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Liam Brickhill in CAPE TOWN
ALL the world is not going to be at Cricket World Cup 2019 this year, but here’s my all-time Zimbabwe World Cup X — Neil Johnson, Brendan Taylor, Andy Flower, David Houghton, Tatenda Taibu, Sean Williams, Paul Strang, Duncan Fletcher (captain), Heath Streak, Ray Price, Henry Olonga.

My criteria for selection comes entirely from past World Cup statistics.

Johnson’s average of 52 w/bat and 19 w/ball makes him first name on the list and opener.

Taylor (690 runs at 46) opens with him as he has experience in the position.

Flower, scorer of Zimbabwe’s first World Cup hundred is at three.

Houghton, scorer of the biggest and best of Zimbabwe’s World Cup 100s (146 v NZ in 1986) is at number four.

Taibu, three stumpings and seven catches from half as many games as Flower/Houghton keeps wicket.

Williams with a World Cup batting average of 54.66 is at six.

Handy with the bat and with 15 World Cup wickets at 25.86, Strang is at seven.

Fletcher, the Aussie slayer and possibly Zimbabwe’s best ever leader, captains the side, while Streak, Zimbabwe’s leading World Cup wicket-taker opens the bowling.

Price, another potential opening bowler, only went to one World Cup but took his nine wickets at 18.77 there, while also giving away runs at just 3.44 (record economy for Zimbabwe at World Cups).

Finally, success at World Cups needs a bit of magic and the X-Factor and so Olonga is at 11 to win unwinnable games for Zimbabwe.

The top six all capable of scoring hundreds, four seamers, three spinners.

Recommendations for 12th man will be most welcome.

The Chevrons will miss the World Cup for the first time since Independence in 1980 having impressed at their first tournament in England, who will again host this year’s showcase.

What do you think about Liam’s Zimbabwe World Cup XI? Do you agree with him or you have other players you believe can be added to the team? Do you have your possible World Cup XI for the Chevrons? You can email us at — [email protected] <mailto:–[email protected]>, tweet us @HeraldZimbabwe, interact with us on Facebook handle TheHerald-Zimbabwe or use this number for text or Whatsapp – +263714111101