Taibu to launch Zim Cricket Academy based in Merseyside!

[auszim]

Also, good work, Ninja Sporting.

- cheers mate

They've launched their twitter account for the Academy @ZimbabweAcademy.

[Flakeman]

16 Man Squad named. Absolutely shocking. Some absolute mediocrity in there.

[zimfan1]

Flash Sports
Zimbabwe Academy tour squad announced


ZIMBABWE CRICKET ACADEMY ANNOUNCES 16 MAN SQUAD FOR ENGLISH SUMMER TOUR

Players of note include Test debutant from last year, Carl Mumba, as well as Tarisai Musukanda and Ryan Burl, who have recently made their Zimbabwe ODI debuts.

Zimbabwe Cricket convener of selectors and consultant Tatenda Taibu in his objective to resurrect Zimbabwe Cricket has announced a 16 member ‘Zimbabwe Academy’ squad for that will tour England this summer. Four players, namely Ryan Burl, Tarasai Musakanda, Carl Mumba and Richard Ngarava are currently in the national squad for the five-match ODI series against Afghanistan.

The squad consists of a solid batting unit highlighted by the elegant left-hander Ryan Burl. The 22-year-old, who since his selection for the Zimbabwe U19 squad in 2014, has made significant strides in domestic cricket, while also completing several stints of league cricket in England and studying at Southampton Solent University.

The squad contains great strength in their seam bowling department. The 21-year-old Mumba, who impressed everyone with a significant 4 wicket haul in the second innings of his Test match debut against Sri Lanka, will try and make the most of the English conditions.

Uncapped Blessing Muzarabani, who at 6 feet six inches has already made a few headlines with his height and pace, will be a definite asset for the touring squad. William Mashinge and Faraz Akram are named as all-rounders, while the spin department will consist of right arm off-break bowler Thamsanqa Nunu, who is also very capable with the bat, along with leg-spinner Brandon Mavuta, who are 18 and 19 years-old respectively.

Tatenda Taibu, who is overseeing the tour along with coach Stuart Matsikenyeri, said: “We have selected a strong group of players, with an excellent mix of youth and relative experience.

“Getting the squad down to just 16 players was an incredibly hard task and there are several players who were very unlucky not to make the cut. We hope to see them involved in future Academy projects.”

The former wicketkeeper and national captain added: “These 16 players have demonstrated their cricketing ability but also show potential to become great ambassadors for Zimbabwe cricket in the future. The aim of the tour, which will include some challenging matches, is to help them realise these ambitions.”

The Academy squad has already confirmed fixtures against Worcestershire and Northants 2nd XIs as well as ECB Premier League representative sides.

Taibu has set up the project with Liverpool-based Flash Sports, who will provide off-field support for the tour.

The squad has not been assigned an official captain and instead all players will be sharing duties on the tour. This will allow Taibu an important insight to the leadership potential of all the players.

Full Squad:

Batsmen:

Ryan Burl

Tinashe Kamunhukamwe

Taffy Mupariwa(WK)

Tafadzwa Tsiga(WK)

Tarisai Musukanda

Tylor Trenoweth

All-rounders:

William Mashinge

Faraz Akram

Seam bowlers:

Carl Mumba

Blessing Muzarabani

Tendai Nyamayaro

Mkhului Nyathi

Richard Ngarava

Kuziva Ziwira

Spin bowlers:

Thamsanqa Nunu

Brandon Mavuta

Any info on any of the following:

Thamsanqa Nunu
Kuziva Ziwira
Tendai Nyamayaro
Faraz Akram
Tylor Trenoweth

[Flakeman]

Kuziva Ziwira is an average at best medium pacer who can't bat. Hardly played 1st league cricket

Faraz Akram another very dubious selection. Can't see how he got picked as he is never around and isn't anything special.

Tylor Trenoweth? He played in the same league as Diplock in the UK last year. Didn't do half as well but must have been born here in Zim.

