Zimbabweans in the UK/Europe Club Cricket (2022)

[sloandog]

Good luck to him. Always rated PJ

[Zimco]

Wouldn't Byrom be eligible for Ireland too?

[secretzimbo]

Yes

[secretzimbo]

Good luck to PJ.

I find it difficult to understand or get my head around though. I have no issue whatsoever with young guys going off and building a career elsewhere, but to do it mid-career after representing and even captaining Zim is a bit more controversial. There's interviews out there from years gone by where he specifically talked about his patriotism and passion for playing for his country and its a dream come true and all this and he's so proud. It's kind of weird to see him go off and play for Ireland now. I get that we are at rock bottom currently and everything is a mess, but come on...it's Ireland. It's not like he's going to play for England or Australia. Are Ireland really that appealing? They appear to play even fewer professional domestic cricket than we do here and seem to get about the same - maybe less - international fixtures. I can't imagine their national contracts are particularly lucrative either?

He needed to go anyway to refresh his career. He was actually on the decline here so hopefully for him the fresh start gives him some impetus to progress his game again. He wasn't tearing it up here the past couple of seasons.

Just looked at his Ireland stats - one stunning innings but not much else. Averages around 20 in domestic T20 cricket there.

[secretzimbo]

Averaged 9.60 in the Zim domestic T20 this season at a strike rate of 84

Did well in the Pro50 but still fewer runs at a lower average than Wellington Masakadza, which is interesting.

Good luck to him and Ireland.

[Googly]

I know he clashed badly with someone who shall remain nameless who now is a boss. The fact is you can be a decent player, not make runs and be staring down the barrel of at least one great season to get back on the radar, maybe 4 seasons if youve butted heads with the boss! People are spiteful and vindictive. That's not too appealing in this environment. There he can leap frog some stuff just on the reputation of having been an international cricketer.

That's a valid issue here- who actually enjoys their franchise cricket? Practically everyone, especially the white guys, play with the aim of making the national side. I say that because if you're one up with guys you wouldnt ordinarily socialize with you're not having much humour. Who is specifically playing for their team and their team mates? The teams chop and change, there's generally no set schedule, impromptu North vs South "trial" games etc. There's just no continuity. To date franchise games have just been a necessary box ticking exercise to retain membership. It's only been this season that they've realised people need to play cricket or we're in shit. That horse has all but bolted. We're now playing the games and the standard is shit. In theory it has to improve. Multiple games are the minimum prerequisite. Now the players need proper preparation for those games and be the best they can be. The franchise and the clubs need that nucleus of good senior players to make it work. Does that exist here?

[Donald]

176 for Byrom playing for glamorgan in latest game and he has 4 County hundreds.
We lost a good one there
Welch must be the low hanging fruit. Any chance for houghton fairy dust to be sprinkled to get byrom back?

[Googly]

I don't know if Byrom has a list A hundred? His forté is red ball. He's incredibly patient and technically gifted. He's never featured in List A, but I believe this Glamorgan contract will change that. I would think he may still have England aspirations, he needs to churn out a couple of big scores on the trot and then he's in sight of a Lions call-up.
If he doesn't manage that then he has the Ireland option if he wants to play international cricket, which surely is on every good player's radar at some point in their careers and he'd be welcomed there with open arms. He really is a superb player. The problem is Irish players are now deemed overseas players so he'd have to be that good that he'd get an overseas contract. He needs more runs and more consistency before that happens. I believe it will. I think we will see some good things from him at Glamorgan.
The problem is always the family and girlfriend/wife.
His family is in the UK and I'm sure he will have an English girlfriend. Those are major stumbling blocks.
I'm sure Ballance has an English wife?
The ladies have to be happy or your life is miserable.
Ya I'd think Ed is out of reach at the moment. The time to have made a play for him was at the end of his bad time at Somerset. You get 176 and it stands you in good stead for a while, plus his hundred at Lords in the final. He can easily have a bad run and be approachable, but I don't think for a while, that bird has flown.
ZC and most people just don't understand the difference in caliber between someone like Ed and most of our players. Maybe they're starting to, maybe they'll believe it coming from Mr. H? Maybe he's been instructed to make do? Who knows...

[TapsC2]

I will never know how PJ didn't go on to have a huge career. He had a big reputation in school cricket. PJ, Lake and a certain Jaure. 15 years ago I would have bet a lot of money that those guys would have been ones leading us now. Interesting how that turned out. I don't even think Lake plays cricket anymore. Jongwe is another one. Big reputation. The same kind of reputations that Wes and Shumba have

[Googly]

Jongwe still looks useful with his decent change-ups and you can see he's got some potential with the bat, but he's really let that go. He takes wickets with shit deliverie, you just can't buy that, golden arm. Under good supervision he really would have been a good all rounder, not too late I suppose.
He was really quick as a schoolboy, also lost some pace, but he's too heavy.
Keith also was a talented all rounder but let the batting go.
He still bowls decently, but hasn't come close to his potential.