Stuart Carlisle became Zimbabwe's fifth captain in just six weeks and 15 days of cricket when he took over for the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong. The musical chairs began for the first one-dayer against England on October 3, when Guy Whittall was captain in place of the injured Heath Streak. Streak then returned as captain for the second match, and by the third Whittall had been dropped from the side altogether.

Streak then went lame again and was replaced by Alistair Campbell for the last two matches against England. Streak resigned as captain ahead of the one-day series in Sharjah - from which Campbell was dropped - and was replaced by Brian Murphy, who hadn't played in any of the one-dayers against England. Murphy then broke his hand in the first Test in Bangladesh, which led to Carlisle's elevation.

In all Zimbabwe have used six captains this year - Grant Flower took over for the first Coca-Cola Cup match against West Indies at Harare in June when Streak resigned just before the match (he later agreed to resume the job).

England themselves have managed five in 2001: Nasser Hussain, Graham Thorpe (the one-dayers in Sri Lanka), Alec Stewart (the second Test v Pakistan and the NatWest Series), Mike Atherton (the second and third Tests v Australia) and Marcus Trescothick (the fourth ODI in Zimbabwe).

Rob Smyth is on the staff at Wisden.com.

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