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Explaining why I want a minimum of 5 domestic teams of Zimbabwe:

My decision stands here considering various issues. Zimbabwe national cricket team badly needs some injection of young blood and some bold approach of raw talent. For this we have to give our youngsters an extended run in domestic cricket.

In the season of 2015/16, there were young players like Brandon Diplock, Brighton Zhawi, Craig Dollar, Deven Bell, Kyle Bowie in the franchise squads. But unfortunately they didn't get enough opportunities. Reasons cited were the franchise sides have already settled lineup or are banking on experience and so they were starved of chances. At least we need to back them and give them a run in the domestic side before judging them. Zimbabwe can't afford to frustrate the remaining pool of young players by not providing them with enough opportunities. The talent drain of Zimbabwean cricket is massive irrespective of color.

In Mashonaland Eagles franchise, Brandon Diplock & Brighton Zhawi were the standout performers in practice matches. But they didn't get to many matches for the Eagles as other pacers were preferred to them.

Wicket keeper Craig Dollar played only one match for the Mashonaland Eagles whereas his wicket keeping counterparts Shoun Handirisi & Taffy Mupariwa both got a decent run with the Matabeleland Tuskers without much success.

Pacer Kyle Bowie played 2 FC & 2 List A matches for the Matabeleland Tuskers. But he couldn't feature in more matches owing to the presence of Christopher Mpofu & Brian Vitori.

Deven Bell at least got to play few matches for the Matabeleland Tuskers.

Let's assume the fact that the Mashonaland Eagles side is packed. So, what's the future of Diplock, Zhawi or Dollar ? To wait for their turn ? If there were another franchise then these players would have also been playing.

The thing is that when Southern Rocks franchise was still around & there were 5 franchise sides, then players were getting their chances if they sticked around. It was hard to believe at that time that a young player who wants to play in Zimbabwean domestic cricket isn't getting his chance. Their integration to the domestic side needs to be facilitated.

If handling 5th domestic side or franchise seems difficult then I will be OK even with the inception of a 5th side named the Zimbabwe development side or Zimbabwe academy side (like the CFX academy back in early 2000s or Cricket Australia XI)

Quoting some very good piesces written by the ZCF posters regarding this issue. zimfan1 & CrimsonAvenger seem to agree with me:
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Flakeman

Diplock and Zhawi have both been left out despite being the picks of the bowlers during the practice matches.

gargamel

Both Dipaz and Zhawi are good enough and its sad but i guess the call made by the selectors was to have a more expirienced seam attack. I rate both as the future of Zimbabwe cricket. The problem is Mash has the largest selection pool and a number of lads will be dropped , another problem is the demise of the Rocks Franchise that pushed a number of good players to the remaining franchises resulting in the suppression of talent sad but very true fact.

zimfan1

This is why we need to have 6 FC teams, as once the national team and "A" squad return many cricketers will find themselves without a spot and drift away from the game.

The issue with only having 4 sides is that it makes it very difficult for young players to disperse the elder statesman in the side and therefore they may be forced out of the game.

Take the example of Kyle Bowie and Devon Bell at the Tuskers, both promising players (dont think either are exceptional) but are being blocked from developing due to the presence of Nymbu and Mpofu, how are they going to get there chance?

Same issue with Charles Kunje and Innocent Kaia at the Mountaineers, both players who have scored runs but cant get a game due to seniority, their lack of game time is not down to any lack of talent but down to seniority, particularly with the pay as you play format it makes it harder to leave out experienced payers and give youngster a chance.

The only franchise which has been able to give young players a chance is the Rhinos, and that is more due to location than anything, i.e players dont want to move/spend time in Kwekwe.

CrimsonAvenger

Can't agree more. At least 5 teams are a must. It has been frustrating following the domestic games this season as there are non-performing "seniors" who get game after game but the potentials waiting in the wing don't get a look in at all. We may see a Mboyi or a Chitongo get a game without deserving (look at their bowling averages!) but then quite a few deserving youngsters would get a look in.

gargamel

I am a firm believer in expansion either have the return of the academy side or the rocks franchise.

jaybro

Whats happened to Kyle Bowie ???
Looks like he can't get a run now Vitori and Booby are fit .......

aydee

Probably just not selected. Tuskers have Mupariwa, Jongwe, Chimhamhiwa, Mpofu and Vitori. Not easy to get in ahead of these guys.

