Match Thread: Only Test Zimbabwe v Ireland (6th -10th February 2025)

[Kriterion_BD]

It's tough winning with our best team on the park, with the wish list team it's impossible unless one player like Raza has a blinder.

The Afghan Test, Raza-Williams-Ervine were all amongst the runs, Zimbabwe had a 80+ first innings lead, and still went on to lose. The overall quality just isn't there. Mind you, Zimbabwe close to Ireland in white ball formats, and close to Afghanistan in red ball...but in one or other formats, they're behind half in skills and half in mentality.

But I don't think there's any 3 year deadline with regards to the ICC vs Zimbabwe. If that were to have happened it would have happened already. Thats not to say anything is permanently written into stone, but for the forseeable future, the ICC is going to retain the 12 full members setup with all the perks that go along with it.

[Googly]

Scotland, Namibia and Ireland are probably stronger than our wish list team, and that's all we're ever going to see on the park. At some point they, and other Associates are going to keep asking why we get big funding and they don't. America, UAE and Canada are probably not too far behind- especially USA, they looked damned good to me.

The fact is we have decent players, if they all played.
We are also short a really good captain in every format.
We have existing players that are content with their lot in life and don't seem to want to pull out all the stops. They don't believe they can win. Hard to believe you can when you know you're in a B team.

[Kriterion_BD]

Ireland had been asking that question since true 2017 World Cup and they finally got full membership 10 years later. They seem to be serious about test cricket just can’t afford to play it or have a FC league. The socialist Test fund should come back and be funded by the top 9 WTC teams - especially the BCCI since they have 75% of the money despite not even being the best team (thanks Australia!).

[Googly]

USAID should have been in on associate cricket from the get go.

[Pat_Bee]

Where's Pat Bee

Got a gig shiteposting on some franchise forum, put that ahead of Zim cricket for 2 weeks.

[Pat_Bee]

Crazy test, should have won it. What a revelation Wez was though.