ESPNCRICINFO reports that Gary Ballance has retired from all cricket - does anybody know details, what happened ?

[jontym87]

A few more retirements are just round the corner. Two of them could be as soon as tomorrow but discussion are being held to delay this till at least after qualifiers if we qualify after then after World Cup.

Why would anyone outside of Mukhulani and Masakadza be privy to any discussions being held with players about delaying retirements? That must irk them for once being held to ransom.
Are they just dangling financial carrots to players to delay their retirements for a while? I'd be shooting for a 40 year retirement job like Prosper, Elton, Hamilton himself, Banda, Jarvis etc. These guys earn way more money now than in their playing days, don't have to even arrive at work and winning or losing is completely irrelevant. It's the Holy Grail and the only thing to look forward to.
They could pretend to have an Academy and demand the best players abandon their existing clubs for major comps? Not a bad idea.
I wonder if the system could support 80 administrators and 7 players?
If those players retired now these qualifiers would be disastrous for Zim on many levels.
This latest Ballance disaster just makes people not want to play in a team where players are continually getting exposed. They should be taking their lead from administrators with an impeccable record, but the bar is on the floor.

To be privy to such you have to be connected. However, there is no connection between me and the board or executive whatsoever. Honestly I’m just one waiting for one day that will tell a very very very sad story about one player which ends in tears of joy. I did the Lord’s work.

[jontym87]

We always had a gaping hole in middle order what’s new about that? We have won games and lost games without him. Qualifiers were always going to be tough and having Ballance in the side doesn’t mean Zim would qualify either he is not a messiah to the team.

Basic probability would suggest you are bound to win at least once even if you put the shittest player in the middle order, however, Ballance offers solidity in the middle order. How often have players failed to score more than 20 in that role and have done so for more than 10 games.

I agree, Qualifiers were always going to be tough and Ballance does not offer certainty, but he does offer extra strength and experience, which is what we could have used, especially as you suggest that two players are wanting to quit tomorrow.

There are no guarantees we get Byrom or Welch back, so we are then having to go back to our flops who don't inspire any confidence.

I don't know what agenda you have against Ballance, and I'm not saying I agree with the drug use. However, in pure cricketing terms to suggest he added nothing to Zim is plain ignorance and arrogance

What experience in White-ball cricket? Well to show how biased you are, how about we get Chakabva and fill out that middle order gap. Averages more or less the same as Ballance in Whitehall but he has played more games than Ballance so he has more experience.

I see you’re going to shout at me here but it’s facts they have the same average and different experience. What’s special about Ballance and not Chakabva?

[jontym87]

Jonty is sadly temporarily filling Zolsky's role.

The situation is about to become so dire that we may see ZC helping BT appeal his suspension

This will happen in your dreams. There are no grounds for appeal it’s done and dusted. He can’t be trusted that one should never be anywhere near a cricket ground again. Same as Hamilton Masakadza but that’s a story for another day . He threatened to sue me that one and it’s been 3 years and still waiting for summons. When I visited him in his office at Harare Sports Club a year ago yesterday he acted as of he’s seen a ghost but don’t worry will deal with him.

[secretzimbo]

Fuck me you are really pulling our pissers now.

Even as self-appointed chair of the very small ZCF official Chakabva fan club this is ridiculous.

Reggie List A averages 27 whilst Ballance averages 47 in a better league/country.

Come on now. You aren’t seriously saying Regis is even in the same universe as Gary

[secretzimbo]

You’re a tinpot ‘agent’ in England and haven’t been involved here for almost a decade but you seem absolutely intent on bringing down the few good things about our cricket so good luck and hope you are very happy.

From your posts you are clearly enjoying the Ballance saga and clearly you have plans for further.

[Crastle_cog]

