Zimbabwe vs New Zealand | Test Series | First Test | 30 July 2025 - 03 August 2025

[secretzimbo]

Surely absolutely no chance they will pick an all non-black Top 7.

[Kriterion_BD]

How are we so bad at batting? How have we watched what we have done over the last 6 months and gone, "you know what, lets not work on this, let's keep hiring shit batting coaches and keep doing what we are doing".

The coaching is largely irrelevant. More so in terms of building fundamental batting principles. At this level, coaches can really only make minor technical changes to a batter's game. They will rarely do a complete overhaul. Don't forget that decent coaches have come through like Whatmore and Simmons and Houghton, with zero overall improvement in either batting or overall team results. Even Rajput had success with Afghanistan, but none with Zimbabwe.

[Mueddie28]

They played six non black players in this test that’s a majority and disproves the quota of four white guys clearly.

Besides all the guys they go after like Ballance, BT, Cremer, Higgins; they’re all white guys would they be doing that if there was a quota?

U sir are a fool..
They play six non black players because of pressure from the public..
Wes the golden boy was omittex due to public outcry..
Benching Nick Welch again after the England event would have been unpoplar..
Ben and Bennet are playing well as opneners..

Unfornately for Nick , BT is going to replace him at 3rd spot

[zimfan1]

So Cremer confirms on Dean's podcast that he wants to return and play all 3 formats. Looks like ZC have rolled out the red carpet for him as well.

[sloandog]

Fucking hell. I mean, if he is fit and can take wickets in the NPL, I'm seriously not against it, but it's a massive smack to the face of lads like Vinnie and Welch, who will invariably lose their places. To be fair, I don't really rate the former. He's taken some wickets at FC level and certainly deserved his opportunities, but he can't land 6 balls in the same spot. If Cremer proves he can still land 6 balls in the same spot and show his worth with the bat, then maybe he's not a bad addition.

Cremer (2005 debut)
Taylor (2005 debut)
Ervine (2009 debut but was playing from 2003)
Williams (2005 debut but playing since 2003).

That's an aging side and could really put back development for younger batters like Welch x 2, Myers, Wez, Bawa, Maru etc.

I'm torn. Is this a good thing or a hindrance?

[secretzimbo]

Five 40-year-olds in the XI is a disaster.

[Kriterion_BD]

Fucking hell. I mean, if he is fit and can take wickets in the NPL, I'm seriously not against it, but it's a massive smack to the face of lads like Vinnie and Welch, who will invariably lose their places. To be fair, I don't really rate the former. He's taken some wickets at FC level and certainly deserved his opportunities, but he can't land 6 balls in the same spot. If Cremer proves he can still land 6 balls in the same spot and show his worth with the bat, then maybe he's not a bad addition.

Cremer (2005 debut)
Taylor (2005 debut)
Ervine (2009 debut but was playing from 2003)
Williams (2005 debut but playing since 2003).

That's an aging side and could really put back development for younger batters like Welch x 2, Myers, Wez, Bawa, Maru etc.

I'm torn. Is this a good thing or a hindrance?

First point is that you pick your best side available, regardless of their age. Period. Having the most geriatric side in recent cricket history may not be ideal, but at the end of the day its the results that matter. If Zimbabwe don't qualify for the next World Cup, no one will remember if the team was stacked with 40 year olds or with teenagers. If the team manages to knock off a couple of big teams, again no one will care that it was done by 40 year olds or teenagers. So its mostly a moot point IMO.

As far as development goes, this is a problem that all teams have when they have a senior core. Think of India around 2010 when they still had Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman. Virat Kohli had to wait his turn. Rohit Sharma had to wait his turn. Ajinkya Rahane had to wait his turn. Suresh Raina had to wait his turn. Even Shikhar Dhawan probably had to wait his turn and missed many opportunities. Yes, India has a robust domestic system in place to develop players. But, you can't replicate top flight international cricket at the Ranji or even County/Shield level. If you could then every English/Aussie/Indian domestic star would just rock up and average 50 in international cricket.

Guys like Wez and Maru have had ample opportunities to nail down their spot. In fact, they had YEARS of soft opposition like Namibia/UAE/Gambia to settle into the side when Taylor and Cremer were retired. No player in the history of international cricket has had as easy a route to solidify their position in a team. If they haven't done it yet, they won't do it ever. A 40 year old Williams is still the best batter in the side by a huge distance. Taylor will probably at least be decent.

[zimfan1]

Its embarrassing in my opinion.

Cremer was a decent spinner but lets face it he was no world beater.

Taylor, Williams and Raza I can swallow are proven international players over all three formats. Ervine and Cremer were handy internationals but nothing more than that.

[TapsC2]

Only way this works is if they genuinely give out about 10 development/high performance contracts and organise a parallel 'A' team tour schedule for the younger guys to develop.

The players welfare side of it is what makes it different from the likes of Kohli waiting. You need a central contract to survive in Zim. As it stands you are basically telling all the younger guys and potential imports to wait until 2027

[Kriterion_BD]

Only way this works is if they genuinely give out about 10 development/high performance contracts and organise a parallel 'A' team tour schedule for the younger guys to develop.

The players welfare side of it is what makes it different from the likes of Kohli waiting. You need a central contract to survive in Zim. As it stands you are basically telling all the younger guys and potential imports to wait until 2027

That is true. But thats not very different from most of the other non-Big 3 teams. A Pakistani player who had to wait for say a Misbah to retire only really has the PSL paycheck to hold him over. Granted that is probably a decent payday.