Zimbabwe look to fill gaps in FTP

[jaybro]

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is looking to fill in gaps on the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for next year, with tours against Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

by Kevin Mapasure

ZC is in talks with the respective nations for possible tours, but also has a plan in place for several A side matches.

Zimbabwe have a scheduled tour to Sri Lanka in June next year and are also looking to travel to the West Indies.

According to the FTP, Zimbabwe only have two tours next year, but ZC is looking to have more cricket in the first half of 2017.

ZC board chairperson, Tavengwa Mukhuhlani confirmed that his organisation was looking to organise international matches for the first half of the year.

“There is something being worked on but nothing has been finalised. We are looking at having a number of A tours.
At the moment all we have is what is provided for on the FTP, but we want to see if we can have some international cricket before Sri Lanka,” he said.

Zimbabwe coach, Heath Streak, who was appointed in October, lamented the paucity of international cricket and ZC is moving to give the national team players more game time.

This year, Zimbabwe played India in limited overs in series before a Test series against New Zealand, which was hosted in Bulawayo.

They also hosted Sri Lanka for two Tests as well as triangular series that also involved the West Indies.

Next year the Sri Lanka tour provides the platform for Zimbabwe to play its first Test match away from home since November 2014, where they were whitewashed by Bangladesh.

Before that Zimbabwe is likely to host Afghanistan and possibly Bangladesh.

The last time that Afghanistan toured Zimbabwe, they beat their hosts 3-2 in the one-day international series and also won the Twenty-20 series 2-0 in a tour that took place in October last year.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Called it!

So I guess if I had to bet I'd say the most likely arrangements would be one of: Bangladesh (away), Afghanistan (away), ...

HOWEVER, I thought given the losses incurred whenever ZC host a team that they'd be looking to tour somewhere themselves. If I were ZC, I'd be doing whatever it takes to get Afghanistan to host us in Greater Noida. God knows we need the experience of playing spin on sub-continental pitches, and it would probably be much cheaper too.

[aydee]

Called it!

So I guess if I had to bet I'd say the most likely arrangements would be one of: Bangladesh (away), Afghanistan (away), ...

HOWEVER, I thought given the losses incurred whenever ZC host a team that they'd be looking to tour somewhere themselves. If I were ZC, I'd be doing whatever it takes to get Afghanistan to host us in Greater Noida. God knows we need the experience of playing spin on sub-continental pitches, and it would probably be much cheaper too.

I don't think Bangladesh really have much free time. However, we all know that Afghanistan are plenty strong enough opposition, so such games would definitely have value.

[Kriterion_BD]

Called it!

So I guess if I had to bet I'd say the most likely arrangements would be one of: Bangladesh (away), Afghanistan (away), ...

HOWEVER, I thought given the losses incurred whenever ZC host a team that they'd be looking to tour somewhere themselves. If I were ZC, I'd be doing whatever it takes to get Afghanistan to host us in Greater Noida. God knows we need the experience of playing spin on sub-continental pitches, and it would probably be much cheaper too.

I don't think Bangladesh really have much free time. However, we all know that Afghanistan are plenty strong enough opposition, so such games would definitely have value.

Depends on how proactive the BCB are. We have a tour of South Africa in October (Rabada, Philander, Abbot and Steyn oh my!!!), and a Test in Harare right before or after would be great. The BCB have organized a 10 day camp in Sydney playing t20s against the Sixers and Thunder, and they've spent a small fortune on it by taking a 23 man squad. In theory a good idea, we'll see if it has any benifits.

The sooner they add 2 more Test nations the better it will be for everyone.

[TapsC]

I have seen that Bangladesh have a busy schedule over the next few months but I think they might squeeze us in especially for test cricket. I think we need each other in that format.saw something online where england have played 17 tests this year and we played 4 and Bangladesh 2. I think AC and Manase were onto something when we toured Pakistan. Risky yes but because of that they paid for everything and toured us as well. if they could offer presidential security again we could spend 2 weeks there and play a test and 3 ODIs basically free of charge and they would tour us as well.

as for Afghanistan its always risky playing them and losing but they need us. I wonder whether they paid us to play them last time or whether we footed our own bills.

[Kriterion_BD]

I have seen that Bangladesh have a busy schedule over the next few months but I think they might squeeze us in especially for test cricket. I think we need each other in that format.saw something online where england have played 17 tests this year and we played 4 and Bangladesh 2. I think AC and Manase were onto something when we toured Pakistan. Risky yes but because of that they paid for everything and toured us as well. if they could offer presidential security again we could spend 2 weeks there and play a test and 3 ODIs basically free of charge and they would tour us as well.

as for Afghanistan its always risky playing them and losing but they need us. I wonder whether they paid us to play them last time or whether we footed our own bills.

Its my belief that Bangladesh benifited greatly by playing ODI cricket with Zimbabwe from 2005-2010. That was when both BD and ZIM were young and inexperienced (BT, Taibu, Hammy, Elton, and Prosper were all 25 or under). BD benifited from getting a few more fixtures against the top 8 sides, but most of our development came against Zimbabwe. Learning how to perform with the pressure of expectation, the pressure of tight situations (Taylor last ball 6 vs Mortaza - still remember that to this day!), the pressure of failure (series losses in 2011 and 2013)...these were all new to us. 2010 we had gradually transformed into a competitive ODI unit.

However, not having a similar Test side to learn against (Zim withdrawal from Tests 2006-2011) meant our progress there slowed. True, in 2007 we simply did not have the talent to compete (or rather the skill to be more precise), but if we had 4-5 series with Zim in those formatove years, perhaps our England Test win would have come a few years earlier (2013 NZ series for sure!).