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

[jontym87]

Also people saying it’s a loss nothing special about him in Whitehall cricket. Done nothing extra ordinary that our current local players have done all averaging 20s surely won’t be missed coz never had him anyways.

Just a reminder again:


Another BT saga loading.

[sloandog]

Oh absolutely. It’s a certainty that Craig and Sean retire before the end of this calendar year.

Raza won’t be around forever either. Probably two years max.

Why though? Are they both in situations where they are financially sound? Their central contracts are very very well paid. Craig could easily continue for another 18 months I reckon

[secretzimbo]

Craig looks to probably be in decline as a cricketer. He's also often playing through pain and injury in recent years. Also has two young kids.

Sean always makes it appear that having to play cricket occasionally is a major inconvenience to his life He hasn't retired for at least a year now so another one must be due soon.

And yes neither of them need the money particularly.

Raza's career being in the ascendancy currently means he will probably play for a while yet, although apparently he has retired from Tests.

[zimbos_05]

Part of me isn't surprised. It did kind of look like he was maybe not as comfortable in the evironment, however, the timing is very poor, even for him.

He could have at least stuck around for the qualifiers. It's if because of his wife. He could have made the promise that it would be until just after the qualifiers and then they could go back. I highly doubt they are slumming things in a poor suburb of Harare or struggling with luxuries.

I just see this as ZC going to start to refuse to let these kinds of players return.

[Zimco]

This is disappointing and strange. It's not like he hadn't done well either. He scored a 100 in the test so I doubt he was under performance pressure yet.

I wonder if his wife wasn't settling in maybe

[zimbos_05]

Done nothing extra ordinary that our current local players have done all averaging 20s surely won’t be missed coz never had him anyways.

Nothing extra ordinary, but did you watch any of our recent cricket?

Century on test debut for us. 2 half centuries in the ODIs. We've got players who've gone years without so much as passing 30.

[Googly]

Ya what a very strange thing to say. Its not even a question of having to look at a batter and go - wow this guy is different gravy! You just have to look at his numbers, pre and post joining Zim.
But it is very possible that the hierarchy will believe that we have enough in the tank without Ballance, Ervine, Williams and Raza. This Naviq fellow could make an early appearance.
The withdrawal of Ballance from the qualifiers guarantees an early exit.
It loses Dave Houghton some valuable points with the family mafia and of course there will be some sort of racial undertone, we've come to expect that.... and it's pre-election and post Al Jazeera.
The future suddenly looks not so bright and I fear we may see an obstinate Mafia again. Perhaps the highlight of the year will be the T10 featuring Hammy and Elton. I see a major salary increase in their future and a why not give ourselves another little picker upper whilst we're at it. Range Rovers all round, all is not lost, lads.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Sad news to wake up to.

[tej_27]

What a terrible news ..this is massive blow to our chances in qualifiers

[Donald]

This is really crappy. He didnt really give it a chance ( 4 months) which lends the theory more is afoot here.

Feel for Houghton here, He's been shat on from a great height