Zimbabwe's Test future

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Robbo
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Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by Robbo »

With 2 tests v the West Indies about to start, and the new ICC 9-3 test league announced, can anyone throw any light on what it actually means test-wise for Zimbabwe moving forward?

I understand that Zimbabwe are now grouped with Ireland and Afghanistan,and will play them, but how do Zimbabwe play the top 9? I see that Ireland have their debut test vs Pakistan next May, but this would seem to be an extra game arranged between the two nations. Is this what Zimbabwe will have to do?

So how do Zimbabwe get games against the top tier nations??

Sorry if this has already been discussed here, but I'm trying to work it out with regards to Tests. The ODI format appears good, because it will give us regular ODI series, but Test cricket is certainly my favourite format, and from what I read on these forums, quite a few other fans as well.

Any thoughts or info welcome.

Mueddie28
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by Mueddie28 »

Robbo wrote:
Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:46 pm
With 2 tests v the West Indies about to start, and the new ICC 9-3 test league announced, can anyone throw any light on what it actually means test-wise for Zimbabwe moving forward?

I understand that Zimbabwe are now grouped with Ireland and Afghanistan,and will play them, but how do Zimbabwe play the top 9? I see that Ireland have their debut test vs Pakistan next May, but this would seem to be an extra game arranged between the two nations. Is this what Zimbabwe will have to do?

Everyone knows Zimbabwe will get matches as touring Teams going to South Africa can get practice matches with Zimbabwe...


So how do Zimbabwe get games against the top tier nations??

Sorry if this has already been discussed here, but I'm trying to work it out with regards to Tests. The ODI format appears good, because it will give us regular ODI series, but Test cricket is certainly my favourite format, and from what I read on these forums, quite a few other fans as well.

Any thoughts or info welcome.

TapsC
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by TapsC »

I think The test league only starts after the World Cup so according to the ftp we still have quite a few interesting games lined up next year including SA Australia Pakistan NZ and Bangladesh. The Aussie tour is what I am looking forward to if it goes ahead with 2 tests scheduled. It might turn out to be the busiest cricketing year we have ever had if you include the qualifiers and I'm sure Afghanistan as well.

http://www.cricschedule.com/ftp/team/zimbabwe.html

When the league kicks in I am assuming that the ICC made CSA promise to give us the 4 day warmup games that are usually given to their emerging team for touring teams and then call them "revolutionary 4 day tests". So it will see us playing maybe 3 "4 day tests" a year against some top teams on top of the games against Afghanistan and Ireland.. Ireland will probably be given the same games by England and Afghanistan have got a lot of options. There is a method to all this madness and the ICC are just spoon-feeding us slowly this information.

What we need to make sure happens is that we need to use the next 3 years to get really competitive and force our way into the next cycle of the test league. We have an ageing team so its time to really look for some young talent and slowly blend them into the test team.

pariah
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by pariah »

TapsC wrote:
Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:10 am
The Aussie tour is what I am looking forward to if it goes ahead with 2 tests scheduled.
You're very brave.
When the league kicks in I am assuming that the ICC made CSA promise to give us the 4 day warmup games that are usually given to their emerging team for touring teams and then call them "revolutionary 4 day tests". Ireland will probably be given the same games by England and Afghanistan have got a lot of options.
They can't afford to do that, and will probably seek to discourage it whereeve rpossible. Because of transformation and the sheer number of players in the queue, CSA have no choice but to play them in such games(ENG don't have the same luxury so can afford to. AFG host within IND too so possible for them, but like SA, IND have so much depth they need to expose. Credit to IND for being sporting and not deliberately providing weak sides for tour matches lately). What will happen with regard to SA is direct bilateral Emerging, A and to a less extent Int matches with ZIM. Nothing more, and rightfully so. But hopefully the dog gts a bone because sides like NZ & AUS would do it without CSA involvement, just as PAK have just done with IRE minus ECB involvement.
There is a method to all this madness and the ICC are just spoon-feeding us slowly this information.
No. I can assure you the only method was to toss ZIM into the trash can and it's worked. The plan was do do that to both ZIM and BD, but BD had other ideas or basically a "purple patch" and a market that decided to respond at the right time.
What we need to make sure happens is that we need to use the next 3 years to get really competitive and force our way into the next cycle of the test league. We have an ageing team so its time to really look for some young talent and slowly blend them into the test team.
My bold prediction is that sides like SCO, NED, NEP etc stand a greater chance of being promoted to expand that "League of 3" rather than ZIM returning to the "elite" EVER again!

