test cricket

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random
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test cricket

Post by random »

when do you think zimbabwe should return to test cricket? do you think it will happen soon? do you think it should? i believe it should happen soon because it can only serve to improve zimbabwean cricket as the players are all experienced now so a repeat of the 2004 sri lanka tour will not happen. Utseya himself said they can no longer say they are inexperienced. also a test return may lead to more players returning, personally i believe that doesn't matter too much now that Taibu is back but definitely would love to see them playing tests again soon

otto
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Re: test cricket

Post by otto »

Honestly i dont see us getting our test status soon but i think we SHOULD.on the reality side of it i think ICC would rather have us play these first class matches for some time.
looking at our squad my concern is really about temperement.Do we have players that can stick around the wicket for long periods.I think thats the main area.we will then need to boost our attack coz frankly you cant have a test match where Chigumbura and Brent share the new ball.we will need strike bowlers.then Price with his spin will obviously be crucial.
i think they can give us our status back and increase the matches we play against the Banglas and Windies.

farhan
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Re: test cricket

Post by farhan »

I think they need some strike bowlers then they can look for test matches. at moment i dont see them playing it soon.batting looks ok but are there bowlers who cna bowled a side out twice?
on other front ZC would like them to resume soon otherwise there be more players likely to go abroad and build thier cricketing future there.

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Kopje
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Re: test cricket

Post by Kopje »

I think they should return sometime soon, maybe between Feb to May 2008. They can't be regarded as an inexperienced team anymore, the tour of Pakistan should probably tell a lot about our team. I wish Zim could also tour places like Australia, some Aussie teams are as strong as other national sides and would be good to learn from, but the politics gets into the way. Could Chingoka and Bvute 's case with the ICC affect our return to Tests?

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brmtaylor.com admin
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Re: test cricket

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

I think they would do better in Test cricket, because they wouldn't have the pressure of maintaining run rates. Perhaps then, the likes of Vusi Sibanda wouldn't get out to silly shots.

I've always thought, until Zimbabwe can regularly post 350-400+ scores against any First Class team (including India A, Sri Lanka A, etc) they should not return to Tests. The score of 500 against the composite eleven was a good start, but they need to do the same against all opponents. In short, they need to prove they are a level above the rest of the competition.
Kopje wrote:Could Chingoka and Bvute 's case with the ICC affect our return to Tests?
I don't think so. In fact, I think the longer Chingoka is there the more likelihood there is of a quick return to Tests.

andy
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Re: test cricket

Post by andy »

They need to be more consistant with the bat before they can play test again. One more Taibu like batsman would be nice. They also need one more bowler. But if they keep improving they should be playing test in no time.

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Re: test cricket

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

West Indies cricket board is behind Zimbabwe's return to Test cricket
http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/13516/83/
CBC.cc wrote:West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dr Julian Hunte has lauded the cricket authorities and event organizers in Zimbabwe for being "excellent hosts" of the West Indies cricket team currently on tour of the country.

Dr Hunte, who took over as WICB president earlier this year, accompanied the team on the tour and is expressing huge satisfaction with their experience.

...

Dr Hunte said the WICB was more than satisfied when the hospitality and added that the WICB was also willing to support Zimbabwe's bid for re-admission to Test cricket.
I wonder if this means West Indies will send an A team over at some point in the coming months. Judging by the way Zimbabwe has played against the first XI, I would think the WI A team might have some trouble...

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Kopje
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Re: test cricket

Post by Kopje »

Instead of just "HOSTING" these A teams, i think its best we tour as well. Touring Pakistan is a good start, anywhere else lads which we should add on our tour list?

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maehara
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Re: test cricket

Post by maehara »

Hosting v touring: much easier for Zimbabwe to host sides - hospitality is ZC's responsibility, but they can pay for that in ZW$. Touring overseas requires forex, which is a much more expensive business. If I was a betting man, I'd put money on that being the reason why 'A' sides always visit us, instead of the side going overseas.

That said, the junior sides need to get some experience of conditions elsewhere if they're really to develop as players.

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maehara
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Re: test cricket

Post by maehara »

Zim's return to Test cricket: we have to be able to show that we deserve it, otherwise there'll be so much sniping from the sidelines as to not make it worthwhile. In practical terms, an 'unofficial' test series against Bangladesh (which we must win) would be a good qualification Test - if we can beat Bangaldesh, whose Test status is not currently in question, then we deserve our own spot.

Longer-term... I wrote a while back about creating a promotion / relegation structure for Test cricket, and I'm going to repost the article here. Tell me what you think.

---------------
I’ve been thinking about the problems faced by both Zimbabwe and Bangladesh when it comes to getting other nations to accept that they’re “good enough” for Test cricket, and for a way to put to rest the constant demands for team X to be ejected from the Test arena “for the good of the game” or to “maintain the integrity” of the game. I’ve also been considering how up-and-coming teams like Kenya or Ireland could, if they so wished, be admitted to the Test arena on objective grounds (rather than a vote of ICC Full Members, as is currently required), how to address the cyclical nature of a given nation’s performances, and the matter of player burnout. I’m nothing if not ambitious. Here's a suggestion that I believe could solve all of the above…

The great thing is, that thanks to the ICC the main features needed to address all these issues are already in place in the form of the Intercontinental Cup and the various divisions of the World Cricket League - all that is required is some tweaking.

1. Split the Test nations and ICC Intercontinental Cup nations as follows. Nations in Divisions One and Two should all hold ICC Full Member status; dropping out of Division Two to the lower divisions should see a nation’s ICC membership revert to Associate status.
Test Division One: Australia, Pakistan, England, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa
Test Division Two: New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Kenya, ICC Intercontinental Cup winner (currently Ireland)
Lower divisions created according to demand / availability of resources using those Associate nations wishing to play the longer form of the game.

2. Keep the current 6-year Future Tours Programme, and schedule series as follows: in years 1-5 of the Programme, each team will play home & away series against the other teams in its league (1 home and 1 away series each year, minimum 3 matches per series). In year 6, the bottom team of each division will play the top team in the next division both home and away in a promotion / relegation play-off series - this ensures that only teams who have shown themselves capable of beating opposition in the higher leagues, over a series and not a one-off match, will progress up the structure. Likewise, teams having problems or suffering a decline will fall down to appropriate levels, while still having an obvious route back to the top flight should their playing standards improve.

Gaps in the schedule, and year 6 for teams not involved in play-offs, can be filled with additional, non-ranking series - so if for example England found themselves in Division Two, regular Ashes series could still be played.

End result: an objective promotion/relegation structure, a reduced compulsory fixture list (although knowing the various cricket boards, the gaps would soon be filled with additional series - although these wouldn't count towards the rankings), a pre-determined method for lower teams to progress to full Test status, and an end to constant harping by the “better” nations about being forced to play “unworthy” opposition.

Of course, the chances of this happening are probably about nil, but I can dream…

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