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I start this thread in order to get your input on ways we can bring up fast bowlers . Since i started following Zim Cricket as early as 1992 I have not seen a consistency in the pace bowlers we bring up .Names that come into mind are Eddo Brandes , Heath Streak , Henry Olonga, Brighton Watambwa , Poomie Mbangwa , Dougie Hondo , Tinashe Panyangara , Chris Mpofu , Andy Bignaut . Of all these we have not been able to have someone who has that consistency of say Shaun Pollock , or the tight length of McGrath , or even unorthodox like Malinga .
if Streaky was not having a good day at the office then we would sneeze . I need these ideas on how we can idntify , nature and bring out genuine pace from the grassroots .
I ask this of you thsi because I am in a position that can set up policy for develepoment in my province ie Manicaland . Your ideas will go a long way in changing the nature of Zim Cricket . In 5-10 years we will be saying it all started from a thread on Zimcricketforums .
I appeal to you we can make the difference through this web of ours ......

I think we need to take stock of the three young fast bowlers we havge and really work on them.

We Have Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chitara and Gerald Alansi (if he wants to) who all bowl with a bit of pace and these three should be continuasly in the presence of Heath Streak who hopefully can nuture them.

In regards to the future we need to get people such as Malcolm Jarvis (yes i know he wasnt that quick) and Guy Whittel to work with the under 13's,14;s and 15's in an effort to home there techniques.

There are many flavours of pacers:

1. Real fast men (Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Shoaib Akhtar, Shane Bond, ...)
2. Round arm nightmarish bowlers (Lasith Malinga, Fidel Edwards, ...)
3. Swing and seam bowlers (Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar, Aqib Javed, ...)
4. Line and length guys (Shaun Pollock, Glenn McGrath, ...)
5. Hit-the-deck / heavy ball guys (Heath Streak, Andrew Flintoff, Peter Siddle, ...)
6. Intelligent variation bowlers (Steve Waugh, Tom Moody, Chris Harris, ...)

Unfortunately, too much importance is being given to tearaway fast bowling these days, probably just because there aren't too many of them around and many feel that lack of this breed is the reason why batsmen have excelled far more these days.

But in trying to come out with their own answers to a Lee and a Bond, cricketing nations are losing out on inherent talent of the young fast men. What could be useful, in Zim's scenario is to nurture these different classes of bowlers and identify what they are leaning towards and guide them well in that direction, so that they become more perfect in their area of expertise.

What can be done? Here are my views:

1. Real fast men: Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chitara, Gerald Aliseni and Co. coached by Heath Streak
2. Round arm nightmarish bowlers: Unearth them, there must be some in schools. Don't try to mend their action, let them develop their natural talent further, under minor guidances from Streak, Bryan Strang and Co.
3. Swing and seam bowlers: Keegan Meth, Ed Rainsford and Co. coached by Bryan Strang, Pommie Mbangwa
4. Line and length guys: Shingi Masakadza, Admire Manyumwa and Co. coached by Gary Brent, Bryan Strang
5. Hit-the-deck / heavy ball guys: Elton Chigumbura, Chris Mpofu, Trevor Garwe and Co. coached by Heath Streak
6. Intelligent variation bowlers: Tawanda Mupariwa, Chamu Chibhabha (he has to develop some intelligence ) and Co. coached by Gary Brent, Pommie Mbangwa

They can all develop a bit of variation, but need to have one thing in their mind as to what is expected of them. This would go a long way in building self confidence and understanding their team expectations. Hope this helps

I was just browsing and discovred that Australia has Academies for Fast Bowling , why dont we send our identified talent there so that it can be fully baked . Then also try to establish our own fast bowling academy .

Flower power i was going to send you a message last night along the same lines as you suggested in your last post before i was sidetracked. Obviously the keys are researching, identifying, selecting and tutoring. But how to go about it? What is Zimbabwe's cricket academy like? Do Zimbabwe have the proper structures and resources to properly identify young players across the ENTIRE country, so young talented players don't slip though the cracks? Do Zimbabwe have enough specalist coaches not only in cricket based advice but things like recovery, game scenarios, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, sports science activities etc. Do they run enough cricket camps, competitions, tours etc for young players?

Flower power if you are in a position to aid young promising cricketers i would seriously consider researching, ringing, e-mailing either Cricket Australia, the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) or the centre for excellence located in Brisbane where all of Australia's young cricketers go to be schooled in all facets of the game. Australia whether you like them or not are clearly the leaders when it comes to developing young cricketers. As you suggested it would certainly help Zimbabwe's young cricketers future to spend some time over there in a first class system to speed up their development. I hope this has been of some assistance.

Pick up the phone Flower Power, you could make a huge difference !!

The Saint wrote: Do Zimbabwe have enough specalist coaches not only in cricket based advice but things like recovery, game scenarios, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, sports science activities etc. Do they run enough cricket camps, competitions, tours etc for young players?

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Zimbabwe definitely lacks in these areas . Talent is abundant but it needs these areas to help it flourish . I guess Zimbabwe has a huge gap that needs to be filled. Countries like Australia are always ahead because of the superior strusctures they have . I f Zim could juss set up the basic structures and maintain then in tyhe long run then results will start speaking for themselves .

Firstly, Zimbabwe Cricket Academy should be fully functional recruiting identified talent every year like they used to. Academy students should then be able to get a period of attachment somewhere,like a couple of fast bowlers get a month attachment at an Australian Fast Bowling Academy to learn more. Since we got a bowling+batting coach, we should have the academy running. We surely can at present start with Jarvis,Aliseni and other young bowlers working with Streak now and having attachments when possible, before you know it we will have fast bowlers.

Flower power wrote:I was just browsing and discovred that Australia has Academies for Fast Bowling , why dont we send our identified talent there so that it can be fully baked . Then also try to establish our own fast bowling academy .

i afraid man,aus is not friend country,india have MRF pace academy where zim can send there pace bowler

jamthala wrote:i afraid man,aus is not friend country,india have MRF pace academy where zim can send there pace bowler

At least 5 Zim players have spent time at the Cricket Australia academy in the past few years. Their Academy side toured Zimbabwe when no-one else would. Walter Chawaguta spent time with them, shadowing their national coach, just after he took over as Zim coach. In terms of helping Zimbabwe develop, Cricket Australia are perfectly friendly, even if the Australian government may not be.