[Series Thread] U19 Quadrangular in India

[totoro]

Ryan Burl showing his class, with an unbeaten 79. It would be horrible to think that he's already gone from Zimbabwe cricket. Hopefully he can be coaxed back before he makes too bigger impact in English club cricket.

[Googly]

Hopefully Gumbie goes to the Tuskers this season, if he's not already on their list. Handy to have if Coventry isn't available.

I'm hearing that franchise will only start next year.

[Googly]

Unfortunately coaching in Zimbabwe has always sought to stifle creativity and teach 'proper' technique.

Don't entirely agree with that. It's a blend of both. Not too many top order batters with no technique. What we lack is game time against quality opposition. Plus also a lack of depth, so once these guys are picked they don't have to worry about their positions, hence don't practice enough to make an u14 team in a proper set up.

[aydee]

Unfortunately coaching in Zimbabwe has always sought to stifle creativity and teach 'proper' technique.[/quot

Don't entirely agree with that. It's a blend of both. Not too many top order batters with no technique. What we lack is game time against quality opposition. Plus also a lack of depth, so once these guys are picked they don't have to worry about their positions, hence don't practice enough to make an u14 team in a proper set up.

And talent...

[Googly]

For sure. If the Indians have 5000 U19 players they will find at least 20 top drawer guys. If Zim has 100 u19 players we will have at least 4. Our ratios are better but just lack the numbers. It's very interesting how many really talented guys we have from such a small base. There should be a study done on Zimbos. Very talented bunch

[Googly]

At all age groups up to u18 we are reasonably competitive but at u19 level we are light years behind. This single year makes the difference and points to lack of competitive games and poor coaching.
Interestingly Michael House came here this weekend with a strong side that does well in SA and got beaten twice at the St' John's T20 festival by St. John's. They were really good games as well. Evans, King, Snyman, Snater, Hopper, Byrom, Murray and Welch fixed them in both games. There are some really good players in this team. Nick Welch's innings in the final was impressive, to say the least, 68 off 40 and not a shot in anger. For a 15 year old to clinically and professionally dismantle a strong bowling attack from strong 18 year olds in a high pressure final is hard to comprehend, but he did it with consummate ease. With the right breaks he's going all the way. It will be interesting to see how long it takes before he gets a big scholarship offer from somewhere.

[sloandog]

At all age groups up to u18 we are reasonably competitive but at u19 level we are light years behind. This single year makes the difference and points to lack of competitive games and poor coaching.
Interestingly Michael House came here this weekend with a strong side that does well in SA and got beaten twice at the St' John's T20 festival by St. John's. They were really good games as well. Evans, King, Snyman, Snater, Hopper, Byrom, Murray and Welch fixed them in both games. There are some really good players in this team. Nick Welch's innings in the final was impressive, to say the least, 68 off 40 and not a shot in anger. For a 15 year old to clinically and professionally dismantle a strong bowling attack from strong 18 year olds in a high pressure final is hard to comprehend, but he did it with consummate ease. With the right breaks he's going all the way. It will be interesting to see how long it takes before he gets a big scholarship offer from somewhere.

Do these boys actually want to play for Zimbabwe, or are they using their school and college cricket to show boat, much like Burl and Lake did in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup

[zimfan1]

At all age groups up to u18 we are reasonably competitive but at u19 level we are light years behind. This single year makes the difference and points to lack of competitive games and poor coaching.
Interestingly Michael House came here this weekend with a strong side that does well in SA and got beaten twice at the St' John's T20 festival by St. John's. They were really good games as well. Evans, King, Snyman, Snater, Hopper, Byrom, Murray and Welch fixed them in both games. There are some really good players in this team. Nick Welch's innings in the final was impressive, to say the least, 68 off 40 and not a shot in anger. For a 15 year old to clinically and professionally dismantle a strong bowling attack from strong 18 year olds in a high pressure final is hard to comprehend, but he did it with consummate ease. With the right breaks he's going all the way. It will be interesting to see how long it takes before he gets a big scholarship offer from somewhere.

Do these boys actually want to play for Zimbabwe, or are they using their school and college cricket to show boat, much like Burl and Lake did in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup

The Burl issue annoys me a bit as he has publicly made it clear that he wants to play county cricket yet comes back to represent the Under 19s, the boy clearly has his own agenda.

Nothing wrong with wanting to play county cricket but he is clearly using Zimbabwe Cricket for his own gains.

[Googly]

I think these are unfair observations/comments. Which player doesn't want to represent his country? The issue is that if you are good enough to make a living from a professional sport then you deserve to do just that. It takes countless hours of dedicated practice to become a good professional cricketer, why should these guys allow themselves to be mismanaged, abused and grossly underpaid (sometimes if at all). By playing for Zim they are putting their faith in an administration that has let them down repeatedly in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. Once committed they are stuck. The real question should be posed to the administration itself. If they are committed patriots and love and understand the game then they should attempt to run it properly or step aside for people that are capable of doing so. They should be properly elected and set out their mandate for their term of office and should be judged by their performance, both past and present.
They could go a long way to alleviating the fears of the players and gaining their support if they were transparent in their dealings and accounting and mapped out a realistic one, two and three year plan that was endorsed by the ICC, the Ministry and the Players' Union. The first thing that is actually required is a proper forensic audit and stiff penalties handed out to people who have misappropriated monies. They also need to trim their staff by 90% (YES!!!)
The ZC does not have a God Given right to have the unswerving allegiance of all the players regardless of how they behave and manage the Union. Their track record speaks for itself. If you really want to test their intentions then ask them to receive as a salary what they pay the average franchise or national player. I could pick a board that would be prepared to do just that, and these people are competent enough to get things moving again because they are successful in their own right. They could also make the necessary decisions before 8.00am every morning.
The real question is not why are players not supporting their Country but why are they? Can you answer that one?

[sloandog]

I think you've gone off on one bro. Me and Zimfan1 totally understand that these boys now deserve a better life than they get in Zimbabwe as they have serious talent in cricket; fine, i get that. But what i don't like is them coming back and using Zimbabwe Cricket to show boat. If you play for Zimbabwe, stick it out, don't come back when ever you feel like it to just boost your ego and your reputation as a cricketer who rose from the African bush. No, not on, and I don't like it.

You're either committed to the cause or not