Tendai Nyamararo is a left arm seamer. Pretty much it.

Don't know Nunu

Blessing Muzarabani is tall? What else has he got to offer besides a high economy?

Tsiga?! Really?

Wow this a terrible team.

Basically at the end of the day people like Herbert Chikomba, Brandon Diplock, and Dylan Hondo can feel very aggrieved by this as this is simply a shocker? What research did Taibu do?

[zimbofan88]

Diplock is not happy

[CrimsonAvenger]

So what happens when some of these guys like Burl, Mumba, Musakanda and Ngarava have national duties? Will there be replacements sent to the academy side? Or will some locals fill in the gaps? Have they thought about it? Or will these 4 actually miss first team opportunities because they are on tour with the academy? Would that mean more of the old faces for the National team again?

[sloandog]

Right gents, here's a little something about Mr Trenowerth, and I'm telling you this as a first hand witness and team mate from last summer.

1 - One of the most talented batters I've ever seen. He has every single shot in the book, whether it be on the front foot or the back foot. I have literally never seen anybody (at Premier League Level) hit a cricket ball as hard as Tyler did against Aston and Tilsley last year, when he scored 139*. He's a beast of a boy as well, very powerful and has a very good technique with ferocious hand eye co-ordination.

2 - He did not play in the same league as Diplock last summer; Brandon played in Division 2 and Tyler played in Division 1. Additionally Tyler had a side strain for 60% of the summer which hindered his bowling and to an extent, his batting. He scored six 50's on the trot and scored a ton towards the end of the summer with a strike rate of 143. He is, legit, a potential ODI opening option. He's that talented..

3 - He's got pace. I kept wicket to him last summer and on occasions he really slipped himself on some of the green bouncy tracks we produced. Genuinely nice bloke, he knows what he wants and it isn't test cricket. Said he wants to play ODI Cricket and T20 Cricket. His parents are Zimbabwean while he was born in Natal S.A.

I'm actually so stoked that this guys talent is being recognized. He was never going to get a gig in S.A because of the quote policy there, and he mentioned he was speaking to 'an ex Zimbabwe wicket keeper' (Taibu) last summer. So this has been in the pipeline for a while. Physically in top condition, built like a bull, electric fielder with an equal amount of talent with both bat and ball. 100% belongs in that squad. Would love to Know Flakeman's relationship with Dipaz and he mentions him a lot...

[Flakeman]

You know more about Tyler than I do !

Thought it as a bit suspect as he's never been in Zim circles, neither was he born here. Looked at his UK stats and were very average.

But there is genuinely a few mickey mouses in that squad.

And Sloandog, They both played in the Grtr Man LEAGUE. I'll say this again, I rate Diplock as a talent and only follow him as I used to
play for Old Hararians myself many years ago and have
played a game or two of social league with him in the winter and tend to get to know people during those games (anyone who plays social league will know what I mean)
Needs some more fitness as said but a good player. At the end of the day he, Dylan Hondo, and Herbert Chikomba didn't make this squad due to dubious circumstances. That's a given if you look at who are in their places. Why so aggressive?

Dylan Hondo. I, for the life of me, cant figure out how he's missed out? He's head and shoulders above Mavuta as a player. Well consistency wise anyway. Nunu sounds a joke. His batting is really good too. Left arm option. Plus his brother is a ZC boy.

[L.S]

Got to say this a terrible squad. I happen to know almost all of these kids from spectating. Got to agree that the fact Nunu, Ziwira, Nyamararo, Muzarabani, Akram and Nyathi got selected before Hondo, Diplock, and Chikomba is a true oddity. It's a no brainer to be honest. Poor guys.

[Googly]

If Trenowerth was not born here and doesn't seem to have spent much time here, what am I missing? I'm surprised that Dylan .... (the white SA lad that briefly played for U19??) hasn't put his hand up as well. Some of those selections stink.