The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

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tawac
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The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by tawac »

Watching the Zimbabwe side in the late '90s, I used to wonder if black players would ever dominate the side as was the case with teams like West Indies, Kenya. By 2004, one would have confused the Zim side with a provincial Zimbabwean side. But over the years and particularly looking at the just ended Bangalabash series one can earsly pick that more and more whites are coming back into the side. I dont mean to be a prophet of doom or anything but this is an issue that will surely be brought to the table sooner or later.

Firstly, lets look at the composition of the Selectors panel Campbell, Rennie and Mutendera. Makes good reading dont it. I think the highlight of Mutendera's career would be the nine man slip code facing none other the the mighty Australian McGrath. Outside that I dont think there is much to tell. Now my question would be was Mutendera brought into the line up for any other reason other than his knowledge of the local game or is it to make a balance of some sort??? I will leave you to answer that.

Now, with the prospect of some of the "old" players coming back. I forsee a heavy shake on the balace of power. Take the current side for example:

1. With the likes of Gripper, Rogers, Marrilier, Ferreira, Ebrahim coming back into the fold the likes of Masakadza, Sibanda, Chibhabha, Matsikinyere will surely fall behind the packing order.

2. With the likes of Friend, Ervine, Lamb, Ireland in the picture were are we likely to see the likes of Mpofu, Garwe, Rainsford, Utseya???

I will leave you to make your own conclusions but are we likely to see the reintroduction of a quota system??? I cant help but wonder. But having said all that what we want is the best Zim Side taking the field at any given time reguardless anything.
CHRISTOPHER MPOFU: 'The problem was fear of failure. I used to think that when I played, if I didn't do well in one game, I would lose my place for the next one but now I've let go of that'

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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by Train Driver »

A very valid point that you've raised Tawac.

It's a fact that 99.9% of the lost players are white, nobody can do anything about that at all, but it has the possibility of causing a smokescreen argument which could destroy the efforts being made to re-establish Zimbabwean cricket.

My apologies if i've forgotten anyone, but is Dion Ebrahim the only non white potential returnee that has been mentioned so far ?

I was heartened to see the names of the 5 franchise captains and if there was to be a change at national level, i would prefer to see Hamilton Masakadza named with, just maybe bearing in mind the recent comments about his supposed behaviour toward other players, Tatenda Taibu as an alternative.

One thing, that doesn't seem to have been spoken of to date, is whether these 'returning players' will actually be worth their place in the franchise sides. It should be remembered that most of them have done nothing other than play club standard cricket ever since they left ZC, it's one thing playing against a part time bunch of amateurs once a week, making useful professional performances day in and day out again is something entirely different and it may well be that some of them will simply not be worthy of a place. If these players are given franchise contracts and considered for the national side at the expense of black and coloured players, who have stuck with ZC through thick and thin, then i would definitely expect to see a racial backlash.

Hopefully the new all smiling and far seeing ZC will have considered these problems fairly and sensibly and will have the situation well covered to avoid any pitfalls, maybe ........ :D

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eugene
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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by eugene »

I would hope in an ideal world that it makes no difference if there are eleven white players in the side or eleven black players. Unfortunately this is not true.

On another point, I think many black players have been lost to Zimbabwean cricket but the media just doesn't cover those departures as well.
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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by Train Driver »

Just looking again i think i may have misworded part of my previous post.

What i meant when i said 99.9% of the lost players are white, is that 99.9% of the returning lost players are white. I appreciate that we have seen the departure of many black players over these last few years as well, to the great detriment of the Zim game.

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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by Conant »

But why the sudden gnashing of teeth? f all those named, and a of all those we wish to return, only Sean Ervine, Tinashe Panyangara, Antony Ireland and Travis Friend could walk into this team. Andy Blignaut would not even be guaranteed because Elton Chigumbura is better an all fronts and his place would depend on the king of attack or balance Zimbabwe wants for that match (much like Tawanda Mpariwa whose inclusion sometimes depends on the conditions despite his heroics!).
Gripper would only make it because we have such a crisis at the opening top, not necessarily because he can cut is as a Test player.
The notion that Hamilton Masakadza would make way for any player in a Zim Test side is laughable.

The return of most of these players can only (rightly) strengthen the domestic league and in that respect it’s crucial.

tawac
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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by tawac »

I guess it takes some time for players to develop. Andy flower only reached the number one spot around 2000/2001 season thats after he had being playing for a while. Most of the current Zim players have been around for 4/5 years. I think with some stiffer competition that will push them to perform better. Masakadza has always been a top performer on the local stage. Its high time he translated that to the international stage. And with more competition on the local, this will help us to really gauge the players.
CHRISTOPHER MPOFU: 'The problem was fear of failure. I used to think that when I played, if I didn't do well in one game, I would lose my place for the next one but now I've let go of that'

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Re: The Zimbabwean Game and the Race Card!

Post by Detective RDS »

I don't think Travis Friend will be an automatic selection for the team. Maybe he will be considered for tests but his ODI stats have remained rather poor. A batting average of 16 in 50 ODIs is just not enough.

I rate Andy Blignaut very highly and he should straight walk into the team if he does return. He is better than Chigumbura, I personally think so. But Chigumbura is needed in Zimbabwean side, a team player. He need not to leave his place for Blignaut. Blignaut can bowl fast and is very aggressive with the bat. He can certainly replace any of the specialist pacers.

Trevor Gripper is a test specialist.

Ireland, I don't think will come back. Panyangara has got good chances to get into the team.

Chances of the return of Sean Ervine is very low probably for the facts he is qualifying for England, has got Irish/British passport and declared that he will never return to Zimbabwe to play cricket.

For me, Barney Rogers is an automatic selection. His ODI average is 30+ and Douglas Marillier also. He was proved to be a match winner for Zimbabwe.

But FIRSTLY, the players have to return and proove their form and fitness in the domestic franchise cricket. If they are able to do so, they can force themselves in the national side.

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