Diaspora recruitment or indigenisation?

[Bulawayo Boy]

Given the poor results recently when recruiting from diaspora versus 100% local, should ZC not be focusing more heavily on facilities and infrastructure development, coaching and training , and local cricketer development, rather than trying to coax back Zimbos abroad? Is what they are doing too short term?

Our returns on giving big deals to returnees are poor:
Mire - retired
Taylor - drugs / bribes
Jarvis - injury
Ballance - racism, drugs, no balls

Even before that we had great results for a bit before they pissed off. E.g. Johnson and Goodwin.

During apartheid South African was completely isolated but re-entered international competition with a very powerful base on which to build and a very competitive team.

We are in a not dissimilar position.

Local is lekker?

[pillowprocter]

What does indigenisation even mean?

[Googly]

Isn't that what they're supposed to have been doing for the last 30 years?
Infrastructure development, coaching and training and local cricketer development.
If they haven't started by now they're not going to.

In fairness to them they keep hosting qualifiers and the odd ground gets a 2 million dollar lick of paint and we have played a fair amount of cricket. The Muzarabani and Gwanda Academies have been up and running for a few years now and will surely bear fruit shortly. There's a year to find 4 international batsmen, plenty of time.

[secretzimbo]

Well ya they should be focusing on development here, but it's not an overnight thing. If they had bothered 15 years ago and maintained it ever since, then you'd be seeing some results now. If they suddenly start now then you're gonna be waiting a long time to see real results - and that's only if they do it well and properly, which is unlikely.

It's a miracle that we produce as many decent players as we do tbh. There's something in the water in this part of the world.

To be fair things have improved and they've done some good stuff over the past year or two but it's still not enough, nowhere near.

The pressure of needing instant results means there will always be pressure to approach some 'diaspora' people again at some point but the truth is no one in the diaspora (that is realistic) are nearly as good as Ballance or Taylor.

[secretzimbo]

In fairness to them they keep hosting qualifiers and the odd ground gets a 2 million dollar lick of paint

Takemore Makoni spending it on Takashinga instead of OH this time around apparently........

[secretzimbo]

ZC relies on literally everybody else to provide 'development' rather than themselves.

They rely on the private schools and hopefully wealthy parents to sort all their cricketing needs for most of their teen years. The very few government schools that still play some kind of cricket are in a gigantic mess - there's very little apparent assistance from ZC or the government.

Then they hope some other people will run some 'academies' and help. They basically give AC nothing but hope he does all the work for them? then on the other hand they bung a load of money each month to Elton for his 'academy' which in contrast doesn't seem to actually do much, in fact at times it barely exists.

Almost all of the talented young black batsmen over recent years have come from Chitungwiza which has a local system that is entirely organised by independent individuals and a handful of schools. Maybe ZC throws some money at them occasionally but again it's a scatter gun approach. It's a close your eyes and hope for the best, hope someone else develops some players magically.

They also hope most players spend a few seasons in club cricket in England and improve significantly. Again, no effort or money involved by ZC. Sometimes this works and some players do improve, but generally these guys are going to play for amateur clubs that trains once or twice a week with questionable coaching (inf act they are expected to be coaches themselves!) so for most guys it isn't going to turn them from averaging 25 in the Logan Cup to averaging 30+ in Test cricket......

Occasionally one of the provincial associations will organise some age group cricket for about 3 days per year, with some dubious selections in whatever paper teams they create.

They basically do absolutely nothing for kids, then spend a huge amount of money and effort on the U19 team in the hope they can suddenly become good enough cricketers in 6 months to compete with the 35 year old Afghans and Pakistanis. And then after the world cup continue to put zero subsequent effort in and hope 19 year olds stick around for several years with no help and on less than $1,000 a month.

The accounts are audited and public now but it still seems mysterious to me what they manage to spend $12m per year on.

[sloandog]

I mean we're a freak nation in developing batting talent, having read that. Look at who we've produced in the last 2 cycles...

Madhevere, Marumani, Shumba, Myers, Bennett x 2, Welch Jnr, Bawa...yet we have no infrastructure. Incredible really. There's obviously more names to throw out there but its been a long day

[jaybro]

The fact they’ve failed so miserably at building infrastructure to develop talent is the reason why they have had to throw the cash at the mercenaries.

In a perfect world they’d produce so many talented players it wouldn’t matter if they lose players, they’d have five guys waiting to take their places.

[ZIMDOGGY]

I say do both.

Even if the development stuff is fixed overnight, we need a decade to see the fruit.

It is pivotal players like Welch (who never wanted to leave in the first place) bridge the gap.

[sloandog]

Man having nick welch in the system was great to see this season. We desperately need to have him and Curran back next year.