ZC Changes

[TapsC2]

We really missed Evans there. I would have loved to see his new slower ball in those conditions. How bad is his injury? Can he at least make it to Sri Lanka?

Chatara would have been useful in those conditions if he had slowed it down. I actually thought he was going to be key in those conditions if he slowed it down. Jongwe could have been a handful too. He got it completely wrong and I'm certain he has paid the price for it.

[Pat_Bee]

Right/left combo works but when you’re promoting your number nine to make it happen then that’s when the wheels come off.

Larry pulled it out the bag defending a low total vs WI at the 50 over qualifier. That will have been at the back of selectors’ minds for sure. Perhaps Raz Dawg, Blessing or Ritchie should have been in his ear talking him through his overs passing on how pace off seemed to be working.

Whoever thinks Dave Dawg has full control over selection is in cloud cuckoo land I’d have to say.

[Googly]

I think Brad Evans must be almost ready, but what is the likelihood of him getting a call-up after not having played any other cricket? I'd think slim.

That's the other thing with that Larry over. Raza should have told him to bowl off-cutters. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't.
The entire thing was just a mess.

But its done, we can keep dissecting it, but players, coaches and management have to learn from it and move onimmediately, they've got an international in a few days.

My reservation is they're going to be tempted to put in players that aren't ready and we're going to get humped.
It's not a meaningless game, regardless of what people think, the world is watching.

[Googly]

I believe it progressed from bad shin splints to an actual stress fracture. That's not something you see in a leg too often. His right leg as well, you'd think it would have been his front foot.

[TapsC2]

I think Brad Evans must be almost ready, but what is the likelihood of him getting a call-up after not having played any other cricket? I'd think slim.

That's the other thing with that Larry over. Raza should have told him to bowl off-cutters. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't.
The entire thing was just a mess.

But its done, we can keep dissecting it, but players, coaches and management have to learn from it and move onimmediately, they've got an international in a few days.

My reservation is they're going to be tempted to put in players that aren't ready and we're going to get humped.
It's not a meaningless game, regardless of what people think, the world is watching.

Here is the question for me. How bad would it look if we field the same guys and they get pumped? Or if we have a new look squad and we get pumped? Which scenario is worse?

The West Indies are going through a similar selection question. Half the guys we saw in July aren't there anymore. There is the whole issue of Darren Bravo not getting picked besides being the leading domestic run scorer. They didn't pick him because he is 34 and they don't see him being there in 2027. Imagine our core group will be 41 or 42 in 2027.

[TapsC2]

The West Indies are under a lot more pressure than us. Some of their fans are even talking of "importing" the guy who bats with Muyeye. I think his name is Drummond. Same issues being brought up about him having a huge county contract. Look at what they are doing and look at what we are doing.

[secretzimbo]

All this talk of changes is focused on personnel - be it coach, players or board. But in truth we need system changes.

I'm sure we are still a much better ODI side than T20. I am very confident we would have beaten both Namibia and Uganda in 50 over cricket.

It is no surprise when we continue to play 2 weeks of domestic T20 cricket per year. This simply has to change. We've just spent 2 months playing List A and are about to begin 4 months of playing FC cricket. We'll then follow it up with the customary 2 weeks domestic T20 to tick the ICC box.

Yes we've had a (short) NPL T20 and the T10 but generally most of our guys have played exceptionally few T20 games in their careers. This needs to be addressed. T20 cricket ha to become a bigger part of our domestic season. We need to be playing 3 or 4 times the number of games we currently do. Even when we send these 'Emerging' teams, e.g. to SA - they play 50 over cricket.

With Test matches for Zim almost non-existent and some doubt globally about whether 2027 might be the last ever 50 over WC, we really need to accept reality and focus on the shorter format, whether we as fans or even administrators and players like it or not.

[TapsC2]

You are 100% right. 90% of our season is the Logan Cup yet we don't play tests. That doesn't make sense

[sam_ahm]

All this talk of changes is focused on personnel - be it coach, players or board. But in truth we need system changes.

I'm sure we are still a much better ODI side than T20. I am very confident we would have beaten both Namibia and Uganda in 50 over cricket.

It is no surprise when we continue to play 2 weeks of domestic T20 cricket per year. This simply has to change. We've just spent 2 months playing List A and are about to begin 4 months of playing FC cricket. We'll then follow it up with the customary 2 weeks domestic T20 to tick the ICC box.

Yes we've had a (short) NPL T20 and the T10 but generally most of our guys have played exceptionally few T20 games in their careers. This needs to be addressed. T20 cricket ha to become a bigger part of our domestic season. We need to be playing 3 or 4 times the number of games we currently do. Even when we send these 'Emerging' teams, e.g. to SA - they play 50 over cricket.

With Test matches for Zim almost non-existent and some doubt globally about whether 2027 might be the last ever 50 over WC, we really need to accept reality and focus on the shorter format, whether we as fans or even administrators and players like it or not.

Ah! That's obvious. Zimbabwe are a far better ODI side than a T20 side. Anything can happen in T20s.

As disappointed as I am with Zimbabwe missing out on 2024 T20 WC, the event should be a cracker. 4 groups of 5 each makes for a very tough competition and we could see some upsets that can send some top teams packing. Of course the lower ranked teams won't win the event but there can be some upsets for sure.

[secretzimbo]

I’m told most of the cricket committee members were present at the end of the Pro50 final yesterday and seemed to be having their meeting in the early evening.

No word on the outcome yet. I would guess statements tomorrow?