What's gone has gone. We won't get Ballance back. And the future seems bleak. Ballance would've been crucial to the rebuild once the big 3 retired. It was nice to see Burl take a more mature role in the recent months. But you need a few experienced guys to guide the youngsters. I won't comment on Byrom,Welch and Curran as they're uncertain regarding their commitments. Getting at least 2 of the 3 would be massive and again it's not a certainty. With Ballance going away it has become absolutely crucial to integrate Bennett into the system. Liked the guy since the u-19 days. Has something to him we rarely find in a zimbo cricketer. In short I see the makings of a future captain and a leader in him. He needs to learn from the big 3. He should continue his development outside zimbabwe just like Kaia but it wouldn't hurt for him being in the national side. At least in the squad if not as a regular. Campbell is an interesting one for me. Ik when I joined the forum many used to say he's not good enough. Idk about natural talent or grit but the performances are there to be seen. He has the consistency that we rarely see. It's usually 2 big scores and then a drop to the core. With him you've got the constant 50s. Doesn't convert and that's something he has to work on but the consistency is certainly there. Wes showed promise in the dutch series and I'm genuinely hoping the graph is only upwards from now. Marumami needs time in international cricket and I'm we all agree on that. Sooner or later he'll make that transition. Munyonga has shone glimpses of being that big hitter down the order for which I'll just add musekiwa's name to the fold. I'm a bit lost on Shumba because he certainly has got ample chances. Finally as I started out , with GB out and the big 3's retirement immenent , the integration of Bennett and Campbell into the fold becomes even the more necessary.

[Googly]

Jonty is sadly temporarily filling Zolsky's role.

The situation is about to become so dire that we may see ZC helping BT appeal his suspension

This will happen in your dreams. There are no grounds for appeal it’s done and dusted. He can’t be trusted that one should never be anywhere near a cricket ground again. Same as Hamilton Masakadza but that’s a story for another day . He threatened to sue me that one and it’s been 3 years and still waiting for summons. When I visited him in his office at Harare Sports Club a year ago yesterday he acted as of he’s seen a ghost but don’t worry will deal with him.

Well him and Ballance in the same side I have to admit did give me a bit of a chubby.
The depth of shit we are in has not sunk in, trust me. I sound like Mayo , he always says that.
It's absolutely not out of the realms of possibility.
What would hold it up are the personal issues between him and the bosses.
If we lose this current wave of optimism and results its going to be uber tough to regain. If you throw in 3 or 4 younger lesser guys into the deep end we are so fucked for years to come.
Nobody is going to believe that until we're in it

[TapsC2]

I trust DH has a plan. Ballance was his plan A for the rebuild but a call from somebody as important as DH could convince the guys out there. Its the only way. The future of ZC is in his hands and I doubt he will let it die on his watch.

What I can honestly see for the near future is Regis coming back, Burl moving into the middle order Curran, Welch and Byrom being spoken to. I don't see Raza abandoning us just yet. There will be a lot of salary space. What I know is that if they could convince Ballance to give up his Yorkshire salary then they can anybody. Not 100% sure about Byrom but I think Welch can be convinced. Let's see what happens

[zimbos_05]

What experience in White-ball cricket? Well to show how biased you are, how about we get Chakabva and fill out that middle order gap. Averages more or less the same as Ballance in Whitehall but he has played more games than Ballance so he has more experience.

I see you’re going to shout at me here but it’s facts they have the same average and different experience. What’s special about Ballance and not Chakabva?

Of everyone here, I've tried to be quite chill with you. I haven't attacked you or been mean in anyway. I've agreed with you on some points and seen things from your side too. However, since you are going there, let's go there.

White ball cricket is not just ODI, it is also List A.

Ballance averages 47.44 in List A
Chakabva averages 27.40 in List A.

One of them played in a significantly tougher domestic set up their whole career, and averages over double the other. Ballance has also played less List A games than Chakabva and done much better.

In ODIs, you are right. Ballance avereges 25.22. Chakabva averages 22.00. Ballance has a slightly higher average. They both have 4 half centuries, however, Chakabva has 1 century which he scored against Bangladesh last year. Took him 14 years after his debut to get his first century.

The difference is that Chakabva has played 61 ODIs and Ballance has played 21. Chakbava has played just under 3 times more ODIs than Ballance and yet still has a worse average, and same amount of 50s. Through simple maths, one could deduce that had Ballance played 61 ODIs, he would have scored 12 50s -at his current rate- and at least 1 century. All of those extra games Chakabva has played and yet somehow that experience has led to him having worse stats.

Ballance is no messiah, however he is a skilfully better player. It's as simple as that. By your logic, it doesn't matter who you pick because whats the difference. They can all hold a bat and hit a ball, what do we need to worry about the rest for.

[jontym87]

Fuck me you are really pulling our pissers now.

Even as self-appointed chair of the very small ZCF official Chakabva fan club this is ridiculous.

Reggie List A averages 27 whilst Ballance averages 47 in a better league/country.

Come on now. You aren’t seriously saying Regis is even in the same universe as Gary

Average of 47 in a better league yes but why not translate that onto the international stage? Despite playing better league he still have the same average at international cricket with someone who supposedly plays a shit league. So what does that say about him? They both average the more or less the same at international level.