Sean Williams to retire from Zimbabwe cricket

[sloandog]

What really makes me feel sad about the situation is the fact that it's the end of an era. Sean Williams has been a name on most zimbabwe team sheets since 2006 and he was there when I was growing up, went through college, my early days in cricket etc. Even when Ray Price came back in 2008 and Taylor was playing club cricket in England, Williams was there playing in those series in Bangladesh and the home series to Sri Lanka.

He's hitting the form of his life and, even though I know we would lose the big 4 eventually, I had hoped we would lose them after the next cycle, not like this

[Donald]

Where is the source/link talking about madhevere retiring?

[zimbos_05]

True. Highly unlikely. I remember that time they hadn't been paid in months. It was a really low time. The only thing I'm not happy about is the timing of this. We can expect another miserable tour.

This seems more like a Rajput problem than a ZC problem. I think there is a lot more to this story. The timing of the outburst doesn't make sense to me yet unless Rajput signed another contract.

Also as much as we don't like Rajput, he isn't a useless coach. He had a decent track record before this. I don't know where it has gone wrong. Also why is it only Sean speaking out? His best friend has literally been made captain for this tour.

Finally, complaining about food and cricket balls sounds like bubble fatigue creeping up on all sides. Running a bubble is very expensive if you think of feeding all those players and supporting staff plus accommodation.. all this non-stop for almost a year now. We definitely do not have the money for that

You're asking questions that have already been answered, or can easily be answered.

Rajput may have had luck with Afghanistan, but they had administrative support and backing and actual effort put into development. With Zim, we don't have that, so the coach can decide to not be as good as they usually are. It is quite possible to work really hard at one job, and then shit at another job because of differing factors.

So what if his friend has been made captain. What does that have to do with Sean speaking up. Just because his friend is captain, does not mean that things are not bad. For all this barking on about going being done by ZC, it is all gaffer tape good. It is just papering over the cracks. Overall, the ZC admin we have are horrible and continue to destroy the game even when they seem to do good.

They know nothing about the game. They continue to make unattainable demands. They continue to harass and harangue players, and treat them like criminals. They continue to be a complete and utter ineptitude of a shit show. Their, "you better fix this overnight" to Hammy is enough evidence of that. Their support of a coach who has done nothing in 3 years is evidence of that.

Complaining about food and balls is not bubble fatigue, it is basic essentials. If ZC want to keep having these bubbles, then they need to do what they can to fund it. If you can't even afford cricket balls, then what the actual eff are you doing being in charge of the game.

Not to mention, ZC getting angry over this. They don't ever bother to look within and go, "You know what, maybe we need to fix our house". No. It is everyone else's fault but their own.

Williams mentioned that Wesley may be next to walk away. Whether he has actually spoken to Wes and this is what Wes has said, or if it's more Willo just putting out an idea, it should be ringing alarm bells.

I came initially to respond with a more level headed approach, but this is absolute bullshit. Our ZC board continue to shit over the game and the fans, and there are still excuses being found for them. How much worse do we want it to get before any change actually happens. We have a quality youth group coming through, but unless things change now, this group of players will never reach their full potential. They will succumb to the mediocrity that defines Hammys career, or Sub par standards that Vusi lived off of. They will be footnotes in cricket when they could be headings.

It's a shit show and needs to change.

[eugene]

As sad as this all is, I'm not sure it really changes much about the medium and long-term trajectory of cricket in Zimbabwe. Our veterans are retiring soon and we don't have the talent to replace them and the country will remain a basket-case preventing any positive administrative or economic developments. We will be battling it out with Nigeria and Uganda soon enough, maybe sneaking the odd win against Namibia. I don't think a lot of people really realise how far we have fallen, when you follow the madness of Zimbabwean cricket daily you lose big picture perspective.

[TapsC2]

True. Highly unlikely. I remember that time they hadn't been paid in months. It was a really low time. The only thing I'm not happy about is the timing of this. We can expect another miserable tour.