Was promotion-relegation covered at great length in this 9-3 discussion by the ICC?

ZIMDOGGY
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by ZIMDOGGY »

This 9-3 shit is just a sleight of hand trick.

Zimbabwe have beeen demoted, but instead of calling them an associate they are rebranding it '2nd tier test countries'

It's no different than a 4 day 'test' between UAE and Netherlands that we all paid half attention to two years ago.

It's like when I tacked on 'manager' at the end of my LinkedIn title and resume. Felt warm and gooey inside but still a shitkicker.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:

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BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay

'The' Gus Mackay.

Hero.
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**
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A. UNDA DA ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE*

pariah
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by pariah »

ZIMDOGGY wrote:
Mon Oct 16, 2017 10:22 am
This 9-3 shit is just a sleight of hand trick.

Zimbabwe have beeen demoted, but instead of calling them an associate they are rebranding it '2nd tier test countries'

It's no different than a 4 day 'test' between UAE and Netherlands that we all paid half attention to two years ago.

It's like when I tacked on 'manager' at the end of my LinkedIn title and resume. Felt warm and gooey inside but still a shitkicker.
:lol: hear hear

ZCF so incredibly desperate to see the bright side of everything while up to neck height in quicksand.

One of my reasons for returning was because I was furious at what was happening to ZIM cricket. Imagine the shock and horror to find people overwhelmingly excited about possibly the worst situation ZIm finds itself in probably since ZIM gained Test status in the early 90s. In 2006 ZIM had the luxury of knowing they WILL go back. Right now ZIM will go the way of the Sables, the rugby team with the likes of Kenya and Morocco overtaking it.

Googly
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by Googly »

But in the other post you’re waxing lyrical about how good everything is? Do you have problems making up your mind? ...... Well...yes and No! :lol:

Mr Twig
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by Mr Twig »

http://www.cricbuzz.com/amp/cricket-new ... kered-past

Our 'demotion' has started already. No mention of the 1 Test v Australia. Instead it's now a ODI tri-series with Australia/ Pakistan. Is Zim really taking Test cricket seriously?
Quite what 2019 will bring remains to be seen. After resisting the two-tier Test league that was discussed at the ICC last year, ZC has taken a more pragmatic approach. Given their financial predicament - and the fact that the team is still rebuilding - the prospect of hosting expensive Test matches against strong opposition on a regular basis, which the new Test league would have entailed, did not make sense.
That is a poor argument, and quite concerning imo. Financial concerns aside, what about the argument that it's difficult to improve if you don't play the strong teams?

Mr Twig
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by Mr Twig »

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... st-cricket
Zimbabwe are scheduled to play 17 Tests in the four-year cycle. Out of the 17, Zimbabwe will play Bangladesh in six Tests followed by four each against Ireland and Afghanistan, two against Sri Lanka and one against West Indies.

Playing fewer Tests and focusing on limited-overs cricket is now part of Zimbabwe Cricket's restructuring plans.Compared to 17 Tests (12 at home) Zimbabwe will play 40 ODIs and 31 T20s during the next FTP.
How many of those 12 home tests will we actually play?

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jaybro
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Re: Zimbabwe's Test future

Post by jaybro »

17 tests in 4 years is pathetic
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