Vusi Left out of Squad, Matsikenyeri returns

[eugene]

A lot of the blame has to go to Vusi. Everyone knew about this rule, we were discussing it as soon as we heard about his Australian stint. If he values Sydney club cricket than the national side we are better-off without him. Taylor and Mawoyo should open with Masakadza at three for the test. The real outrage is how Craig Ervine isn't touring.

[CrimsonAvenger]

It all looks like Vusi becoming the scapegoat of Butcher Vs Makoni cold war.

Vusi might have been naive in rejecting the Rhinos contract in favor of Grade Cricket at Sydney, but the ZC hasn't acted in an appropriate way to address this. It is the same ZC that went after Sean Ervine, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, etc. prior to the CWC, irrespective of a franchise appearance. And why wasn't there a clear press release earlier on their stand on Vusi after he announced his Aussie connection? Very unprofessional and improper conduct by ZC.

[ZIMDOGGY]

It all looks like Vusi becoming the scapegoat of Butcher Vs Makoni cold war.

What cold war?

one squabble= not a war.

Vusi might have been naive in rejecting the Rhinos contract in favor of Grade Cricket at Sydney, but the ZC hasn't acted in an appropriate way to address this. .

What did you want ZC to do? vusi broke a rule, and they probably issued a please explain memo and the explanation wasnt up to par.


ZC: You cant go to australia you risk being not selected.

vusi: whatever im going

ZC: FINE DO THAT SEE WHAT HAPPENS

vusi: fine

ZC: fine

vusi: fine your face

zc: F U

It is the same ZC that went after Sean Ervine, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, etc. prior to the CWC, irrespective of a franchise appearance. And why wasn't there a clear press release earlier on their stand on Vusi after he announced his Aussie connection? Very unprofessional and improper conduct by ZC.

What did you expect the ZC to do?

news reporter:

"We know interrupt this news broadcast to bring you a press release from the head selector of Zimbabwe cricket xxxx xxxx"


"Ladies and gentleman,

I sincerely regret to inform the nation that Vusi Sibanda, our opening batsman...has gone to australia to play cricket for a month. Thus calling his selection into question.

Please keep calm and as a nation work together to get us througgh this rough period in this nations history."






P.S

Y'all also have to remembver that head selector changed from Ali Campbell to someone else.....

new head selector= tighter enforcement of the rules

[FlowerPower]

A lot of the blame has to go to Vusi. Everyone knew about this rule, we were discussing it as soon as we heard about his Australian stint. If he values Sydney club cricket than the national side we are better-off without him. Taylor and Mawoyo should open with Masakadza at three for the test. The real outrage is how Craig Ervine isn't touring.

A bit harsh eugene, Craig was out due to poor form in the chances he got, and going back to find form in FC, done ok, but he hasn't exactly knock down the door for selection. Where I can sympathise, is the fact that lesser players such as Chibaba were in the intial camp, and others even made it to the final 16 (Chakabva, although one can argue that it was on his Keeping, which is absurd considering Mutizwa can keep if anything happened to Taibu, and if we got that desperate Taylor could even keep for the ODI's and T20..not Test though...)

As for Vusi, I just dont get it...rather I smell a conspiracy...he played in this last round of Logan cup...hence he must be contracted unless the Rhinos are using him illegally. What he refused was the T20 contract. Surely you do not mean to imply in order to play Test cricket you must play T20!!! ...As to your insinuation of his valuing grade cricket over national, you mischievously and purposefully misinterpret facts. FACT: Vusi chose grade cricket over our T20. Availed himself for both FC and national duty.

This rule you cite which "all" knew about is all but a technicality to exclude him and use scare/bully tactics and use him as an example. We have gone 50 steps back in my view, and for progressive forumers to even try to understand this let alone champion this flimsy excuse infuriates me ... coming from ZC it is disappointing but hardly surprises, but from forumites....

[ZIMDOGGY]

just because you play Logan doesnt been your contracted...

registered yes, contracted no.

ZC isnt as formal as you'd probably think. People come and go all the time.

That said, Vusi probably is contracted, but he missed the T20 only.....thats Dominus, not really ZC

[hhm]

Zimdoggy you're right in saying that due to a standing rule, Vusi should not have taken risk of going when there was a likelihood that it would've been enforced. We were all aware of that possibility, you raised it before everyone else on this forum, and relevant reports highlighted it following Vusi's interview with Neil Manthorp during the NZ series.

However, the guys are right in their arguments by pointing out that how ZC courted Sean&Grant offset that. Again, the fact that Vusi played for Zim in three series also counts in his favour. The only thing he missed is the T20 tournament, so if they must, then by all means exclude him from the T20 games against NZ, but keep him for the Test&ODIs.

