The home of Zimbabwean former players & they should return

[tlse]

some news about former layers: gavin ewing is playing in new zealand from oct to march and in england from april to sept and have no intention to return unless things change in zim and trvor gripper is runing a business in zim; he plays cricket for fun in a social league in harare with former zim players. this league is more competitive than the one run by zc;

[Detective RDS]

After a long time the Zimbabwean selectors have chosen a 15 players squad which is touring to Bangladesh and Kenya based on their performance and merit.Full marks to them fot this positive attitude.There are 4 white players in the squad which is shown rarely.Accually,the white players are overlooked by ZC most of the time despite having good performance like Mark Vermeulen.

Its time for ZC to take proper steps in order to get back the former players who hv left Zimbabwe.I know,its not going to happen really.

Anyway,lets cast a look at where are the former players now who are still able to represent Zimbabwe in the highest level:

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS:

1.Sean Ervine (Age 25) > Playing English county cricket for HAMPSHIRE
2.Anthony Ireland (Age 24) > Playing English county cricket for GLOUCESTASHIRE
3.Mark Vermeulen (Age 29)> Playing club cricket as the captain of OLD HARARIANS(ZIM)
4.Brendan Taylor (Age 22) > Playing club cricket for NORTH MELBOURNE(AUS)
5.Terrence Duffin (Age 26) > Playing club cricket for WINSLEY(UK)
6.Ryan Higgins (Age 21) > Playing club cricket for CHIPPENHAM(UK)
7.Dion Ebrahim (Age 28) > Playing club cricket for STONY STRATFORD(UK)&TARANAKI(NZ)
8.Gavin Ewing (Age 27) > Playing club cricket in England & TARANAKI(NZ)
9.Tinashe Panyangara (Age 24) > Playing club cricket for BARKISLAND(UK)
10.Neil Ferreira (Age 29) > Playing club cricket for NORTHLEACH TOWN(UK)
11.Travis Friend (Age 28) > Playing club cricket for KNOWLE AND DORRIDGE(UK)
12.Richard Sims (Age 29) > Playing club cricket for SWARDESTON(UK)
13.Brian Murphy (Age 32) > Playing club cricket for SWARDESTON(UK)
14.Keegan Meth (Age 20) > Signed for playing domestic cricket for HIGHVELD LIONS(SOU)
15.Piet Rinke (Age 27) > Playing club cricket for SCARBOROUGH(UK)
16.Waddington Mwayenga (Age 24) > Playing for WORCESTERSHIRE 2ND 11(ENG CCC)
17.Charles Coventry (Age 25) > Playing club cricket in South Africa and England.
18.Gregory Strydom (Age 24) > Playing club cricket in New Zealand and England.

19.HEATH STREAK (Age 34)>Playing unofficial cricket for AHMEDABAD ROCKETS(ICL).Streak has ended his contract with Warwickshire in 2007.
20.ANDY BLIGNAUT (Age 30) > Blignaut wasnt paid by ZC and he refused to play for Zimbabwe.He was with Highveld Lions in 2005 but wasnt with them in 2006.He is probably living in South Africa.No current info...
21.BARNEY ROGERS (Age 26) > Rogers wasnt offered a contract in 2005.He is probably living in Australia or Zimbabwe.No current info...
22.DOUGLAS MARILLIER (Age 30) > Marillier quit Zimbabwe in March,2004 and went to play club cricket in England.He returned in Zimbabwe in 2005 and played for the A side and as the captain of Board 11 side in South Africa after not being offered a contract in 2005.He isnt recorded in any team of Zimbabwe after the 2005 season.Douglas Marillier expressed his intention to return in the national side before the World Cup 2007,but didnt return.Marillier is listed in the Birmingham and District Premier League in England as a player.No current info...
23.TREVOR GRIPPER (Age 33) > Gripper was one of the 15 rebel players of Zimbabwe in 2004.He returned to Zimbabwe in 2005 and played for the A Side.He wasnt offered a contract in September,2005 and after that he played cricket for Old Georgians Sports Club in Harare but was overlooked by ZC for the fact of his father Ray Gripper(former Rhodesian captain)who was one of the main crictics of the board and was one of leading figure behind the rebel strike in 2004.Gripper now runs a business in Harare and plays cricket for fun in a social legue in Harare with the former players.

DOMESTIC PLAYERS:

24.Greg Lamb (Age 27) > Lamb played English county cricket for Hampshire.He was released by Hampshire at the end of the 2008 season having not played for the first team under caretaker coach Giles White.He took just eight Championship wickets at 71.37 in the 2008 season.
25.Gary Ballance (Age 19) > Playing English county cricket for YORKSHIRE
26.Colin De Grandhomme (Age 22) > Playing domestic cricket for Auckland(NZ)
27.Craigh Ervine (Age 23) >Playing club cricket for LORDSWOOD(UK) & BEXHILL(UK)
28.Ryan Butterworth (Age 27) >Playing club cricket for BRADNINCH(UK)
29.Ian Nicolson (Age 22) > Playing club cricket in Aus & LUDDENDEN FOOT(UK)
30.Brighton Mugochi (Age 20) > Playing club cricket for WANDERES(SOU)
31.Tarasai Mahlunge (Age 20) > Playing club cricket for WANDERES(SOU)
32.Jemton Chinyengetere (Age 23) > Playing club cricket in South Africa.

This is a long list of the players who hv quit their career in Zimbabwe.I amnt sure that this list is 100% accurate but most of the information is correct.I hv taken information from http://www.brmtaylor.com
http://www.zimcricketnews.com
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://www.cricinfo.com and some other sites.

If there is any mistake or if someone hv any updated information,pls do reply.

