Bvute blames big earnings for failure

[CrimsonAvenger]

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/sport/3 ... icket.html

ZIMBABWE Cricket chief Ozias Bvute has blamed the rich pickings in the game for destroying the will to succeed for local players.
A national team player earns an average of US$6 000 a month, excluding incentives. Despite being knocked out of the World Cup at the first hurdle, each member of the squad was guaranteed of US$20 000, for their participation.

Bvute said most players lost it once they start getting a lot of money and their will to succeed evaporated.

Cricket players have been a subject of public ridicule after their inept showing at the World Cup where they only won two matches against minnows Kenya and Canada.
Fans also pointed out that the players clearly lacked hunger for success.

Cricket players are among the best paid sportsmen in Zimbabwe and should be playing for the love of the sport, but results were not proportionate to the huge salaries they pocketed compared to the average local worker, and Bvute said this represented a grave danger for the future of the local game.

“We have done everything as an administration to best equip the team to compete at the highest stage,” Bvute told Independent Sport.
“We have hired some of the best coaches in the world. The players are well paid and well looked after, and we had some of the best preparations prior to the World Cup but the results are a bit disappointing. We would have wanted them to do better,” he said.
Bvute said the best available players were selected for the World Cup but most of them lacked the mental strength required to shine at such premier global stages.

He also blamed some players’ social backgrounds for destroying the fabric of the game saying some players “grow up in poverty and when they start playing cricket and suddenly have a lot of money, they tend to lose the will to succeed”.

Bvute said ZC is going to invest in the mental psyche of the players to make them more responsible and maintain the hunger for success.
“Look at how Craig Ervine has been developing. This is the way we want all our players to be progressing. He will end up like Andy Flower because he works hard and is willing to keep improving,” he said.

Plans were afoot to improve the quality of the national team and the sport in the country through developmental programmes aimed at increasing the player pool to about 250 000 in four years. Bvute hopes that expanding the player base would help build a team that can truly compete against the best.
There are currently around 150 players playing the game professionally in Zimbabwe, but only 25 can be considered to be close to possessing the qualities for national selection.

“We are competing against nations with populations of about a billion and these nations have more than a million players to choose from, but that is not an excuse. What we want is to increase our player base so that we create more competition.”

Look who's talking...

[bayhaus]

Purrrrrleeezzzz! After reading this I feel for the players. I was one who stated they might not have the hunger and work ethic but I am defending the players.

A national team player earns an average of US$6 000 a month, excluding incentives. Despite being knocked out of the World Cup at the first hurdle, each member of the squad was guaranteed of US$20 000, for their participation.

So what? They are professional Sportsmen, They were at a the biggest stage so it HAS to reflect in their earnings as well.

Bvute said most players lost it once they start getting a lot of money and their will to succeed evaporated.

Most of these guys are young and have not had that kind of money in their hands. Granted. So ZC must have a comprehensive support structure of councellors and advisors cos that is what they have. THEY are the ones who chased away the older players to replace them with school kids. Who were supposed to be looking cool in Upper 6 blazes and going to Gigs etc.

Cricket players have been a subject of public ridicule after their inept showing at the World Cup where they only won two matches against minnows Kenya and Canada.

Hello! I think Zim did exactly what they could and were realistically expected to do. Thrash the Minnows and HOPE for an upset against the major teams.

“We have hired some of the best coaches in the world. The players are well paid and well looked after, and we had some of the best preparations prior to the World Cup but the results are a bit disappointing. We would have wanted them to do better,”

Get real man, eg Lara came for how long? and you expect that to have made any sort of difference? The results of all of this will not be immediate and ZC has to know that they are investing long term. Oz thinks he waved a magic wand with these statements.

He also blamed some players’ social backgrounds for destroying the fabric of the game saying some players “grow up in poverty and when they start playing cricket and suddenly have a lot of money, they tend to lose the will to succeed”.

If that holds true then players from Band, Ind, Sri and Pak should be worse off than our players, cos some of them have come from very humble settings, Dhoni was a ticket inspector on thos jam pzacked trains! oz should know better since he spent some time in India.

Bvute said ZC is going to invest in the mental psyche of the players to make them more responsible and maintain the hunger for success.

Thats positive but he hasnt started off well by bashing the players like this.

“We are competing against nations with populations of about a billion and these nations have more than a million players to choose from, but that is not an excuse. What we want is to increase our player base so that we create more competition.”