Pertinent questions have been raised, how is it that Vusi was included in the squad of 20, then allowed to play for the Rhinos in the latest round of the Logan Cup, but in the end adjudged to be ineligible for the final touring squad due to technicalities? In the face of it all, ZC are to blame due to their double standards and failure to communicate this when Vusi left, then announcing him in the squad of 20 while conscious of the existence of this rule. Had they not done so, Vusi would still be playing Grade Cricket right now, as I presume he came down after receiving official communication from ZC, that he was part of the squad.

Bottomline for me is that this has got nothing to do with the rule. Evidence or no evidence to me this is tribalism at play! Vusi has been our best batsmen, and at the slightest opportunity to sideline him they grabbed it with both hands. Were this Utseya or Chigumbura like I said, they wouldn't have made it go this far. COnsider the case of Ncube. If Ncube had been Chatara, I doubt there would've been questions of him being dropped, even if he had the same results in the same amount of matches. None of Shingi/Ncube would've been a threat to his position even if they'd been called up. As it stands Mpofu is injured, but if Shingi gets to play in the Test or performs in the ODIs, then I doubt Mpofu would be let back into the Test XI ahead of Shingi. Vitori has just returned from injury, but even if Ncube had performed, they would've replaced him with Vitori in a heartbeat - horrible failure against Pakistana or not!

I know how things work in Zim, and that for me carries more weight than any rule. If you don't believe me, then in the next year, watch closely just how things develop between the two tribes. I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a single Ndebele in either the Test XI or ODI sides at the end of that period!

[Conant]

Zimdoggy you're right in saying that due to a standing rule, Vusi should not have taken risk of going when there was a likelihood that it would've been enforced. We were all aware of that possibility, you raised it before everyone else on this forum, and relevant reports highlighted it following Vusi's interview with Neil Manthorp during the NZ series.

However, the guys are right in their arguments by pointing out that how ZC courted Sean&Grant offset that. Again, the fact that Vusi played for Zim in three series also counts in his favour. The only thing he missed is the T20 tournament, so if they must, then by all means exclude him from the T20 games against NZ, but keep him for the Test&ODIs.

Pertinent questions have been raised, how is it that Vusi was included in the squad of 20, then allowed to play for the Rhinos in the latest round of the Logan Cup, but in the end adjudged to be ineligible for the final touring squad due to technicalities? In the face of it all, ZC are to blame due to their double standards and failure to communicate this when Vusi left, then announcing him in the squad of 20 while conscious of the existence of this rule. Had they not done so, Vusi would still be playing Grade Cricket right now, as I presume he came down after receiving official communication from ZC, that he was part of the squad.

Bottomline for me is that this has got nothing to do with the rule. Evidence or no evidence to me this is tribalism at play! Vusi has been our best batsmen, and at the slightest opportunity to sideline him they grabbed it with both hands. Were this Utseya or Chigumbura like I said, they wouldn't have made it go this far. COnsider the case of Ncube. If Ncube had been Chatara, I doubt there would've been questions of him being dropped, even if he had the same results in the same amount of matches. None of Shingi/Ncube would've been a threat to his position even if they'd been called up. As it stands Mpofu is injured, but if Shingi gets to play in the Test or performs in the ODIs, then I doubt Mpofu would be let back into the Test XI ahead of Shingi. Vitori has just returned from injury, but even if Ncube had performed, they would've replaced him with Vitori in a heartbeat - horrible failure against Pakistana or not!

I know how things work in Zim, and that for me carries more weight than any rule. If you don't believe me, then in the next year, watch closely just how things develop between the two tribes. I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a single Ndebele in either the Test XI or ODI sides at the end of that period!

Nci nci nci... *smh*. Really, I am lost for words. What begins very well, ends very badly. For an extraordinarily intelligent person, you can really offer some dumb theories and explations...

[foreignfield]

Guys, I'm just shocked and sad, for cricket in general is the looser here. We will never know who said what and who laid down which rules in what fashion behind the scenes, but it's the kind of mess we all know too well from years gone bye ... Some of you have said it before, and it's true, we need a professional cricketers' association, and, I would add, administrators, who do consider the players as their equals, and not like an authoritarian headmaster does his pupils.

I'm simply gutted.

[betterdays]

What did you want ZC to do?

Whether or not they had a responsibility to do so, this would've been a start:
1). Respond publicly to Butcher's public comments that "for [him], Vusi would play a part in NZ [sik]"
2). Tell Vusi categorically that the rule will be enforced
3). NOT invite him back to join the squad (considering this meant he cut his stint in Oz short)
4). Apologise for (or, minimally, explain) publically why Sean was encouraged to flout this rule (and do so very publically)

new head selector= tighter enforcement of the rules

I can buy that and see all the more reason for the above ... and he could've done 4) with the usual newly incumbent polictical explaination; "it's was the other guy who done it"!

[PieChucker]

Pleased to see that idiocy as resumed normal service at ZC.
Nose safely removed, face spited (or is that spitten?)