugh at you lol

[Asim]

So many :fail: threads these days...

[jonas10]

Losing test series at home to Zimbabwe is embarrassing no matter how you cut it. Especially with all the "all time greats" in the lineup.

[Sean Bradley]

Losing test series at home to Zimbabwe is embarrassing no matter how you cut it. Especially with all the "all time greats" in the lineup.

Who are you, a hurt Pakistani?

[moniker]

Ok we will travel 15 years back in time and then come back and then laugh at you lol

Who are you' date=' a hurt Pakistani?[/quote'] Er, you guys do realize that the series OP is referring to was Pakistan losing to Zimbabwe at home, right?

[Sandeep99]

Match winners Inzi, Yousuf, Anwar, Wasim, Waqar had to go through this. Eye opener for all the Pakistan delusional fans out there

[G_B_]

people are going over the top in this thread. Yes Zimbabwe was certainly not a minnow in the traditional sense. But in the 90s along with probably England they were one of the weakest sides around. All this probably highlights that there was depth in quality in the 90s. But it was the only series Zimbabwe have ever won away from home against an established side. I think even BD came close to winning against Pakistan when inzi had to bail them out If anything this current side probably has a better chance of getting good results than in the 90s. The reason being they are finally drawing talent from the 12 million strong black community rather than being reliant on the 200,000 white community.

[moniker]

^ I bet the responses would've been the other way round had these posters realized that the OP was talking about Pakistan losing at home to zim not India. :winky:

[G_B_]

I actually remember that series. Streak was on fire. But apart from Streak and Andy Flower, Zim have not produced any world class players. Effectively they were a poor man's south africa. A really poor man's south africa. Shared the same signatures. Batting depth with no real tail-enders (unusual in the 90s) packed with seam bowling allrounders and excellent in the field. What we can say is that the small white community of Zimbabwe did certainly punch above their weight when it came to cricket. (or even sports in general, their women won gold in the hockey at Moscow in 1980 and i do believe they even have 2-3 medals in olympic swimming). But what we can also say is that cricket in zimbabwe before Mugabe went mad failed to exploit the black population in producing players. Had they done that since the 80s I think Zim in the 90s would not have been a minnow. You cannot rely simply on such a small community. All these current black players need is some economic support. Say $50,000 a year. Thats equivalent to about $200,000 in the USA if you consider the cost of living in zim at the moment. The ICC needs to ensure that $2-$3 million plus travelling expenses are spent on the top 33 players in Zim cricket.

[Crookbond]

I actually remember that series. Streak was on fire. But apart from Streak and Andy Flower, Zim have not produced any world class players. Effectively they were a poor man's south africa. A really poor man's south africa. Shared the same signatures. Batting depth with no real tail-enders (unusual in the 90s) packed with seam bowling allrounders and excellent in the field. What we can say is that the small white community of Zimbabwe did certainly punch above their weight when it came to cricket. (or even sports in general, their women won gold in the hockey at Moscow in 1980 and i do believe they even have 2-3 medals in olympic swimming). But what we can also say is that cricket in zimbabwe before Mugabe went mad failed to exploit the black population in producing players. Had they done that since the 80s I think Zim in the 90s would not have been a minnow. You cannot rely simply on such a small community. All these current black players need is some economic support. Say $50,000 a year. Thats equivalent to about $200,000 in the USA if you consider the cost of living in zim at the moment. The ICC needs to ensure that $2-$3 million plus travelling expenses are spent on the top 33 players in Zim cricket.

Murray Goodwin(Tests), Neil Johnson(ODIs, Eddo Brandes (ODIs), Paul Strang and you actually missed the grand daddy of all Dave Houghton - no Zimbabwe team will ever go without his name on the sheet.

[G_B_]

Murray Goodwin(Tests)' date=' Neil Johnson(ODIs, Eddo Brandes (ODIs), Paul Strang and you actually missed the grand daddy of all Dave Houghton - no Zimbabwe team will ever go without his name on the sheet.[/quote'] He played 22 tests and averaged 43 with the bat. A good test player. Not world class. No doubt good by Zim standards. Same for Goodwin

[Crookbond]

He played 22 tests and averaged 43 with the bat. A good test player. Not world class. No doubt good by Zim standards. Same for Goodwin

You can't define world class by purely averages - particularly for small teams. For example, there would be no denying that Brendan Taylor is world class but his Test average is 35 and ODI average is 33. World class doesn't equate to ATG. Flower has a ODI batting average of 35 btw.

[carnish]

Agreed, Grant Flower was there too, decent batsman. But I dont think Heath Streak was top 5??

Those days for me .. After McGrath, vaas, Pollock and wasim ... It was streak all the way. Yes, some days he went for a few runs but his accuracy was too good and more often than not he got an early wicket. Not an all time top 5 but surely during 98- 02 he was up there with the best.

[Scarves]

Zimbabwe were an awesome side but I disagree with Streak being a top 5 bowler pace bowler at that time. McGrath, Akram, Donald, Pollock, Waqar, Walsh, Ambrose and Fleming when not injured as a good bowler. Flower was a top 10 batsman at that time. The best keeper batsman at that time before Glichrist came to play. Goodwin, Grant Flower and Johnson were top notch with Goodwin and Johnson being top class. Their averages don't suggest it but they were talented because remember Johnson was bowling as well for them.

[Desi Cartman]

^ I bet the responses would've been the other way round had these posters realized that the OP was talking about Pakistan losing at home to zim not India. :winky:

Oh ... Pwned