T20 Rebuild

[jaybro]

Although t20 is my least favourite format I do agree that ZC needs to out more focus on this format for the following reasons.

-Cheaper to host
-Opportunity to tour the likes of Aus, RSA & Ind more often
-Players able to play more fixtures (less work rate required)
-Biannual World Cups
-Shorter the format closer the contest (more chance of winning)
-T20 is the future of the game

As they say in business “follow the money” and the money is all in t20 cricket. I think the more t20 cricket we play the more likely we are to get invited for tours and the more competitive we will be.

This should also hopefully encourage more kids to take up the sport and also entice some guys back to Zim. As many have agreed to on this forum before, players are more likely to get franchise deals playing international cricket for Zimbabwe than plodding away in the UK ie Blessing, Burl & Raza.

Building a side purely for t20 isn’t realistic imo for Zimbabwe, purely for the fact there aren’t enough players and they don’t play enough fixtures. I doubt Williams will quit t20s, it’s not like we play many tests so he would essentially become an ODI player only.

I do agree that Ervine & Regis should be retired from this format by ZC, but I think we should keep Williams & Raza around for the next WC if they wish to. Marumani is the obvious guy to come at the top of the order, but finding him a partner is tough.

I do believe eventually Curran will become the best option to open in t20s along with Marumani, unless of course we can bring back some talent. I think Burl needs to move up the order and we can look at alternatives for the finishing role.

Guys like Mashinge, Musekiwa, Magodo & even Kamunhukamwe have shown their big hitting ability down the order this Pro50 season, so we do have options to fill spots 6-9.

I do believe we need a much longer & possibly expanded t20 tournament, surely they can find enough sponsors and interest by including Namibia & even the likes of an Ireland or Scotland A side to expand the tournament & lift the standard?

More overseas guys too will also help lift the standard, but we really need to see the domestic season expanded so these guys get more chances to play this format.

[andrea lanzoni]

Focus should be on ODI cricket.

50 overs cricket is bound to die.
I can bear witness for Europe. Here people strugglesto have 3-4 hours in a weekend for a T20, almost no one can commit for a full day.
From playing to spectator: watching a 3 hours event is feasible, watching a 8 hours match is something that in most families is unsustainable.

People (wisely) wonders why spending a whole day to have less thrill in what you can obtain in a 3 hours T20.
If, as it seems, cricket is to tap to the Olympics, only T20 (or Hundred) would be the format.

First Class is another matter. It will keep its niche since it truly offers something that neither T20, ODI or Hundred may offer.
Test future will be comparable to lawn tennis. As lawn tennis remains for a specific part of the season, so Test cricket will remain within WTC umbrella (and Ashes of course).

For benefit of WTC (and for Zimbabwe) WTC should be split in a two tiers tournament with promotion and relegation. Say 8 nation in first tier and 4 in second tier or maybe, more aggressively: 6 in first tier and 6 in second tier.

The other must for WTC is that all matches are to be held simulataneously (e.g. in the month of February and in the month of July). This would make WTC not having a competition with T20 leagues played in the same period of time and finally having best players truly participating to WTC.

[secretzimbo]

^ Not sure why your post has appeared as a 'quote' by me buddy!

[andrea lanzoni]

^ Not sure why your post has appeared as a 'quote' by me buddy!

Sorry, I must have messed up with commas. It's Kriterion whom I replied to

[TapsC2]

Been thinking about this and I think this is how i would try line up if we assume that Regis, Williams, Craig and maybe even Chatara are not part of the plan.

Marumani
Mutumbami(wk)
Wes(c)
Raza
Burl
Jongwe
Evans
Mumba
Mavuta
Ngarava
Muzarabani


I know a lot of people will say it's a long tail but my reasoning is that the alternative "batsmen" aren't ready. That tail from Jongwe to Ngarava can probably score more runs than adding Shumba and Munyonga as things stand and from what I have seen over the last few months.

Wes Raza and Burl will be who the team is built around. You also have 9 bowling options. Mavuta and Mumba would be the new blood because they can clear the ropes.

I think it's worth a try. Make Wes the captain as we try create some new leaders. Shumba and Munyonga will obviously be in the squad. If Williams stays then he replaces Jongwe and the order shifts down 1 from number 4.

[TapsC2]

The goal would be for either Raza and Burl to be there at the end. So you need some guys who can clear the ropes so as to not put too much pressure on them. This lineup gives them that. T20s are a short game and with the way the game is developing strike rates of 120 will soon not be good enough.

15 off 6 will soon be more valuable than 40 off 35

[Kriterion_BD]

50 overs cricket is bound to die.
I can bear witness for Europe. Here people strugglesto have 3-4 hours in a weekend for a T20, almost no one can commit for a full day.
From playing to spectator: watching a 3 hours event is feasible, watching a 8 hours match is something that in most families is unsustainable.

People (wisely) wonders why spending a whole day to have less thrill in what you can obtain in a 3 hours T20.
If, as it seems, cricket is to tap to the Olympics, only T20 (or Hundred) would be the format.

First Class is another matter. It will keep its niche since it truly offers something that neither T20, ODI or Hundred may offer.
Test future will be comparable to lawn tennis. As lawn tennis remains for a specific part of the season, so Test cricket will remain within WTC umbrella (and Ashes of course).

For benefit of WTC (and for Zimbabwe) WTC should be split in a two tiers tournament with promotion and relegation. Say 8 nation in first tier and 4 in second tier or maybe, more aggressively: 6 in first tier and 6 in second tier.

The other must for WTC is that all matches are to be held simulataneously (e.g. in the month of February and in the month of July). This would make WTC not having a competition with T20 leagues played in the same period of time and finally having best players truly participating to WTC.

I'm sure I've mentioned this elsewhere before, but WTC tier system isn't that plausible because the gap between #1 and #9 is smaller than the gap between #9 and #10.

[andrea lanzoni]

I'm sure I've mentioned this elsewhere before, but WTC tier system isn't that plausible because the gap between #1 and #9 is smaller than the gap between #9 and #10.

Assuming #9 maybe Bangladesh, the gap from top is an abyss.
Eight nations in a top tier fits a better group than a group of nine.

A second tier with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan would be an interesting and uncertain tier. I really doubt of a sweep by Bangladesh.

With all 12 nations involved, second tier nations have the chance to grow.