[Detective RDS]

some news about former layers: gavin ewing is playing in new zealand from oct to march and in england from april to sept and have no intention to return unless things change in zim and trvor gripper is runing a business in zim; he plays cricket for fun in a social league in harare with former zim players. this league is more competitive than the one run by zc;

Thanks for the information,tlse.Great work,keep it up!ZC cant imagine that how many talented and promising players they hv lost.I agree,the condition of domestic cricket in Zimbabwe is very terrible,even the national league is postpond for the shortage of players and finincial problems!!!

[zimfan1]

ryan higgins goes to bristol university in the UK, my mate knows him

gavin ewing is a cricket coach in england and defintly will not return

barney rogers in in austrlia

greg lamb was realeased by hampshire in september, he is one that we should try and get back

ian nicolson is going to play club cricket in austrlia from feburay

gary balance is curretnly attending harrow university in england

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Thanks for the information tlse.

Detective RDS well done on making those lists, it would have taken you quite a while to research all of those details

[ahmed]

Barney rogers actually lives in harare i know this cos i am his 'friend' on facebook.

[Detective RDS]

Thanks for the information,zimfan1.Thank you too brmtaylor.com admin.

I hope Barney Rogers is continuing playing cricket!!!!!!

[Detective RDS]

I have some good information about TRAVIS FRIEND.That is he is still playing club cricket.

Travis Friend was one of 15 rebel players of Zimbabwe in 2004.Then,he went to play English county cricket for Derbyshire and played there till 2005.But he failed to make an impact there and drifted out of the professional game.

From 2006 season Travis Friend started to play club cricket for Knowle and Dorridge(UK).He is listed in the 1st 11 squad of his club.He has scored there 1087 runs at 34 with 6X50,1X100 and has taken 75 wickets at 20.4 with 5 wicket hauls twice.He has played cricket for his club in 2006,2007 and 2008 season.Here is the link of his club website:

http://www.knowleanddorridgecc.co.uk/

Here is the link of his statistics in his club website:

http://kdcc.play-cricket.com/profile/st ... d=10560222

Travis Friend who is 28 years old has played 51 ODIs and 13 tests for Zimbabwe.We have to wait to see if he returns and plays for Zimbabwe again.

[Detective RDS]

I have read an article 'Talent in the commentry box' (November 20,2008) which was posted by brmtaylor.com admin in the news section of brmtaylor.com.

Dirk Viljoen: Viljoen is only 31. He never set the world on fire during his international playing days, but would probably still make the team now if he so desired. In a time when many people are leaving Zimbabwe, it is good to see that Dirk Viljoen is sticking around because there will come a point in the future where people of his calibre - he has 46 matches of First Class experience, including one double century - will be accepted back into Zimbabwe Cricket, probably in the form of an assistant coach.

brmtaylor.com admin wrote this about Dirk Viljoen in that article and I totally agree with him that Viljoen can still make the team now if he so desires.

Dirk Viljoen is 31 years old which isnt the time for him to leave cricket but to play cricket with full concentration.Ya,its good to see that when everyone is leaving the country,Viljoen is commentating the games of Zimbabwe.

Dirk Viljeon was a left handed batsman who bats in the middle order and bowls slow left arm orthodox.Viljoen last played international cricket in 2001 in an ODI against England where he scored 1 run and his bowling figure was (10-1-40-1).His batting increasingly disappointed and his bowling became expensive and he was dropped after this series.

I have searched about him in the net but didnt find anything latest.Here is the last news about him in 2002:

Dirk Viljoen-a short biography from Cricinfo (October 4,2002)

Back home Dirk's family suffered disaster during 2002 when they were evicted from their farm under the `land resettlement' programme. At the age of 25 and having lost his place in the national side, his own future is very much in the balance. He will need to make more of an impact in future and do enough to force his way back into contention, or he may well fade out with promise unfulfilled. He has enough years left in him and enough skill to be able to succeed even now.

After that there is no news about him that indicates he played cricket in any domestic or club level. In 2 tests Viljoen scored 57 runs at 14.25 with a best score of 38 and has taken 1 wicket at 65,best 1/14. In 53 ODIs he scored 512 runs at 14.22 with 2X50,best 63* and has taken 44 wickets at 37.25,economy 4.73,best 3/20.
His FC batting record looks impressive.In 46 FC matches he scored 1956 runs at 31.04 with 11X50,2X100,best 207* and has taken 67 wickets at 29.82,best 6/73.In 87 list A matches he scored 995 runs at 17.53 with 3X50,best 73 and has taken 63 wickets at 38.73,best 3/20.

It will be hard for him to get underway in the international cricket.If he wants to play international cricket,he should play first some domestic cricket to check himself that how much he is prepared to play international cricket again.As far as I know there is no domestic cricket fixture in Zimbabwe.Then he should try to play in the club level.

I just want that he should at least try to find his way in into the Zimbabwean 11.His experience will definitely help the young players of Zimbabwe.

[Detective RDS]

I hv some information abt STUART CARLISLE.Carlisle is playing club cricket in England.

Stuart Carlisle was one of the 15 players of Zimbabwe in 2004.He cameback in 2005 and played the test series against New Zealand and India also the Videocon Traingular Series
(ZIM-IND-NZ).After that Carlisle wasnt offered a contract and he retired from all forms of cricket in October,2005.It is very much unlikely,infact impossible that he will play for Zimbabwe if an unpolitical side is made as he ages 36 right now.Anywhat,he is still playing for Attenborough Club Cricket in England and plays as the captain of Sunday 2nd 11,I think plays just for fun.Here is the link of his club website:

http://www.attenborough-cc.net/

In 2008 season,Carlisle played 7 matches,3 innings scoring 88 runs at 29.33,best of 45.Here is the statistics of his team:

http://www.attenborough-cc.net/averages ... erageid=23