NPL 2024

[TapsC2]

I actually still think franchise cricket is harder than this especially if you add those fast bowlers from Pakistan. I would say there are maybe 4 decent club teams. The rest have a lot of passengers.

It's a step in the right direction for some of the guys but they still have to keep working hard and dominating the franchise season. It only lasts about 2 weeks anyway for the limited overs games

[Googly]

There's no way franchise cricket is a higher level than the Rangers Takas clashes. Look at the number of national players in both those teams.
The Rangers team had some youngsters in a few of those games and yet the key players still managed to win it for them. The youngsters actually contributed most of the time.

I agree that most of the other clubs had some fairly orildinary players.

[secretzimbo]

Rangers and Taka, yes. But not much depth beyond that in the club stuff. Westside and Gladiators are okay. Beyond that it's fairly low quality stuff.

As for franchise,

It's a step in the right direction for some of the guys but they still have to keep working hard and dominating the franchise season.

You are assuming they will even get franchise spots. We will no doubt have the likes of Maruma, Chibhabha, Shingi etc playing every single game in every format guaranteed. Then throw in the overseas players and the usual ZC golden boy youngsters - where are these Rangers guys even going to play? Eagles are stacked, they'll have to get their wallets out for Tuskers, and the other franchises won't want to rock the boat.

[eugene]

Great win by Rangers, I never thought it would be allowed to happen!

[TapsC2]

Rangers and Taka, yes. But not much depth beyond that in the club stuff. Westside and Gladiators are okay. Beyond that it's fairly low quality stuff.

As for franchise,

It's a step in the right direction for some of the guys but they still have to keep working hard and dominating the franchise season.

You are assuming they will even get franchise spots. We will no doubt have the likes of Maruma, Chibhabha, Shingi etc playing every single game in every format guaranteed. Then throw in the overseas players and the usual ZC golden boy youngsters - where are these Rangers guys even going to play? Eagles are stacked, they'll have to get their wallets out for Tuskers, and the other franchises won't want to rock the boat.

Maybe the smart play would then try get the AC rangers 5th franchise going again. Call it a development side and be diplomatic with the overall squad selection. I had always bee against a 5th side but lately the player pool has expanded a bit

[zimfan1]

Rangers and Taka, yes. But not much depth beyond that in the club stuff. Westside and Gladiators are okay. Beyond that it's fairly low quality stuff.

As for franchise,

It's a step in the right direction for some of the guys but they still have to keep working hard and dominating the franchise season.

You are assuming they will even get franchise spots. We will no doubt have the likes of Maruma, Chibhabha, Shingi etc playing every single game in every format guaranteed. Then throw in the overseas players and the usual ZC golden boy youngsters - where are these Rangers guys even going to play? Eagles are stacked, they'll have to get their wallets out for Tuskers, and the other franchises won't want to rock the boat.

Maybe the smart play would then try get the AC rangers 5th franchise going again. Call it a development side and be diplomatic with the overall squad selection. I had always bee against a 5th side but lately the player pool has expanded a bit

That would give us six franchises.

[zimdan]

Thanks for the support and commentary.

Ill continue to call them out. Frank and his ghosts are frustrated I am exposing things.

If any of you are in Zimbabwe youll know that exposing things like this often has the race card used. Its the weakeat argument and the sheer horror of ZC admins that SOGO won has fuelled them to abuse.

Good times folks!

I also have a problem with this big prize money for the NPL. I'm assuming it comes from ZC and not sponsors.

You've got good committed professional players unable to pay rent and put food on the table from month to month and they offer a fat prize of 30k for the win, assuming it was going to Takashinga 1, probably Takas2 and possibly Gladiators. Extremely glad that backfired a bit.

Same issue with them building two completely unnecessary stadiums where a few million is going to disappear into people's pockets.

Also watching the argument on X between DanielSson and Mawoza. The fact that ZC are happy for Mawoza to be their spokesman is profoundly disturbing. They obviously think what he's allowed to say. Look no further than the oft repeated Pink Rhodesians comment. It's deeply distasteful. I see he now has a team management role. Rewarding a guy with money who has nothing to offer other than having a massive chip on his shoulder is pretty shocking. ICC of course do nothing

I'll point out again that there are committed professional players who can't make ends meet and Frank drinks Green Label. How do we move forward?

[zimdan]

I will also add that national team players did no better than club cricketers when looking at stats.

If the NPL is as poor as the commentary on X and here suggests, then our ODI players really are bang average.

The touring side in England has some horror show stats for so called 'experienced' players.

[zimdan]

Rangers and Taka, yes. But not much depth beyond that in the club stuff. Westside and Gladiators are okay. Beyond that it's fairly low quality stuff.

As for franchise,

It's a step in the right direction for some of the guys but they still have to keep working hard and dominating the franchise season.

You are assuming they will even get franchise spots. We will no doubt have the likes of Maruma, Chibhabha, Shingi etc playing every single game in every format guaranteed. Then throw in the overseas players and the usual ZC golden boy youngsters - where are these Rangers guys even going to play? Eagles are stacked, they'll have to get their wallets out for Tuskers, and the other franchises won't want to rock the boat.

Great point actually - the commentary from ZC is all these players need first class and List A seasons. I dont disagree, but the feeling that nepotism will run rife within some franchises. Id like to be proven wrong.

[Googly]

This 6th franchise would actually be a really good option. It would free up a lot of spaces and I don't think it would lower the standard. There are a few new players, plus there are overseas guys presumably coming. It would drop off dramatically if and when a national squad was pulled out though.

The issue is the cost of the 6th franchise. By my reckoning it would be about 100k in salaries and various other expenses for the season.
It's probably a fraction of what ZC have negotiated for hosting the T10, but that was probably money for their pockets so it won't be forthcoming.

Would SOGO be willing to stump up the cash and would ZC be willing to have an "independent" franchise that they don't have complete control over?
I'd think it unlikely, but not impossible. It could entice another company or two to put in some real money, which would be great, but would require accountability, which is about as welcome as Ebola.

You'd have the same issue of the bulk of the white guys being in one team. I have mixed feelings about this. Firstly it wouldn't be all-white, you'd have at least 5 good black players (unless they were told to jump ship), but there would be enough whites for it to be perceived as white (that magic number is about 4)
I don't think there's an issue amongst the players yet, but the usual culprits will stir that pot.

It would be great for the game, but it would emphatically show up how poorly the other teams are managed, which is something they'd probably prefer not to be seen. Plus there are still guys that are still fighting Chimurenga 3 that don't want to see a group of whites doing well. They're happy with a few key guys that they can manage, but they won't want a bunch of guys potentially beating their established players, it's really not a good look. Again not something I understand, they're in complete control, they have nothing to worry about and surely they want the standard to improve. They've weathered much poor publicity in the past and appear not to care, but in reality they want to be loved and be able to have carte blanche to do what they like, no questions asked. It's the mark of any long dictatorship.

Actually there is one fear, and that's a Players Union.
The last thing they want is uppity players demanding liveable salaries.