Thread about Rising Stars train wreck before it happens

[Conant]

I really don't understand what you guys are moaning about.

Barrels half empty every time I guess.

[CrimsonAvenger]

these RS youths wouldnt have gotten chances on the other 4 teams. Not with the Muzarabanis and Dabengwas hogging up sppots (the Vusis and Marumas actually have a important role to play at LC level in giving experience to rookies).

the pressure of competing here will turn the coal into diamonds, if its there to begin with.

Overall a great idea. Lets guys like Tary and Burr take responsibiity cuz in 4 years they will be lead batters when Masakadza, Williams, Taylor, Ervine retire.

+1

And We'll have William Mashinge in national colours soon. Prophecy.

Yes, there is an issue with the depth. But hey, the next edition of RS auditions are happening by the end of the month / November? May be some of them - current U19s like Mazhawidza, Shumba and Roche - would get in and be part of the RS team for the latter half of the season even with international duties of Burl, Ngarava and Musakanda...

[ZIMDOGGY]

Never known a thread to contain so much rubbish. The Rising Stars programme is the single biggest initiative that ZC have sanctioned in the last 20 years.

A whole summer playing against decent sides in the UK developing not only their games but their life skills.

We moan about the lack of opportunities for former under 19 players and now they have them. They clearly competed in the first game and will only grow the more they play.

Once more it is forcing Burl and Musakanda to act as senior players which will only increase the price thy put on their wickets.

Taibu is conducting trials for the next academy intake over the next week. These guys are the future.

Irrelevant your honour.
The defendant is discussing the merits of the Stars in the Logan cup? Not English club cricket.

[foreignfield]

The problem is that they selected a squad with only two and a half batsmen in the first place.

[pariah]

Rising Stars as a FC team was an utterly stupid idea.

[zimfan1]

Burl is averaging 45 in first class cricket. Has to play in the West Indies tests.

[sloandog]

Rising Stars as a FC team was an utterly stupid idea.

How is it an utterly stupid idea? Honestly mate.
You actually post some really interesting stuff which warrants positive discussion but, at the same time, you post stuff like the above with warrants little benefit except from causing argumentatious discussions.

Except from the player selection this season, every aspect of their inclusion in the FC set up is a brilliant idea and will lend invaluable experience to the lads.

Zimdoggy, my bad pal

[Googly]

My 10c worth-
From the RS tour they should have been able to identity who was FC material and they should have been included in the 5th side alongside 5 or 6 seasoned players. Foreignfield is correct- 2, perhaps 3 batsmen in that side. I’m sorry but it doesn’t matter how much exposure the others get they’re not making the grade. Perhaps at the end of next season they may find another 2 or 3 batters and then their team will look more convincing.
Absolutely it’s a good initiative, and the UK is a decent option as it’s the offseason, but why not be a bit more selective and if there aren’t enough good youngsters then pad the side out with a couple of better and older players so they can play better teams there. Obviously you could send this side to SA, but then you’re not integrating them into our season.

[Googly]

As I said before, the cost of this would be an interesting number. It would be an interesting exercise to assess how much it costs to produce an international player, it must be exhorbitant because it’s like 1/100. But the fact that there’s this new initiative it gives the lads hope and something to shoot for. I’m dumbfounded at some of the selections though, and it’s never been ZC’s strong suit, we need a completely impartial expert panel. As I say that I start laughing and crying because there’s more chance of free and fair elections. Once again (I sound like a stuck record) but by the time you get to u19 you’re set in your ways, especially as a batsman, we need to identify the real talent way before then and put those few kids on the right pathways. I watch a lot of schoolboy cricket and the dearth of talent is shocking. These last two schoolboy T20’s showed up the ground we’ve lost against SA schools in the last few years. Most age group sides are playing less than 8 games a year against pitiful opposition. How the f*^# can you expect to produce a good batsman from that?

[Googly]

I had the privilege of watching the England u19 vs India u19 a couple of months ago. These boys are chosen from a massive pool and have unlimited opportunities, games and coaching opportunities. We don’t have one player that comes close to making any of those teams. The problem has to be addressed at junior school. You don’t need thousands of players either, you need to identify the few kids who’ve got the ability and focus on them, it’s a cheat but we don’t have the resources to do anything else. The one thing Zim produces is astonishingly talented sportsmen from a minuscule playing pool, just tap into those guys. In one age group we produced Sam Curran, Eddie Byrom, Nick Welch and Angus Curtis, a truly bizarre alignment of the planets and we lost every one of them, something that, even by ZC’s abysmal record, was dumbfounding.