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

[mnelson68]

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.

I've never attacked you and i do apologise if you felt that way.

You said it took Regis 14 years to get his first century after his debut. Garry its 10 years and still counting. Mind you Chakabva makes the side as a specialist keeper (despite being made to open batting recently blah blah blah) and Gazza is a top order batsmen.

Your statistical calculations are partly correct about Garry Ballance. Only wrong assumptions is thinking at this rate he will score at least 1 hundred.

see below:

Projected 50+ Scores = (Number of 50+ Scores so far / Number of Innings so far) x Number of Innings in the projection
= (4 / 20) x 61
= 12.2 (rounded to 12)

To calculate the projected number of 100+ scores, we can use the same method:

Projected 100+ Scores = (Number of 100+ Scores so far / Number of Innings so far) x Number of Innings in the projection
= (0 / 20) x 61
= 0

Regis is done , average player. Madande is much better in all formats

[mnelson68]

I've never attacked you and i do apologise if you felt that way.

You said it took Regis 14 years to get his first century after his debut. Garry its 10 years and still counting. Mind you Chakabva makes the side as a specialist keeper (despite being made to open batting recently blah blah blah) and Gazza is a top order batsmen.

Your statistical calculations are partly correct about Garry Ballance. Only wrong assumptions is thinking at this rate he will score at least 1 hundred.

see below:

Projected 50+ Scores = (Number of 50+ Scores so far / Number of Innings so far) x Number of Innings in the projection
= (4 / 20) x 61
= 12.2 (rounded to 12)

To calculate the projected number of 100+ scores, we can use the same method:

Projected 100+ Scores = (Number of 100+ Scores so far / Number of Innings so far) x Number of Innings in the projection
= (0 / 20) x 61
= 0

You came on pretty strong and some of your words were very much in that vain.

Garry hasn't played ODIs for 8 years. Hard to score a century when you're not playing. Regis on the other hand has been playing regularly.

I get the maths. I agree. I went off how did Regis do at the same stage. After 22 games, Regis' highest score was 45. Gary already has 4 half centuries by the same point. So based off of that trajectory, one would assume he will score a century well before that time.

Being in the minority doesn't necessarily mean i'm wrong.

True. However, you are providing facts and getting rebuffed by facts, so it's pretty hard to understand how you think you are the only one who is right here.

You said he needed to play Logan Cup to get lay of the land. He scored a century on debut so that rebuffs the Logan Cup argument.

You argue his average of 25 if poor, yet fail to acknowledge he did not play an ODI for 8 years and that he has scored the same number of half centuries (2 of which came in Zim colours) as Regis is much less games. You also ignore his List A average, which is way higher than Regis, which proves his talent.

I do apologise that my words 'were in that vain'.

Regis you said has been playing regularly? Thats a bit harsh, thats an average of 4 ODI games per year! His games came in leaps and bounds between November 2015 - April 2019 he was out of the side never played a single game.

Garry has played only 13 out of 21 matches against top Nations where as Chakabva only 11 of his 61 were against minor sides.

Scoring a hundred without any cricket can be a fluke anyone can do it. Hamilton did it on debut from class onto the pitch then what happened afterwards? The way he was integrated in the side was completely wrong and set a very very bad precedent. What message did that sent to the rest of the players? If someone had played a race card then and said Ballance is walking straight into the side without playing cricket how would you argue against that? Now we have cricketers like Ben Curran and Byrom because they have played a bit of county cricket they see these things happening obviously they will take a piss on ZC and start acting funny should they avail themselves for national selection. They will have the mentality that we can walk into the team as long as we coming from a county background. What i am saying here policies are policies they should be adhered to. Regis went to Australia and was told you will not be selected if you don't play any domestic cricket mind you he is the official vice captain. SO here we have a case of Animal Farm.

The fact that you are comparing Ballance with Regis is embarrassing. Ballance makes Regis look like a club cricketer

[secretzimbo]

Sorry fellas I can’t be bothered reading through all the crap,

Have we got confirmation or anything close to solid about what’s happened here? Or we still going off Jonty’s not so well hidden suggestion Gary failed a drug test?

