we’ve long spoken of how this forum might one day fall into darkness should cricket in Zimbabwe die. I remember as far back as our first test match after readmission (Kopje I think said it), that even though the game looked rosy and on the up, the background noise would still be shady and corrupt, that we were simply prolonging our inevitable plunge into oblivion; looks like he was right, only 8 years too early.
So to try and kick start this again, I want some members to speak of their favourite times since being a part of this fantastic forum. I’ll lead by example.
For me, 2009 was a particularly fond time, mainly the home ODI series against Bangladesh. We’d welcomed back a number of my favourite players and it was the first series we’d returned to the traditional ZC Logo! Mad Mark, Charles Coventry and Brendan Taylor all made comebacks, while it was the first time I’d seen Graeme Cremer bowl since the 2005 test series in SA. Plus, I got to see Ray Price in a Zimbabwe shirt again. I think we may have lost, but I was hooked.
Just reliving old stories wont do much, we have all done it many times before. Zims legacy is all memories at this time.
Basically 95% of this forum signed up on the back of them being fans of the interesting 90's and early 2000's teams.
Every passing year that is a fading memory. There is a whole generation of people that have no idea about this team we refer too.
If you are under 25, you simply would not know or have been too young to remember any sort of Zimbabwe success or players like Andy Flower.
Our forum is actually remarkably young all things considered, there is alot in the under 35's region, but to back up my point, I dont know of any regular here south of 25.
When I joined up in 2011 or so, there were alot of teen members.
Yes, this forum has never been so quiet, this is true. Last week, I counted three full days where we didnt get one post from anyone, something I have never seen before. Even then the deadlock was broken by a random nonsense Mueddie post if memory serves.
The one facebook group I am still a member of has also taken a huge dip, and when there is action, its just as likely its a post about some West Indian highlight than a Zim one. A black thing I guess?
BUT,
This Forum generally follows the activity of the Zim team itself.
If they played a test match next week, it will be a 8-10 pages easily.
The forum bubbles along when the team is.
Most fans enjoy cricket, thats the inherent interest in the team, the sideshow of politics is tiring too many out there.
In 2018, this forum was as popular as it was in 2012.
The forum isnt dead yet. We just need games against a proper opposition.
That said, the long term patronage of the forum will depend on ZC. We cant go for another ten years and expect activity when the Taylor/Raza generation retire and we arent playing games.
We need new memories.
How good was Wallers 99*?
How good was Prospers hat trick before we found out he was a cheat.
Or Mawoyo's 150+ in the Pakistani test?
We need more of that. This was all about 5 years ago.
ZC need to start organising games.
I understand that if they are as broke as they are a temporary dp in games is ok, but its time to reboot this because interest in the game is dying. Pople used to whinge on facebook alot. They may be whinging but its because they have passion. The absence of this shows the passion isnt there as much.
It isnt dead but its on life support and the engine needs to rev again, need to act soon.
If it happns, the forum will bubble again, and we might get a generation of new fans in a couple of years.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:
FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay
I'm here fellas. Just riding out the doom. I am committed to Zim regardless. Just not interested in the garbage posts or the trolls. The Dogg is right. If there is any cricket it will be followed on the cricket forum.
its lik anything really.
in Oz, no one gives a F about the national soccer team until its coming up to world cup time, then you'd swear Sydney was Brazil.
Likewise, who knows whats going on in swimming or the olympics, then everyone all of a sudden is a student of track and field.
out of sight, out of mind for the majority.
The forum will come alive with a good quality game.
People like Kopje who Sloan refers too will rear from the dead like they never left, like they always do.
Last edited by ZIMDOGGY on Thu Aug 22, 2019 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:
FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay
oh yeah,
another thing that hasnt helped forum patronage is the sign up rules. Need ten posts approved, and the admins arent always here.
Iget why, its to stop spambots and trolls. The side effect though is less new members that leave in frustration. They arent roped in and hooked.
I'ld reduce it to two posts (or three at the most) and after that you get on right away. I am on football and cricket forums in the UK and not a single one has a ridiculous ten post rule. You register and if you don't abide by the forum rules you are banned. What could be simpler?
I've made numerous posts on this forum in the past (mainly answering statistical queries) but as they never appeared I lost interest and thought why bother. I doubt if many 'spambots and trolls' would appear and if they do should be easy to block
When there is no cricket being played in Zim then there is not much anybody can discuss (apart from ZC Board, Zim economy/politics)
Let's be honest as far as the "major" cricket countries are concerned Zim cricket may as well be on the other side of the moon
We’ve lost a lot of participants, it makes it more personal when a couple of forumites don’t like each other. People pop their heads in and see some nasty stuff and I’d guess a few decide to not contribute.
oh yeah,
another thing that hasnt helped forum patronage is the sign up rules. Need ten posts approved, and the admins arent always here.
Iget why, its to stop spambots and trolls. The side effect though is less new members that leave in frustration. They arent roped in and hooked.
I'ld reduce it to two posts (or three at the most) and after that you get on right away. I am on football and cricket forums in the UK and not a single one has a ridiculous ten post rule. You register and if you don't abide by the forum rules you are banned. What could be simpler?
I've made numerous posts on this forum in the past (mainly answering statistical queries) but as they never appeared I lost interest and thought why bother. I doubt if many 'spambots and trolls' would appear and if they do should be easy to block
When there is no cricket being played in Zim then there is not much anybody can discuss (apart from ZC Board, Zim economy/politics)
Let's be honest as far as the "major" cricket countries are concerned Zim cricket may as well be on the other side of the moon
I agree with you. That’s how I’d play it.
I famously offered to mod a couple of years ago (as someone who visits daily) but admin dismissed it and dismissed it in a mocking fashion. Lost interest after that. No love lost though between us though.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:
FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay
we’ve long spoken of how this forum might one day fall into darkness should cricket in Zimbabwe die. I remember as far back as our first test match after readmission (Kopje I think said it), that even though the game looked rosy and on the up, the background noise would still be shady and corrupt, that we were simply prolonging our inevitable plunge into oblivion; looks like he was right, only 8 years too early. 