Despite the usual shenanigans that was a really good game of cricket with a decent involved crowd.
Some big prize money handed out there. Let's see how that gets distributed Ump will be aggrieved if he doesn't get at least half
Naqvi played well. He was a bit iffy on the short ball. I'll be interested to see him facing someone bowling short and quick, he looks like he doesn't enjoy it. Decent player though, his PR team should take a bow.
Great chase by Welch and Ervine. 150 run partnership going at 10's is not easy and they were doing it comfortably.
Would the prize money amount for the winners have been halved if Uprising had won, I wonder?
Aside from the obvious bias in both organisation and umpiring to a certain club throughout, the NPL - both the 45-overs and T20 - have been on the whole fantastic. For what is effectively a local club tournament it's been really good. 2-months of really solid, regular cricket at decent grounds and with most of the big boys turning out as well and playing at a good standard.
For a club tournament to be playing a showpiece final under the lights at HSC with a decent crowd in attendance? Unthinkable 3 years ago.
Franchise season starts next week. First Pro50 game is on Friday, I believe?
Random thought but I think the ZC App is just about the single best thing to happen to cricket in this country for the past decade.
Club cricket or school cricket scorecards used to be as rare as virgins in Highfield.
Yeah I absolutely love it, statistics side could do with some work but it's a great app to follow all cricket in Zimbabwe.
They have recently updated it as well with insights when a new batsmen come in, can't remember who it was but if the batsmen scores over 30 the team wins 85% of the time, thought that was pretty cool but don't know how accurate it is.
I can now easily follow the Midlands league instead of just knowing the one game and having to call around for the others.
I replayed that bit of cricket. Its at the 3.16 mark
Cuthbert Musoko palmed it over for 6 and apparently signalled a 4, gratefully accepted by the ump.
I'm not sure how that's OK with anyone? People were shouting, surely up to the umpires to get clarification, not that it was needed.
I just hate that shit. Why the compulsion to cheat and why the acceptance of it. At least be sheepish about winning
Tidbit in the newly published ZC annual report, suggests there is a new effort to finally get an academy re-started;
"Work is underway to establish a national academy, with national scouts Elton Chigumbura and Kyle Jarvis currently scouring the country for talent to join this.
ZC is also engaging with schools to come up with a new age-group cricket structure.
This will see the re-establishment of schools cricket competitions that form an integral part of the player development pathway and play a major role in the recruitment and retention of young players."
Other interesting parts include confirmation that the 8 Zim youngsters selected to go and train at the Lahore high performance centre in Pakistan have actually gone, and are there already. Re-confirmation that 5 Pakistani seamers will play in our domestic competitions as well.
Also quite impressive that 29 coaches graduated with Level Four in the past year - that must be a local record? Houghton instrumental in the coaching programme.
Ump will be aggrieved if he doesn't get at least half