Zimbabwe vs Pakistan | 2nd t20 | 03 December 2024

[Googly]

That's actually a legit question-
How is it that Raza is playing all the games and the other two are being "phased" out?
They're all 38 or 39. How are they going to be around for the 2027 WC?

[secretzimbo]

Oh and we've got BT. He would be a great coach !

Maybe he will be, once his ban ends.

[Googly]

Burl is apparently there for his skin colour. Needs to go immediately.

[TapsC2]

The question people need to ask is do kids learn from baptisms of fire like this or are they better off playing at a slightly lower level than this to build confidence. If this is the best way to learn then let it continue if not we need to rethink.


My suggestion is that they take these kids out of the team and run a parallel 'A' programme to the national team. I don't see how much learning they are doing getting pumped like this. 20 years ago when everything collapsed they took the kids then out of the international limelight and let them work on their game for a good 4 to 5 years. That's why a lot of people don't remember games like this. We were playing associates and second string teams mainly.

There are enough players out there to import and guys sitting on the sidelines to play for another 3 years whilst these kids develop away from all this but if people feel like this is how they improve then let it continue but pick guys who have a chance of making it

[Googly]

Yeah a tiny handful learn. They just look at the opposition and want to be better and believe they will be. They have to have a huge skillset and need the right coaching. They have to want to save Zimbabwe cricket, not hope to just do enough to get picked next game. We need Houghtons and Flowers.

Take them out and replace them with who? The big 3 are not going to be here in 2027!! We need to find replacements for those guys right now and give them a chance to develop, never mind replacing the guys that aren't quite cutting it yet.

Run a parallel A side? You're joking aren't you? That would require skill and planning and money and no bias. It's a non starter.

The only guys there that have the excuse of being inexperienced at international level are Gwandu, Myers and Musekiwa. The rest are past first base. We have to stop playing that card, it's almost as bad as the race card.

I've watched a lot of cricket. Musekiwa will struggle at this level, as will Madande. I'll keep saying it and i will keep being proven right for the next 2 years. Wes has had his struggles, probably has the skills but without a strong head and potentially an ongoing dependency issue it's pointless. Faraz is not an international bowler. Zero point in him being there for his batting. Every single franchise cricketer in this country knows why he's there. How do you tell guys to work hard and one day you will make it like Faraz has?

I've warned against our generational talent Dion batting at 3 from our domestic cricket. It's almost a bridge too far, but they're going to persevere with him for a long time. Hopefully it works out, he's decent. Is he strong enough and good enough to survive the steep learning phase and the pressure?
Other big teams will put in sharp youngsters and they seem to get it right more times than not. Look at these Pakistanis and Afghans (but add 5 years to their declared age). Look at Bethel. I thought he was crap actually but he's learnt fast

Bennett has actually been really good. Doesn't quite fail, doesn't quite succeed, but doesn't look overawed at all and he's been thrown right into the deep end.
Bravo!
Marumani looks like he has the talent, but he's taking his sweet time getting there, a low learning curve. He's actually got a huge fan base here for a guy that hasn't quite gotten there yet. Oh the desperation
The second he and Maru started well the shit these commentators started talking is embarrassing. Just let them play and stop blowing smoke ffs.
Every foreign commentator comes here, gets told we're in the re-building phase and looks for any excuse to say something encouraging. It's so lame. It's been 25 years of the same nonsense.

When Bhawa gets back after very little cricket for the last few years they can put him at 3 and scramble his head and give Dion a bit of a break down the order if he's not coping. There's no learning curve from the hierarchy. Do they high 5 each other and go- damn David you would be an excellent selector if these guys could just play better, they're letting you down mate! Then go into the change room and shit on them, that'll work.

Where are they developing these guys? Not in our domestic. They've said NPL and franchise doesnt really count. Two A games a year? That's not going to work.
The chances of anyone coming back to this mess are slim. The writing is on the wall. 2027 Tick Tock.

NW tried and got soundly fucked over. Where would he be after 40 internationals? I'll absolutely guarantee way way ahead of these lads. Curran is here and will probably get a shot before anyone else, and will do better than the current team, he's played a higher level of cricket for a long time. May not set it alight but he will emphatically be more dependable and he's not even a T20 player.

[TapsC2]

Without these kids we could have a team like
Batsmen
Curran\Kaitano
Gumbie\ K-Long
N Welch\Naqvi
Ervine
Williams
Raza
Burl/Campbell

Bowlers
Jongwe
Evans when fit
Mavuta
Mufudza
Ainsley
Wellington
Chivhanga
Blessing
Ngarava

Until 2027. Zero imports. If you are serious you can import and replace some of the older guys if they won't be here in 2027. It's theoretically possible but they won't want to do it financially. I honestly don't see them doing worse without the kids. I probably forgot a few other guys as well

The kids actually have a squad which names itself with no bias.

[Pat_Bee]

The only guys there that have the excuse of being inexperienced at international level are Gwandu, Myers and Musekiwa. The rest are past first base. We have to stop playing that card, it's almost as bad as the race card.

Ya they showed a stat our average squad age was 26 and played something like 600 innings and Pakistan’s average was 25 and played 300 innings. Can’t remember the exact figures. Either way, raza and Burl can’t have inflated our figures by that much.

Being very generous the aren't experienced against quality opposition because we’re always playing Comoros and Togo at the African games and sub-sub-sub qualifiers. The boys have played a lot of games.

[Kriterion_BD]

Dunno if u guys have seen this Bangladeshi youngster bowling 150?

Ian Bishop just mentioned on commentary that he's the 2nd fastest bowler by average speed in Test cricket in 2024. Never thought I'd see the day that was said about a Bangladeshi seamer.

But trying to think who would be first. Only guy I think thats been faster on a consistent basis would be Mark Wood.

[Googly]

Our brains trust will be neck deep in Green Label and Singo hookers tonite.

[secretzimbo]

I see Dion Ebrahim has been on, saying our batters are still learning and we are in - of course! - a ‘transition period’.

Would that be the same transition period we were in when he was last seen here twenty years ago? I don’t know, twenty years seems like a bloody long transition to me. Only another twenty years to go