Blessing Muzarabani hints at Zimbabwe Cricket comeback

grant wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:18 am

He was easily our quickest seamer. I remember him clocking 140+ kph on multiple occasions (as high as 144 kph). His pace was a little inconsistent though. His pace was usually around the 135-136 kph mark, which even Mumba struggles to reach consistently.

I think you’re confusing Blessing with Kagosi Rabada.

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:44 am

grant wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:18 am

He was easily our quickest seamer. I remember him clocking 140+ kph on multiple occasions (as high as 144 kph). His pace was a little inconsistent though. His pace was usually around the 135-136 kph mark, which even Mumba struggles to reach consistently.

I think you’re confusing Blessing with Kagosi Rabada.

I'm finding this really amusing, how so many people are getting sucked into the Muzarabani myth. The guy was a 79-83Mph type bowler, who could bend his back when he wasn't sulking on the boundary and in fairness did clock up to 87mph in the pink ball test against SA. But if anyone watched the entire game like I did you'll have noticed his pace was consistently around 76-80mph.

TapsC wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:28 am

What's the peak age for a fast bowler? In terms of pace

Surely it’s 28 or 29. Yet you look at Steyn bowling bombs in the PSL and Jimmy Anderson at 37 getting better better, it’s hard to say

zimbos_05 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:23 am

Firstly, you clearly are using the term buttercup wrong.

Secondly, I have been watching the games and seeing the bowling, but i do apologise about the time I had to go to sleep because I had work at 5am the next morning and could not stay up till stupid o'clock to watch the game. Clearly that makes me a terrible fan who never watched any games live or even the highlights that get posted.

I never said these guys are any good, I was merely asking, how much better is Blessing at this moment? Does he have more to work on or are we actually saying that he is at the level of which he can come in and will be this world class beater who is moving the ball, changing it up well, and knocking high speeds consistently...Will he really form this potent attack akin to countries like Aus/Eng/India, with KJ and TC that many are alluding to?

Jeez mate. I asked a genuine question from those who have watched him more in the county scene. If he was genuinely good, then a club would want to try and sign him on for the last year of deal even if meant as a foreigner, rather than 'just' let him go. They committed to 3 years initially and if a player is genuinely good or of a high quality, surely you do everything you can to sign them...no?

So again, not negative. Not fitting a narrative. Just asking questions that normally get asked.

I never mentioned anything about Blessing forming a lethal combo with KJ & TC akin to England or Australia, I said he’d be third seamer behind those guys. Don’t re-write history

Also let’s see how many other Kolpak guys get overseas deals? I guess we can say the guys who don’t get deals aren’t ‘genuinely good players’ or of ‘high quality’

sloandog wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:13 am

TapsC wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:28 am

What's the peak age for a fast bowler? In terms of pace

Surely it’s 28 or 29. Yet you look at Steyn bowling bombs in the PSL and Jimmy Anderson at 37 getting better better, it’s hard to say

?

No way?

I’d say it’s 20-24.

I literally can’t think of one bowler, apart from Hazelwood, which I believe is more a change in strategy, who got faster as they aged. Remember injuries plays a part in someone rapid.

Lee was a consistent 155 bowler in his early twenties and finished at 135 in his mid thirties.

Cummins is 140 now but when younger was 150.

Jarvis people keep telling me was 150 as a teen and now look at him.

Chatara? Same.

Streak? Same.

McGrath? Same.

I could go on and on.

Now if you want to say when does a bowler peak in terms of ability, then I am with you when you say late twenties, then I am 100 percent with you.

The pattern I have seen my life is a bowler hits the scene as a tear away young quick, then over time evolves their line and length and drops 5km an hour.

Jarvis is a really good example actually.

I’m referring to ability I guess, not speed

sloandog wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:34 am

I’m referring to ability I guess, not speed

For the first time in the history of ZCF sloan, you are referring to overall ability when someone dangled a pace question :D

CrimsonAvenger wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:55 am

sloandog wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:34 am

I’m referring to ability I guess, not speed

For the first time in the history of ZCF sloan, you are referring to overall ability when someone dangled a pace question :D

I know mate :)

I agree with ZIMDOGGY the more I think about it, but maintain that the older a bowler gets the better he becomes in terms of skill and ability.

For those slightly older than me, was Pollock a 90pmh bowler when he first started around 1995? My old man said he watched a fiery spell between him and Klusener at the MCG in 1997 and he was convinced they were both bowling as quick if not quicker than Donald..?

grant wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:11 pm

sloandog wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 8:37 am

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:44 am

I think you’re confusing Blessing with Kagosi Rabada.

I'm finding this really amusing, how so many people are getting sucked into the Muzarabani myth. The guy was a 79-83Mph type bowler, who could bend his back when he wasn't sulking on the boundary and in fairness did clock up to 87mph in the pink ball test against SA. But if anyone watched the entire game like I did you'll have noticed his pace was consistently around 76-80mph.

You're making him sound like Charlton Tshuma. Even Tiripano bowls 79-83 mph in ODIs. He was quicker in the limited overs stuff. He wasn't genuinely quick, but he was quicker than everyone else we had. I remember watching him bowl in that Tri-series in Bangladesh. He was mostly around the 135 kph mark, but did bowl many deliveries in the late 130s and early 140s as well. We all know that's "fast-medium" at best, not "fast", but we don't have a single bowler who's even as quick as him. He was very raw skills-wise and it was his pace and bounce that mostly got him wickets.

I honestly am not sure what game you were watching. Every time I tuned in he was late 120s and early 130s.

More often, if I can’t watch a game I’ll read the comments here and on cricinfo intensely.

My memory is a lot of people here being disappointed with Blessings speed. A few more saying so guy that tall should be quicker’ and I remember I backed him up saying height doesn’t translate to speed etc. a fair bit of disappointment at his speeds and people wishing he would fire up a bit.

But to be fair, I do recall once or twice he may have touched 140.

Do you honestly think Sloandog would not have popped up online if he was cracking 145? Guys a magnet to that. He would know.

If Sloandog ever got lost all you’d need to do is go down to a local net and get someone bowling 145, and he will emerge from the trees. He won’t know how he got there either, but he will be there, drawn to the speed.

grant wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:20 pm

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:12 am

Blessing is Nyauchi with a little bit of extra bounce.

I know most of us didn't like the way he left, but he was offered a county contract for a reason.

1. Potential

2. A very good World Cup qualifying campaign against the assocs.

3. Potential

4. Height

5. Perceived potential

6. Intent to live in Pomland

7. Potential

grant wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:11 pm

Even Tiripano bowls 79-83 mph in ODIs.

No, he doesn't...that's my point, people have this perception that our guys can reach speeds quicker than they actually bowl.

As I say, I still stand by the fact he was a 80-83mph type of bowler who extracted good bounce from a length.

He was bending his back when he bowled against me on a pretty fast wicket in the middle of that hot English summer we had two seasons ago, and he wasn't the quickest I've faced. The skipper said to dig it in and 'crank it up.' He'd be welcomed back with open arms if I was the selector and he'd got the new ball for sure, but people's expectations of this kid needs to be lowered slightly. He's still a baby really

If Sloandog ever got lost all you’d need to do is go down to a local net and get someone bowling 145, and he will emerge from the trees. He won’t know how he got there either, but he will be there, drawn to the speed.

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