This seems more like a Rajput problem than a ZC problem. I think there is a lot more to this story. The timing of the outburst doesn't make sense to me yet unless Rajput signed another contract.

Also as much as we don't like Rajput, he isn't a useless coach. He had a decent track record before this. I don't know where it has gone wrong. Also why is it only Sean speaking out? His best friend has literally been made captain for this tour.

Finally, complaining about food and cricket balls sounds like bubble fatigue creeping up on all sides. Running a bubble is very expensive if you think of feeding all those players and supporting staff plus accommodation.. all this non-stop for almost a year now. We definitely do not have the money for that

You're asking questions that have already been answered, or can easily be answered.

Rajput may have had luck with Afghanistan, but they had administrative support and backing and actual effort put into development. With Zim, we don't have that, so the coach can decide to not be as good as they usually are. It is quite possible to work really hard at one job, and then shit at another job because of differing factors.

So what if his friend has been made captain. What does that have to do with Sean speaking up. Just because his friend is captain, does not mean that things are not bad. For all this barking on about going being done by ZC, it is all gaffer tape good. It is just papering over the cracks. Overall, the ZC admin we have are horrible and continue to destroy the game even when they seem to do good.

They know nothing about the game. They continue to make unattainable demands. They continue to harass and harangue players, and treat them like criminals. They continue to be a complete and utter ineptitude of a shit show. Their, "you better fix this overnight" to Hammy is enough evidence of that. Their support of a coach who has done nothing in 3 years is evidence of that.

Complaining about food and balls is not bubble fatigue, it is basic essentials. If ZC want to keep having these bubbles, then they need to do what they can to fund it. If you can't even afford cricket balls, then what the actual eff are you doing being in charge of the game.

Not to mention, ZC getting angry over this. They don't ever bother to look within and go, "You know what, maybe we need to fix our house". No. It is everyone else's fault but their own.

Williams mentioned that Wesley may be next to walk away. Whether he has actually spoken to Wes and this is what Wes has said, or if it's more Willo just putting out an idea, it should be ringing alarm bells.

I came initially to respond with a more level headed approach, but this is absolute bullshit. Our ZC board continue to shit over the game and the fans, and there are still excuses being found for them. How much worse do we want it to get before any change actually happens. We have a quality youth group coming through, but unless things change now, this group of players will never reach their full potential. They will succumb to the mediocrity that defines Hammys career, or Sub par standards that Vusi lived off of. They will be footnotes in cricket when they could be headings.

It's a shit show and needs to change.

Change is not coming anytime soon. That is something you have to make peace with. No point in always asking for something that is highly unlikely to happen.

[zimbos_05]

Change is not coming anytime soon. That is something you have to make peace with. No point in always asking for something that is highly unlikely to happen.

I have made my peace that we have them. Does not mean I can't still fight for change or that I have to accept them and find excuses for this board.

[Yvmnaidu]

with young players a go is not bad idea. but zim cricket without big 4 is toothless. zim cricket will use big 4 in odls, tests. youngstars should go in t20s. In 2007 worldcup india used same idea when dhoni wins us worldcup

[CrimsonAvenger]

Adding to the speculation of Rajput potentially being lined up as Nepal coach (makes sense, closer home), Whatmore has stepped down as their coach now. We could still have the situation getting better. But then again, if Rajput goes and Williams continues to be on the sidelines, then it might indicate that Rajput alone was not the reason for the discontent and one should look at various other stakeholders at ZC.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Why is no one talking about the fact that Williams also mentioned "bubble fatigue" as a major reason to his retirement?

Perhaps he needs time off a la Ben Stokes?

As I understand it, his issue isn't the concept of bubbles, but the way the bubbles have been managed by ZC; the way they have been treated within the bubbles, and ZC not letting him join the Bangladesh bubble despite testing negative several times.

Did he mention that? That was one of the things I was speculating on too... Specially how he had to miss the BD and Pak series at home

[Jemisi]

Yeah, he mentioned bubble fatigue