Eg, NZ, Ireland, West Indies, England etc etc

[aydee]

That's pretty feeble in my opinion. Zim's players are not paid anything near what players from most other nations receive. I don't believe that money comes anywhere near a half-decent sportsman's thinking when they are competing. Simply, the team is not good enough at the moment to secure regular victories against the top sides, whether they are paid millions, or nothing.

[Boundary]

Using this to cut the players' salaries will make me mad Simply because where else will that money go? Players who don't do well will in the long run lose their contracts or get reduced wages. Bvute can't on one hand say "these are the best players we have" while simultaneously saying "they get too much money". His logic if flawed. They get the money because they are the best players, Ozias! Investing in our infrastructure and system is commendable but that also include paying our best players. Otherwise guys who can get kolpak contracts will leave.

[americanzimfan]

Somehow I think Mr. Bvute makes more than $6000 US a month...its amazing he can be critical of anyone.

[hhm]

bulls**t

[hhm]

And here I was beginning to think that the persecutor (à la Saul/Paul) had converted into the appropriate man to coordinate the Zimbabwe Cricket Renaissance! Not to mention your baseless viewpoint, on top of that you single out a player for comment. Not that he's not deserving but bound to be a seed of discontent and divisions among players. Beware the repercussions!

[Zimfanatic69]

Somehow I think Mr. Bvute makes more than $6000 US a month...its amazing he can be critical of anyone.

Easy to blame the players, who in fairness should shoulder some blame, than himself.

[Robin]

If you look at this article and reduce it to quotes, cutting out the journo's hyperbole it makes a lot of sense especially if you split into 2 sections:-

“We have done everything as an administration to best equip the team to compete at the highest stage,” “We have hired some of the best coaches in the world. The players are well paid and well looked after, and we had some of the best preparations prior to the World Cup but the results are a bit disappointing. We would have wanted them to do better,”
“grow up in poverty and when they start playing cricket and suddenly have a lot of money, they tend to lose the will to succeed”

It's difficult to disagree with the 1st part of the above although the final sentence is a bit contentious and personal.

2nd part:-

“Look at how Craig Ervine has been developing. This is the way we want all our players to be progressing. He will end up like Andy Flower because he works hard and is willing to keep improving,”

Plans were afoot to improve the quality of the national team and the sport in the country through developmental programmes aimed at increasing the player pool to about 250 000 in four years. Bvute hopes that expanding the player base would help build a team that can truly compete against the best.
There are currently around 150 players playing the game professionally in Zimbabwe, but only 25 can be considered to be close to possessing the qualities for national selection.

“We are competing against nations with populations of about a billion and these nations have more than a million players to choose from, but that is not an excuse. What we want is to increase our player base so that we create more competition.”

Difficult to disagree with any of the second section. So the only radical thing that Bvute has said through the whole article is that some of the players who grew up in disadvantaged circumstances lose their motivation when they become financially comfortable. Is there any evidence that this is so?

So in conclusion, despite the journo putting a different slant on it, the comments are suggesting that Zim needs to increase it's player base to improve standards and to make selection for the National and state teams more competitive. And that the evidence is that at this moment there isn't enough pressure on players to have to work hard on their game to stay in the team. I can't see a problem with any of this - it makes perfect sense. Whether or not there is any benefit in a senior official like Bvute making veiled criticisms of certain players (his poor bankground comment will narrow the options) openly in the press is another matter.

Anybody who watched the standard of Zim's fielding in the world cup, which is an discipline that is only improved with hard work, would have to accept that Zim's failure was not down entirely to a lack of talent. I understand that Hammie's fielding and athleticism was one thing that counted against him.

Since 2005 there has been a player vacuum in Zim cricket that is only being slowly addressed now. For players with modicum of natural talent it has been more difficult to be dropped from the side than to be selected. Whilst this is not the players fault, that they should have to 'up their game' to remain in the team should only be a good thing. And that is why increasing development at junior levels, investment at U19 level and to encourage more players to return to the country can only be a good thing.

[bayhaus]

I think Peeps really should play for themselves then. ME: When I bat I dont care how anybody else bats I am going to score 200 runs. ME2: When I bowl I am going to get three wickets a game @ 4runs an over maximum, WHY so that I can get an IPL/County contract. The team benfits a long the way. If I fail then I fail myself and I lose any prospect of an IPL/Contract.