What serious trouble? GB wasn't going to be the Messiah. Zim lost and won games without GB. What's worse that could happen? Mind you GB had not played any meaningful cricket for almost 24 months and little cricket he played did nothing extra ordinary. You cant judge a person by just one inning in International Cricket otherwise people like Braithwaitte (Carlos) would still be playing for Windies because he smashed Stokes for sixes to win the world cup. Cricket isn't played in the past, yes GB scored a ton but was he going to do it over a sustained period of time? In white-ball cricket if you looked at his innings against Netherlands he wasn't convincing for a person who is to provide stability to the side.
Zim cricket lost nothing and gained nothing. In your senses you would rather pick someone on the back of performances of 5/6 years ago but done nothing in the last 12/24 months? If that was the cricket i don't think ECB would have dropped him in the national side would have continued with him. Yes we have average players but that doesn't a side has to be picked on historical performances.
Ok if i may put to you on what basis did he walk straight into that team? Had he played meaningful cricket over the last 24 months? NO. Had he scored any runs in the last 24 months? NO. So you pick that person to play ahead of people that have been scoring playing and runs (forget about the standard but take int consideration its cricket), what message will the selectors be sending other guys? That you can make side on historical performances and weight of your name?
There was nothing special about GB he had not played any cricket should have been treated same way anyone else is treated. It's a good thing this happened because it exposes the hypocrisy of ZC. I would say same thing had it been Kaia, Chatara, Madhevere or any other player. This was a very very very bad precedent set by ZC that even without playing cricket you can walk into the national team.
Please argue with facts and come with numbers here of matches played by Ballance before Zim selection. The whole Zim selection panel should be ashamed of themselves for this.
I want to try and be impartial and give you some credit on some of your points, but overall, your posts are sounding very biased and agenda based.
You are completely ignoring what Ballance did in his short stint. Not everyone can walk into a test side having not played for so long and score a century. Yes he didn't score a century in White ball, but scored two half centuries which again, is not too easy to just walk in and do having not played for 12 months like you say.
ZC picks players who have done absolutely nothing substantial for years and still do, yet Gary walked in, scored some meaningful runs and you are blasting him. That's unfair.
Anyway, it seems nothing will change your mind. You seem happy to see bad things happen to Zim Cricket and the team and sport keep going backwards. Fans on the other hand are tired of all this bullshit.
I’m not ignoring as you know can’t really judge a player on 1 test inning you know a person can ride on his luck and credit to him took the chance and made it count. There is no doubt about his capabilities in red ball cricket that undisputed at all. I said it earlier on but the way he was integrated into the team was wrong and set a bad precedent.
I challenged his white ball credentials before the Netherlands tour he played domestic T20 and struggled. Yes he scored a 50 you can go watch the inning he wasn’t convincing on the crease, he wasn’t fluent hence his strike rate. He have never been fluent in white ball same way he is in red ball.
On ZC picking players ‘who have done nothing substantial’ what metrics are you using? I have an example of Tanunurwa Makoni who we all agree should have never been anywhere near that Test team but he played because he had the numbers he was the opener with the most runs in Logan cup (even though we all know the standard is sh*t) but you deal with what’s there. If we argue his inclusion his stats will be brought out. Unlike Gazz he had done nothing in the last 12/24 months, it was simple thing to give him game time in Logan cup we all know standard is dodgy he would have easily got a 50 or 2 or even tons and no one would be arguing about his inclusion in the squad.
The hope is that we do have a bunch of guys in the system currently who are of good ability, are committed, are young, and are seemingly being taken care of better than previous generations. And despite this latest disaster theres a generally positive vibe around our cricket and most facets of it are improving.
Madhevere
Munyonga
Marumani
Shumba
Madande
Bennett
Campbell
Curran
M Welch
(maybe N Welch eventually)
Frost and Schadendorf did well in their recent appearances, although I don't rate them hugely.
Fingers crossed for a couple from the next u19 batch too.
But ya the issue is Ballance was the perfect age - him giving us 3-4 years to sit alongside and lead this group of youngsters was critical. We could very quickly go from having the oldest top 7 batsmen in the world to the youngest! A batting lineup with no Ervine/Williams/Ballance/Raza looks truly tragic currently. Hopefully Raza plays until he is 40 and remains available and somehow retains his ridiculous form from the last 12 months for another several years Hopefully one or two other do a Kaia and up their game miraculously. Naqvi?
There's a lot of 'hopefully's' here.
Munyonga
Marumani
Shumba
I have no faith in these 3 at all , dark days ahead
Ya maybe. I'm just going by what BT said but who knows. I still reckon there was a tip-off.
When did BT say this? To you personally? You know as someone found found guilty he is bound to say anything to make himself a a victim of a targeted attack. But what I can tell you from experience the ICC can test anyone at anytime in-competition. If it’s out of competition they have to give you notice.
There is a lot that happens behind the scenes at ICC including surveillance especially match fixing issues. I remember when I joined the national team after going through the ACSU lectures etc my movements were monitored not because they suspected me of anything but because I was young and new to the system and very vulnerable, it was to protect me.
