Parallel structures so as not to dismantle the base would have been ideal. Its never been about that though.eugene wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:53 amReading that DEB interview from what I am guessing is the late 90s, early 2000s makes me wonder, where would cricket be today in Zimbabwe if it never got pro-active on racial quotas and taking the game to the masses? I know this could have never happened in the real-life political environment of Zimbabwe, but hypothetically speaking, what would the talent level be in cricket had it stayed largely in the domain of the white community with black growth hapening through osmosis at both admin and playing levels? Is the community to small to sustain much now? Would we have missed out a lot of talent with a less aggressive approach among the black community?
The harsh reality is that if there had been real interest and not perceived it may have happened. When the whites lost interest and/or were bundled out of the many sports clubs the opportunity was not taken to take them over and to keep club cricket alive and well. I question that every day.
The primary motivating factor was to prove that they too could play equally, but once the whites were gone and the war was won the motivation to prove was much less.
Taibu, Matsikinyeri, Masakadza et al practiced long and hard to crack a system that was not open to them. Who has subsequently put in those hours when they'd be welcomed with open arms when we're crying for black talent?
Whites had inter club rivalries and the black dudes only wanted to beat the white guys. It was massively motivating for them, they were playing for their people, take it away and there was a feeling of.. and now what?
That's a bit simplistic obviously, but once the race war was won they found themselves ill-equipped to kick on.
The evidence is there, nothing works and the hierarchy still bear grudges and live in the past.