i am pro expansion, I had a fascinating chat with Propser Utseya who though much hated here is a true cricketing mind. He blew me away with his plans to have the under 19 kids that he is working with. He is a strong believer in getting the kids to play FC cricket and getting them ready through an academy side , for at least two years before progression through to ZIM A which he insists can only prepare the kids before throwing them into the International fire pit. The current loss of players after the under 19 was something he bemoaned as being a choke point. He has proposed to ZC mandatory contracts for 2 years with performance incentives with a basic salary of USD 650 including medical aid with an incentive such as a FC 50 attracting a bonus of $50 and a FC100 $150 with something similar for the bowlers. He has positioned that the team be based in and around Harare with out of town kids staying at the ZC house in newlands with access to the Harare Country Club provided its not sold off. The 5th side would have at most 3 senior pros to guide the kids through but strictly never to captain as this could hinder the development of a young cricketer. He went further in proposing having the top prospects be sent to specialised camps in India , Australia and South Africa to further develop. The coaching of the acdemey side would be made up of a team that would include the under 19 coach the HPC coach and respected school coach.

Wicket keeper Craig Dollar played only one match for the Mashonaland Eagles whereas his wicket keeping counterparts Shoun Handirisi & Taffy Mupariwa both got a decent run with the Matabeleland Tuskers without much success.

As you yourself have stated above, the issue is selection, not a shortage of places. Shoun and Taffy should be nowhere near first class cricket. Australia has six first class teams, four is fine for Zimbabwe.

I'm really shaking my head in frustration.

You have clearly defined a SELECTION issue, not a lack of oppotunity issue RDS.


What you have basically argued, is there is alot of dead wood in the domestic setup. So lets increase the number of first class teams to accomodate both dead wood and fresh youngsters.

Do you see it that that is what you are championing?

Why not just replace dead wood? of which there is alot. Plenty of cricketers in the domestic setup are averaging only 20 with the bat for petes sake.

There is also the question of cost and the small fact that the entire zimbabwean side is only club quality at other countries.

you'd also run the risk of the ICC revoking its first class status.

I myself, am probably good enough to play Logan club with additional teams.
Thats honest, I play the same standard as Brad Wadlan plays and he was a zimbabwean first class success.

I should be nowhere near first class cricket whatsoever. If i faced Starc I'd crap myself and just stand there blocking.

And yet anotyher thought,

With this logic (even if it were the case) then Australia should expand their first class system from 6 (yes only 6) to 42.

To give the hundreds, upon hundreds of young talented cricketers, all better than Kyle Bowie, a decent run.

Do you think that will improve Australias stocks internationally?

I understand the frustration of the younger players bit getting an opportunity.I would think it would be easier to get rid of the dead wood players who are never going to play for the national team again or are not in our plans.
no point of Mpofu who is too old Mutizwa who is clearly not being considered still playing ahead of a Bowie or Ngarava or Gumbie for example.those kind of players should either be told its over or go play in the second tier associate league they just launched where you saw the likes of Maregwede playing. unfortunately we know this will never happen because of the current board.

What I believe is needed is a selection process that oversees the domestic scene to stop Bobby Mpofu get selected over the Bowies etc.

Short term gain is Bobby, who is probably 1% better if you took a snapshot today, but is at his ceiling in terms of potential wherein Bowie has alot more to presumably improve on.
That reeks of self interest to winning a meaningless zimbabwean domestic cup.

I have noticed that australias domestic scene will turf out players in their mid thirties for developmental players. Remember, most aussie cricketers dont establish themselves in the australian team until they are 31/32 so 33/34 isnt 'old' in the aussie textbook.

The point im making is Australia select their players domestically with international success in mind, whreas the mountaineers select their team with Decembers logan cup trophy in mind.

In an ideal world ZC would take charge of the domestic teams and their selection policies, much like CSA does with enforcing quotas. However it is tough to trust ZC given its track record at just about everything. I would argue for 4 first class sides with no dead wood boozers league cricketers playing, or alternatively 3 first class sides and a CFX Academy side reserved for Under-23 cricketers. Adding a 5th and 6th side will just see teams stacked with guys barely averaging 20 who can't bowl.

Watermelon here, as usual you clowns have got it all wrong.

TWO DOMESTIC SIDES!!! Get rid of the all the quota players and guys with the right political affiliations. Mashonaland v Bulawayo. Imagine these two powerful sides fighting it out in front of a packed HSC with import players livening up proceedings.

Mashonaland
Sibanda
Chamu
Import
Raza (c)
Maruma
Chigumbura
Gumbie (w)
Mavuba
Chisoro
Ngarava
Import (fast bowler)

Bulawayo
Moor (w)
Import
Ervine
Williams
Coventry
Burl
Import (pace all-rounder)
Keefe
Cremer (c)
Panyangara
Chatara

-watermelon.