Sibanda's NZ tour in doubt?

[CrimsonAvenger]

http://www.sportal.co.nz/cricket-news-d ... -nz-155184

One of Zimbabwe's most talented batsmen, Vusi Sibanda, could be a scratching from the tour to New Zealand starting this month due to a controversial stint in Australian club cricket.

The Zimbabwe Independent reported that Sibanda rejected an offer from local side, the MidWest Rhinos, to sign with Eastern Suburbs in Sydney grade cricket.

It is said to have divided opinion in Zimbabwe Cricket, some of who want the opening batsmen excluded from touring New Zealand with the 15-man party and those, like coach Alan Butcher, who believe he should still be selected.

It is Zimbabwe Cricket's policy that only players involved in the local franchise system are eligible for the national team.

Sibanda was with the national squad on Tuesday in Harare but the 28-year-old was reduced to watching from the sideline while his team-mates trained.

He will not recommence training until administrators come to a decision.

It would be a bitter blow for Zimbabwe to lose the hard-hitting Sibanda. He has averaged 45 over the last 12 months in Test cricket and scored 93 in the first innings of the tense one-off loss to New Zealand in early November.

Zimbabwe will be out to avenge that heart-breaking defeat when they show up for one Test, three one-dayers and a pair of Twenty20s.

"I think the team has improved a lot in the last year from the time we played at the World Cup to the Test match against New Zealand we have seen a lot of improvement in fitness, technique and confidence among the players," Butcher said.

"But I think we are still a bit inconsistent, timid and not brave enough to grasp winning positions and we hope that the ODI against New Zealand where we scored 328 runs chasing, to win that match will improve the players' confidence.

"But in the Test match and the one against Pakistan we didn't realise early enough that we were in control only to hand back the opposition the initiative."

Captain Brendan Taylor's time as an overseas player for Wellington in the HRV Cup was rated as a major boost and Butcher said they had also targeted chinks in New Zealand's armoury.

"We noticed that their bowling attack can leak runs if subjected to pressure, so we hope to put that to good use but we know very well that it's going to be tough playing in their conditions.

"What the players will need to keep in their minds is that it is possible to get on top and they should not surrender the initiative cheaply.

"What we want is to play professionally and we know if we do that we have a good chance of winning."

[Flower power]

Administrators are the one that kill the game . They are the ones that came all guns blazing during the rebel era , you may have your rules , but rules can be adjusted , we can not afford to start experimenting with another opener at this moment . Vusi & Tino are the tried and tested combination that can take us through any test match . BD,PK & NZ .... and for Vusi going to Ausssie he was already getting advance foreign conditions .
If I had a gun I would shoot whoever is clamoring for his exclusion . BT is playing in NZ and thats good for the team .
I hope Vusi & BT show these administrators that playing under different conditions can be beneficial .

[FlowerPower]

Maddness madness...own goal...my resignation is pending if this is true....why or why are Zimbos so vindictive...cutting your nose to spite your face....

PS here is someone who goes for a little experience different conditions and attacks, which in the normal world would be encouraged, but more importantly makes an income (something) you can't guarantee... And what you punish him....where is the logic please anyone explain....

[Flower power]

Enough true its high time some people resign from running cricket in Zimbabwe .
Whoever is advocating for this dropping of Vusi should be dropped instead .
We thought it was a racial issue during the rebel era , but this just goes to
show that we have administrators who don't have the game at heart .
This has obviously affected the team as in the coaching teams plans and Vusi himself .
2012 heads are to roll...........................

[foreignfield]

Shocking! I still have some hope that sense will prevail, though ...

[hhm]

We thought it was a racial issue during the rebel era , but this just goes to
show that we have administrators who don't have the game at heart.

Racism which mainly manifests itself in Black-White issues is not the only problem, trabalism can be a factor as well. Being a Sibanda, I strongly assume he's Ndebele - section of the population which has been grossly victimised by ALL sections of the system in Zimbabwe. If this was Elton Chigumbura or Prosper Utseya, do you think this would be an issue? I think not!

Anyway, if they push through with this madness then that leaves one man for the job(Hint - not part of the 20)! You guessed it! The best opener Zim FC & International Cricket has been exposed to over the last decade!

[aydee]

Maddness madness...own goal...my resignation is pending if this is true....why or why are Zimbos so vindictive...cutting your nose to spite your face....

Word.

Personally, I'd have rather he'd stuck around and played for the Rhinos, but as long as he makes himself available for all national team activities, his availability for selection shouldn't be affected.

[Zimfanatic69]

Administrators are the one that kill the game .

Ain't that the truth FP, and not just in Zim.

This is madness.

[Zimfanatic69]

Maddness madness...own goal...my resignation is pending if this is true....why or why are Zimbos so vindictive...cutting your nose to spite your face....

Word.

Personally, I'd have rather he'd stuck around and played for the Rhinos, but as long as he makes himself available for all national team activities, his availability for selection shouldn't be affected.

But if playing grade cricket benefits his game then it is hardly a disadvantage to us.

He is hardly doing a judas turn, like some.

[Conant]

Well, with hindsight I don't know if he really should have been allowed to leave. Here we were just a few weeks from arguably the domestic tournament (featuring. Chris Gayle, Phil Mustard, Dirk Nannes, etc) that puts the limelight onto Zimbabwe and he chose to play B Grade cricket in Australia!! Come on people, it was a stupid decision.

The wrong precedent was set. Remember as much as his place was guaranteed in the national set up, some key players specifically Staurt Matsikenyeri and Shingi Masakadza also made their break through in that tournament and for once many players were judged on the same standards.

I do believe however that the message before he left should have been unambigous, not don't worry Vusi, you'll come straight into the squad, then Ozias has a change of heart.

No, this was clearly ill-advised from Vusi. I wonder what would have happened had all of Vusi, Taylor and Hamilton all at once? People, look at the bigger picture. The game is bigger than individual players. We can afford some standards, this is no longer 2005

And Vusi, by the way, hardly speaks a word of Ndebele. They are many Sibandas who are Shona to boot!!