However, there is one current player only God knows how he has managed to dodge and pass these tests for this long. Some of his absences from the national team are questionable though especially one point getting to the airport and refusing to fly with the team.
Like SZ said everyone here knows who you are referring too.
I know you like the scoop but ffs you’ll kill it for good if you blab.
I’m not going to kill it. Anything bad will always come out in the open unexpectedly.
A few more retirements are just round the corner. Two of them could be as soon as tomorrow but discussion are being held to delay this till at least after qualifiers if we qualify after then after World Cup.
I’m not ignoring as you know can’t really judge a player on 1 test inning you know a person can ride on his luck and credit to him took the chance and made it count. There is no doubt about his capabilities in red ball cricket that undisputed at all. I said it earlier on but the way he was integrated into the team was wrong and set a bad precedent.
I challenged his white ball credentials before the Netherlands tour he played domestic T20 and struggled. Yes he scored a 50 you can go watch the inning he wasn’t convincing on the crease, he wasn’t fluent hence his strike rate. He have never been fluent in white ball same way he is in red ball.
On ZC picking players ‘who have done nothing substantial’ what metrics are you using? I have an example of Tanunurwa Makoni who we all agree should have never been anywhere near that Test team but he played because he had the numbers he was the opener with the most runs in Logan cup (even though we all know the standard is sh*t) but you deal with what’s there. If we argue his inclusion his stats will be brought out. Unlike Gazz he had done nothing in the last 12/24 months, it was simple thing to give him game time in Logan cup we all know standard is dodgy he would have easily got a 50 or 2 or even tons and no one would be arguing about his inclusion in the squad.
No one is arguing his inclusion except for you though. Yes it might not look great, but he backed it up with scores.
The fact that he did not look comfortable against Netherlands and still scored a 50 goes to show his quality. That it what separates good and bad players. Good players can turn what is looking like a shaky innings into a 50, bad players crumble. They swing wildly or play poor shots.
Either way, you have wish now. He is gone. Zim have a gaping hole in the middle order and qualifiers are going to be tougher now. Hopefully someone steps up and shows their class.
I’m not ignoring as you know can’t really judge a player on 1 test inning you know a person can ride on his luck and credit to him took the chance and made it count. There is no doubt about his capabilities in red ball cricket that undisputed at all. I said it earlier on but the way he was integrated into the team was wrong and set a bad precedent.
I challenged his white ball credentials before the Netherlands tour he played domestic T20 and struggled. Yes he scored a 50 you can go watch the inning he wasn’t convincing on the crease, he wasn’t fluent hence his strike rate. He have never been fluent in white ball same way he is in red ball.
On ZC picking players ‘who have done nothing substantial’ what metrics are you using? I have an example of Tanunurwa Makoni who we all agree should have never been anywhere near that Test team but he played because he had the numbers he was the opener with the most runs in Logan cup (even though we all know the standard is sh*t) but you deal with what’s there. If we argue his inclusion his stats will be brought out. Unlike Gazz he had done nothing in the last 12/24 months, it was simple thing to give him game time in Logan cup we all know standard is dodgy he would have easily got a 50 or 2 or even tons and no one would be arguing about his inclusion in the squad.
No one is arguing his inclusion except for you though. Yes it might not look great, but he backed it up with scores.
The fact that he did not look comfortable against Netherlands and still scored a 50 goes to show his quality. That it what separates good and bad players. Good players can turn what is looking like a shaky innings into a 50, bad players crumble. They swing wildly or play poor shots.
Either way, you have wish now. He is gone. Zim have a gaping hole in the middle order and qualifiers are going to be tougher now. Hopefully someone steps up and shows their class.
We always had a gaping hole in middle order what’s new about that? We have won games and lost games without him. Qualifiers were always going to be tough and having Ballance in the side doesn’t mean Zim would qualify either he is not a messiah to the team.
Can we all thank our lucky stars that Joe is no longer involved in the system directly.
people you hate the truth right. I know I’m a motormouth hence I always clashed and fought with Bvute . One thing about me I don’t care who you are I will simply speak my mind and will not sugarcoat anything and prove me wrong I will be as loud as I was when I spoke my mind but offering apology or accepting I was wrong.
Can we all thank our lucky stars that Joe is no longer involved in the system directly.
people you hate the truth right. I know I’m a motormouth hence I always clashed and fought with Bvute . One thing about me I don’t care who you are I will simply speak my mind and will not sugarcoat anything and prove me wrong I will be as loud as I was when I spoke my mind but offering apology or accepting I was wrong.
I'm appreciative of your old battles with the board......but very glad you aren't involved in the analysis or anything anymore, based on your Ballance opinion No offence!
tour he played domestic T20 and struggled. Yes he scored a 50 you can go watch the inning he wasn’t convincing on the crease, he wasn’t fluent hence his strike rate. He have never been fluent in white ball same way he is in red ball.
Hopefully one or two other do a Kaia and up their game miraculously. Naqvi? 
