Zim Cricket Grounds - Info & Updates

[ZIMDOGGY]

I have noticed over the years alot of focus on what school players went too when talking about Zimbabwe.
No one gives a fuck what high school i went too or any of the aussie players for example.

my school cricket was a 30 over match every thursday afternoon against other catholic schools in the network. 10 games a year?

No one would associate your school with youth development in any way. That would all come via your weekend club level.

for example, if you were a good under 14s player for Bondi north cricket club, you might try out for the eastern suburbs rep team to play sundays.

In fact, some of the best cricketers never played for their school team because of cricket overload.

[secretzimbo]

Whilst this appears terribly sad on first read it's important for the non Zimbabwean to note that cricket and sport In Zimbabwe has focused on the school level more than most countries. There are some good grounds at that level. And tournaments that other countries don't have for their kids.

I was going to try and do school grounds separately but theres just too many, and info on many is impossible to get. There's still a handful of very good grounds, and another handful of okay grounds that are still used. Again though there are many dozens that are abandoned or disused at schools too.

I have noticed over the years alot of focus on what school players went too when talking about Zimbabwe.
No one gives a fuck what high school i went too or any of the aussie players for example.

my school cricket was a 30 over match every thursday afternoon against other catholic schools in the network. 10 games a year?

No one would associate your school with youth development in any way. That would all come via your weekend club level.

for example, if you were a good under 14s player for Bondi north cricket club, you might try out for the eastern suburbs rep team to play sundays.

In fact, some of the best cricketers never played for their school team because of cricket overload.

Probably partially because of the wider value placed on education here generally. Schools are important in everything, not just cricket, and if you go to a top private or elite gov school (as all the cricket playing schools are) then people are exceptionally proud of it. One of the few reasons Zimbabwe has continued to somehow survive and exist in any form really through the past twenty years is because of our historically excellent education and still-pretty-good education compared to the rest of Africa. People are very attached to and proud of (good) schools. Whereas from my experience in the UK no one really gives a fuck there, unless you go to the top 0.0000001% of schools maybe.

But, I touched upon this in a previous post on this thread - I really wish kids played junior club cricket here. Kids cricket outside of schools doesn't really exist here other than the Bakers Inn stuff in Harare, and they aren't 'clubs' anyway.

Top clubs - I'm looking at Takashinga here - should have U12, U14, U16, U19 teams and training groups competing regularly against the other top clubs.

The fact that development is left to a small handful of random schools and a few overpriced money-spinning 'academies' is pretty shit.

If every club had their own ground then that would help - they'd have the facilities, they'd have the community feel and some level of loyalty and attachment. A 13 year old kid would be playing for Taka U14's and be dreaming of playing for the first team one day.

[secretzimbo]

Can anyone familiar with Bulawayo help identifying these old cricket ovals?

Ground 1 - At Fairbridge/Cecil. & Ground 2 - Off First at the bottom of Townsend Road

[TapsC2]

Can anyone familiar with Bulawayo help identifying these old cricket ovals?

Ground 1 - At Fairbridge/Cecil. & Ground 2 - Off First at the bottom of Townsend Road

The ground by Smokehouse looked fairly well maintained when I was there last time. Didn't even notice it was for cricket but the area is managed pretty well. Dont know if they call it by another name in Bulawayo. I think they even host some events on it now too

[TapsC2]

Busters Sports Club. I think that's the name

[jward]

Can anyone familiar with Bulawayo help identifying these old cricket ovals?

Ground 1 - At Fairbridge/Cecil. & Ground 2 - Off First at the bottom of Townsend Road

I have an idea that was Old Techs.

[secretzimbo]

^ TapsC2: Ahh thanks. Yeah I've heard of Busters as a top rugby club and an apparent good place for a drink or ten but I've never been there or heard of them playing cricket?

Found this; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3fmWoO ... ernational

Looks like its mainly used for soccer and rugby, but the cricket pitch is still there and I think thats a white sightscreen I can see! I wonder when cricket was last played there?

Edit: https://www.facebook.com/Bulawayo-Cente ... 243986332/ - its this place of course!!! Forgot this centre existed. Don't think it's still going though sadly.

[secretzimbo]

Can anyone familiar with Bulawayo help identifying these old cricket ovals?

Ground 1 - At Fairbridge/Cecil. & Ground 2 - Off First at the bottom of Townsend Road

I have an idea that was Old Techs.

Old Techs?

[foreignfield]

Can anyone familiar with Bulawayo help identifying these old cricket ovals?

Ground 1 - At Fairbridge/Cecil. & Ground 2 - Off First at the bottom of Townsend Road

I have an idea that was Old Techs.

Old Techs?

http://www.bulawayomemories.com/CLUBS/o ... sters.html

[secretzimbo]

Thanks! Have updated the list with Busters, and recent updates for Mutare, Masvingo, Kadoma and BAC.