What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Participate in discussion with your fellow Zimbabwe cricket fans!
foreignfield
Posts: 4944
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:39 am
Supports: Mountaineers

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by foreignfield »

ZIMDOGGY wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:55 am
you are a 20 yr old ambitious kid who is good but no superstar.
I think NZ is the way to go: the best chance to make it into international cricket, where every young cricketer's ambition should lie, and a great country with enough other opportunities if you don't make it.

UK probably offers the best opportunities if you want to make it as a pro, the national side not impossible but difficult if you are no superstar. I imagine it's nigh impossible to get into the Aussie set-up as a foreigner arriving in the country as a 20 year-old, even if you were a superstar it would be very difficult. De Grandhomme would be a decent county player had he gone to England, in Oz he'd probably be coaching and playing first grade now.

India: I don't imagine they are exactly waiting for kids from Zim or from anywhere else, tbh. The idea of a foreign-born (let alone born and bred) player in Indian colours seems far off.

Googly
Posts: 14197
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 5:48 pm

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by Googly »

Zim kids always go to the Uk, but they’re making the visas tricky, as are Australia. No countries are that enthusiastic about Zimbabweans anymore and that Green Mamba passport is a problem. I would personally go to Australia as they’re more similar to Zimbos than the English and the weather is more in line with what we’re used to. There are probably options in SA, but it’s home away from home to Zimbabweans and they usually want to feel like they’re going somewhere different.

Googly
Posts: 14197
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 5:48 pm

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by Googly »

I’ve spent quite a lot of time in the UK and know hundreds of people living there from here. They don’t often make good friends over there, plenty of acquaintances on a superficial level, but rarely do they find a good bud. When I was younger there were a bunch of Poms that came over here on a year’s course. We took those guys in and had a laugh- accommodation, parties, houseboats, braais, water ski-ing, fishing, chicks etc. a while later a couple of us went over there and it was- meet you in the pub, oh and by the way, where are you staying. It was a painful lesson.

cricket_22001
Posts: 338
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:20 pm

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by cricket_22001 »

I've been watching Ice cricket in St Moritz, Switzerland. Names like Vettori, Symonds, Afridi, Kaif are involved. Inspecting their bank accounts no doubt.
Spectacular scenery.
Could be the way to go for Zimbabwe.

User avatar
Andybligzz
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 3:07 am
Supports: MidWest Rhinos

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by Andybligzz »

New Zealand all the way , decent team but nothing great . Great country to explore , beautiful people and a real chance to make the top team. They also give the players that make the team a decent run to see how they go unlike here in Aus . I think they are going to be a decent team for a very long time as they have very good players but not to many great , seem
To have real fighting spirit about them. De Grandhomme is the best example, he’s come on in leaps and bounds and started a bit rusty , with the backing of the selectors and board he has turned a big corner and seems a very good find .
The Zimbabwe Cricket team have found Ebola in one of their members, but they're not concerned because they have also found Ebatsmen and Efielda!

TapsC
Posts: 2349
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 2:54 am

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by TapsC »

Being a black Zimbabwean if I really backed myself and had serious talent I would try S.A. first. The quota system would work in my favour and I could work my way up. In fact I was told by somebody that is what young Kundai Matigimu who cracked a 139kph ball at the 2016 world cup is trying to do. It might work . Although a batsman in the mould of Musakanda would be loved by the Pariahs out there. Don't look at him now. Imagine him having played the likes of Steyn at domestic level and developing from there

I know personally a few guys who got rugby scholarships and a couple of cricket ones. I even know that you basically get full rides at Uni. They even get paid to play varsity cup rugby (university level) plus free accommodation and no tuition. Don't know if it's like that for cricket too but I would assume so.

From there you can crack the domestic structures and if you are really good the quota system might get you to the proteas. I firmly believe if the quota system was there when Taibu was trying to to crack the S.A. structures he would have played. That's the kind of talent I'm talking about. U19 World cup MVP kind of talent.

My other option would be Ireland. If I was a PJ Moor with Irish roots or Nathan Waller. I would go there and crack the team. It wouldn't be extremely difficult. I'm sure more sponsorships and funding is on the way now that they are full members

ZIMDOGGY
Posts: 6647
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:40 pm
Supports: MidWest Rhinos

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by ZIMDOGGY »

Some cool answers and observations here! Thread delivering.

Two points-
The guy who said Hong Kong because it was diverse. Personally that doesn’t convince me.
I have never ever ever understand the saying ‘diversity is our strength’. I can’t see anywhere multiculturalism has truly worked outside of propaganda machines. That’s not what you are saying admitttedly, just can’t see it being a carrot? Although HK would be cool to visit I think.

Secondly-
The NZ advocates make a lot of sense, if your focus is to get into a test team. It’s the way to go. However I’ll stress again, you won’t ever be paid much, and if your cricket career falters then I hope your content with a virtual ceiling income of 60k US a year. That’s a huge salary in NZ.
Most career minded New Zealanders leave.
If that’s not a huge priority though you’re cheering.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:

FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay

'The' Gus Mackay.

Hero.
Sportsman.
Artist.
Player.

**
Q. VUSI SIBANDA, WHERE DO YOU HOP?

A. UNDA DA ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE*

ZIMDOGGY
Posts: 6647
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:40 pm
Supports: MidWest Rhinos

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by ZIMDOGGY »

TapsC wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:53 pm
Being a black Zimbabwean if I really backed myself and had serious talent I would try S.A. first. The quota system would work in my favour and I could work my way up. In fact I was told by somebody that is what young Kundai Matigimu who cracked a 139kph ball at the 2016 world cup is trying to do. It might work . Although a batsman in the mould of Musakanda would be loved by the Pariahs out there. Don't look at him now. Imagine him having played the likes of Steyn at domestic level and developing from there

I know personally a few guys who got rugby scholarships and a couple of cricket ones. I even know that you basically get full rides at Uni. They even get paid to play varsity cup rugby (university level) plus free accommodation and no tuition. Don't know if it's like that for cricket too but I would assume so.

From there you can crack the domestic structures and if you are really good the quota system might get you to the proteas. I firmly believe if the quota system was there when Taibu was trying to to crack the S.A. structures he would have played. That's the kind of talent I'm talking about. U19 World cup MVP kind of talent.

My other option would be Ireland. If I was a PJ Moor with Irish roots or Nathan Waller. I would go there and crack the team. It wouldn't be extremely difficult. I'm sure more sponsorships and funding is on the way now that they are full members
Interesting.
I think this will become common place in future.
If socially black saffers accepted black Zimbos, as opposed try to kill them, then black Zimbabweans have A very good career path doing the SA thing. Especially batsman.
Black South Africans will be great at bowling but there is a big talent shortage in batting.
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:

FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay

'The' Gus Mackay.

Hero.
Sportsman.
Artist.
Player.

**
Q. VUSI SIBANDA, WHERE DO YOU HOP?

A. UNDA DA ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE*

ljriley90
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:31 pm

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by ljriley90 »

Googly wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:47 am
I’m sure I’ve asked this before- have India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka ever had a white guy in their FC structure? A good player would benefit hugely from a FC season there.
Nick Compton been opening the batting with my club's pro this winter in Sri Lanka - http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... 11718.html

firebreaker
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:55 pm

Re: What’s the most attractive country to play cricket?

Post by firebreaker »

Sub-continent is a difficult place to go if you are black because people are very racist there and wont accept a black player in their national shirts

Post Reply