All sources seem to confirm it. Apparently there is a pending ICC Anti-doping investigation. He’s either failed or missed a drugs test, during the Netherlands series.

We will wait and see what the official word is.

[jontym87]

Sorry fellas I can’t be bothered reading through all the crap,

Have we got confirmation or anything close to solid about what’s happened here? Or we still going off Jonty’s not so well hidden suggestion Gary failed a drug test?

All sources seem to confirm it. Apparently there is a pending ICC Anti-doping investigation. He’s either failed or missed a drugs test, during the Netherlands series.

We will wait and see what the official word is.

Excuse my french, the official word is he is fucked and not the only though. ZC is fucked too. I will leave it here!

[zimbos_05]

I do apologise that my words 'were in that vain'.

Regis you said has been playing regularly? Thats a bit harsh, thats an average of 4 ODI games per year! His games came in leaps and bounds between November 2015 - April 2019 he was out of the side never played a single game.

Garry has played only 13 out of 21 matches against top Nations where as Chakabva only 11 of his 61 were against minor sides.

Scoring a hundred without any cricket can be a fluke anyone can do it. Hamilton did it on debut from class onto the pitch then what happened afterwards? The way he was integrated in the side was completely wrong and set a very very bad precedent. What message did that sent to the rest of the players? If someone had played a race card then and said Ballance is walking straight into the side without playing cricket how would you argue against that? Now we have cricketers like Ben Curran and Byrom because they have played a bit of county cricket they see these things happening obviously they will take a piss on ZC and start acting funny should they avail themselves for national selection. They will have the mentality that we can walk into the team as long as we coming from a county background. What i am saying here policies are policies they should be adhered to. Regis went to Australia and was told you will not be selected if you don't play any domestic cricket mind you he is the official vice captain. SO here we have a case of Animal Farm.

The Bangladesh and Afghanistan sides of the early 2000's/10s were not special. They were average and Regis should have done better against them. Granted he didn't bat in two of the ODIs against Afghanistan in 2013.

Comparison is also very subjective. I could compare Ballance to Maruma, who has played the same number of games, and there is a clear winner in that comparison.

What precedent does it set that Jongwe literally stole from a bat supplier and has gotten away with it. Not even a squeak about his actions. He was dropped for one game and then straight back into it. You know this yourself that ZC have allowed others to get away with far worse and those people are still in the setup at every level. So ZC is setting different precedents all over the place. This precedent I am ok with because it benefitted the team and increased our strength.

Ballance came in and produced on the field. He backed up his selection. He proved his worth. That should quiet any queries about precedent, but you can't seem to see that. You just keep banging on about his average which was mostly his England days. Players like Curran and Byrom will not have that mentality because they do not have the experience and stature that Ballance had to be afforded that luxury. Curran definitely has the county stats to back up a selection call up, but Ballance had much more skill quality in his locker and also fully committed. Byrom and Curran have not fully committed to the Zim setup and system, at least that is my understanding.

[sloandog]

If you're looking at corrupt individuals who have never been punished, look no further than the great Nick Singo. The guy should be behind bars

[secretzimbo]

Absolutely!!

[sam_ahm]

To say that Ballance made no significant difference to the side is utter crap. He did and it is a huge set back to the chances at WCQs.

However, we can't change what's happened. So we have to deal with it and hope for the best. I have a very strong feeling that Raza will have a BIG impact at the qualifiers and if Zimbabwe are going to qualify, he will play a big part.

We've all seen worse situations before, so I'm not losing my sleep over this. 4 months ago he wasn't there anyways and even with Ballance Qualifiers were no guarantee. I'm rather looking forward to retaining younger players so that the future is bright.

[jontym87]

If you're looking at corrupt individuals who have never been punished, look no further than the great Nick Singo. The guy should be behind bars

This one is a tough one to disagree with you. Imagine the guys went to Australia apparently to do ‘level 3 coaching course’ yet he doesn’t even have basic coaching knowledge. ZC seems to always find a role for him somehow.

I will not go into his shenanigans with the U19 squad. Stinks

[sloandog]

Yea that's what I'm referring to, the Under 19 fiasco. Googly knows what I'm referring to