Good morning!
There’s going to be a lot of pontificating and chin-stroking about how Zimbabwe have done such a good job this tournament, and they’ve represented the smaller teams so well, and the gap is closing, and all that patronising bullshit.
I’m here to tell you that Zimbabwe are the real deal. And, specifically, Brian Bennett is a bloody good player. How’s this for an appetiser? Bennett has the best average in the tournament so far; infinity. He hasn’t lost a single wicket yet.
Bennett is the 6th highest run scorer in the tournament right now, with 175 runs at a 125 SR in just 3 innings. The only other player in the Top 60 World Cup scorers with an infinity average is David Miller – he’s 59th.
I can already hear you lot complaining. It’s T20 cricket. Look at that disgusting strike rate! Zimbabwe can’t win with a player like that leading the line. He’s just wasting resources by batting through all 20 overs.
Since Bennett’s debut for Zimbabwe in 2023 – oh, did I forgot to mention the dude is only 22?! – he’s been both their highest run scorer (1771 runs in 55 T20I innings, with an average of 35.42) and their fastest scorer (SR of 143.16) of anyone who’s played at least 7 games. (There’s one guy who scored at 149 in 6 innings!).
Let’s take this up a notch. He’s probably a flat track, home advantage bully? That’s inflating his numbers, right? He averages 30.6 at 142.42 at home, and he averages 37 at 136.47 away from home. Sticks around longer, plays a little slower, gives Zimbabwe some stability in away games.
Here’s the impressive bit though; he averages 61.16 (!) at 152.28 in 8 innings on neutral venues – that’s mostly World Cup and WC qualifier games. His home average doubles and his SR goes up 10 points in the highest pressure games. That’s backed up by his stats v full members; against each of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, he averages more than 30. Plus, 25 versus Pakistan, and another infinity versus Australia.
So, why’s he been so slow this World Cup? Yesterday’s game versus SL provides some insight. After a couple of half chances in the powerplay – a tough run out and catch – Bennett battened down the hatches and provided his team with stability.
Both SL & ZIM scored strongly in the PP, but SL slowed down drastically in the middle overs. In the 88 deliveries between 5.2 and 14.5, the co-hosts scored just 2 boundaries. Bennett scored 2 boundaries himself during the Zimbabwe’s middle overs, while keeping the scoreboard ticking with quick runs – he conceded just 3 dots in his 21 balls faced in the phase.
It was a deliberate strategy. His partners could relax and go after the bowlers that suited their match-ups because they knew Bennett would be on hand to keep up one end. There wouldn’t be a collapse because their opening lynchpin wouldn’t get out.
Even in the 19th over, when ZIM lost two wickets looking for a quick win, there was no panic. You could lose a wicket a ball, and it wouldn’t matter. Bennett would still be there to face the 20th over. In a game where ZIM scored seven 6s, Bennett didn’t get a single one. Instead he scored eight 4s on his own, including the final cover drive to put the flourish what ended up being an easy chase.
Brian Bennett and Zimbabwe are not just the upstart underdogs. India, South Africa and West Indies need to take them seriously in the Super 8s, or they going to end up with the same “surprising” losses that Sri Lanka and Australia witnessed.
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🏏 Cricket Roundup: ZIM lay down a marker, Trott says goodbye to AFG, & the massive crowds for non-IND games.
AFG beat CAN by 82 runs, ZIM beat SL by 6 wickets, & WI beat ITA by 42 runs.
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🇦🇫🇨🇦 | Alagappan Muthu on the Chennai crowd giving AFG a fond farewell, & Firdose Moonda with Jonathan Trott on the end of his AFG stint.
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🇿🇼🇱🇰 | Pratyush Sinha on the invaluable big game experience for ZIM, Madushka Balasuriya on SL’s failing middle overs strategy, & Sriram Veera profiles Brian Bennett’s rise to international cricket.
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🌴🇮🇹 | Sreshth Shah on Shai Hope’s precision batting for WI.
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Andrew Wu on AUS’ failed next generation, BBC analyses Jos Buttler’s form for ENG, & Deivarayan Muthu on Rachin Ravindra’s struggles for NZ.
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Gomesh S on the tens of thousands of fans that have turned up for non-IND games this World Cup, including those who are showing love for the associates. Telford Vice on an embarrassing Jio promo for the IND-SA Super 8 game, and how IND fans deserve better than to be represented by such crap.
AUS-W beat IND by 19 runs.
🗞️ Quick News: Hundred teams to ignore PAK players, & the Ranji final won’t be in BLR.
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Tom Grundy reports that Indian franchise owners of Hundred teams will not recruit PAK players.
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The Chinnaswamy will not host the Ranji Trophy final after Karnataka qualified.
📺 A/V: Bell on RCB, & Varun Aaron on the pacers’ toll.
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“I gained 1 million followers in a week”
🎤 Katya Witney talks to Lauren Bell about her WPL stint. [Apple/Spotify] -
“The Cost of Speed”
🎤 Talking Cricket hosts Varun Aaron on the cost pace bowling on a player’s body, and why he always pushed the limits despite that cost. [Apple/Spotify]
That’s it for today!
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