Where to from here?

[Pat_Bee]

This board could administer Zim cricket better than the ZC board. Let them keep the icc dollar and we’d do a better job for free

[secretzimbo]

We are as bad. It’s the Zimbabwe way. Can’t help ourselves. Me included. Twenty years of shite so we put our begging bowls out and are greatful for every tiny glimmer of hope.

The board got re-elected last month more or less entirely on the basis of putting floodlights up at HSC, which we all thought (me included) was amazing.

As if we weren’t at least 25 years behind every other full member…..

[secretzimbo]

They do a few small good things and we naturally think they are Gods because we are otherwise used to just absolute dog shit administration.


I’m delighted that we have a few more clubs playing club cricket than 5 years ago.


And then I remember that its less than 50% of the number of teams playing 20 years ago.

[secretzimbo]

Alas it is literally a waste of time fighting that battle.

Been there, done that, been burnt. The board is what it is.

Let’s hope they make a few good decisions in the next few months.

[Pat_Bee]

It is our way we post loads that makes cricketing sense and would improve things. Like extending or having more blocks of t20 and cashing on the lights at HSC for it. It doesn’t take much organisation or cost. Just basic stuff. The better we do the more icc dollar there’ll be to cream off. Basic economics.

[Donald]

In a very recent interview Raza said that there were problems in the changing room but that he was a leader who would not share these problems.

What is he alluding to exactly?

[Pat_Bee]

Many of the things we debate like whether Wellington should have been promoted to six, whether Dave/Raz Dawg made the right call batting first on Friday or the biased selection we see will also be going through the players’ heads, it’s only natural. Wez playing down the order in the qualifiers was bizarre. It was plain to see there was little faith and he was being hidden, like why play him in the first place? Same with Ervine really, why even take him when he was clearly injured and unfit to play.

Maybe they aren’t keen on Raz Dawg himself. Off the field he’s a sound guy but on it I’m not sure. Like when he promoted himself to open in the easy qualifiers then didn’t in the Ireland games. Just smacks of him stat-padding against associates. What other point was there to it? Srs yo? It was successful in getting us off to a flier and had merit, why not carry on with that in the Ireland games?!

Truth is under Dave we haven’t really improved, maybe even regressed. Sure when he first came on board we had some success after the Rajput failings but that can be attributed to the bounce you get after a change in management; see it all the time in soccer. In time that waned and Raz Dawg having a stellar year also papered over the cracks. When he’s failed, generally we’ve failed.

Which brings us to the Dave question. He’s a likeable guy, knows the game inside out but at the end of the day he’s failed to qualify for two world cups and lost series he probably should have won. He’s failed to deliver what I imagine (expect?) ZC employed him for. I don’t want him to get chopped but can’t really see how you can’t chop him to be honest. Which leads us to; who’d even want the gig and/or who’d be good enough to improve on Dave’s efforts. Andy Flower ain’t happening in a month of Sundays.

Moral in that dressing room must be so low right now.

[Pat_Bee]

We are as bad. It’s the Zimbabwe way. Can’t help ourselves. Me included. Twenty years of shite so we put our begging bowls out and are greatful for every tiny glimmer of hope.

The board got re-elected last month more or less entirely on the basis of putting floodlights up at HSC, which we all thought (me included) was amazing.

As if we weren’t at least 25 years behind every other full member…..

Ya it’s nice we have the floodlights; welcome to the late 20th century at last even then ZC basically had their backsides kicked into doing it by the t10 guys.


The 2047 WC might be our tournament BT and Hamilton’s grandkids and stuff carrying the torch.

[Googly]

In a very recent interview Raza said that there were problems in the changing room but that he was a leader who would not share these problems.

What is he alluding to exactly?

Well if you keep getting beaten badly its not going to be a happy place.
When we failed under Bvute he waded into the change room cussing and shouting. That's the master servant attitude prevalent in Zimbabwe and that won't change. Look what we've done for you and look how you repay us. I guarantee it. We've given you lights and you can't win a game. There's no internal reflection going on there, believe me.

The coaches are under the pump. DH in particular. Somewhere in the world Ratshit will be smirking quietly. The Director supposedly is sacked, but I doubt it.
The captain is under the pump and probably feels he's carrying the team and is getting frustrated at the lack of contributions from others. Probably also more vocal than other captains at poor selections and poor performances. Probably under personal pressure about not doing well as captain. He'll be the first captain we've had who will question out loud, he's an emotional guy and I would doubt internalises very much.
Ervine and Williams are either under the pump for not being around and/or not playing at the level expected or they're being phased out. Any one of those will contribute to an unhappy dressing room.

Every single person is wondering where the next win is coming from and how. 90% of the players will be questioning their ability to play at this level.

They've got a couple of weeks right in the middle of Xmas to prepare for the impending thrashing about to be administered by Sri Lanka. They're going to waste it by making guys play second rate red ball. The same mistake repeated before the Namibia campaign.
Honestly how do you pick yourself up from this mess. The bosses are going to ponder it over some Veuve Cliquot, Moet Brut and Johnny Walker Double Black and fire some coaches and then start looking at some building plans for the Batonka Stadium and what fittings to put into the Boardroom there. Might need a few trips to other big stadiums to see what they've got.

[mnelson68]

It all comes down to selection , some players get preferential treatment with multiple opportunities whilst others are left to rot. How on earth can you load up with bowlers in t20 and odi games it's astonishing. Particularly when there isn't really a quality 3rd seamer in the system. Got what they deserved and will continue to get these results until they wake up to themselves.