Zimbabwe vs New Zealand | Test Series | Second Test | 07 August 2025 - 11 August 2025

[ZIMDOGGY]

When is our next Test after this? it would be interesting to play a fellow minnow like Ireland, Afghanistan or Bangladesh in the next couple of months to see if we actually have learnt anything and improved.

This spell of playing England/SA/NZ has been horrendous and it's hard to judge progress.

I think the players (and this forum at large) fell into a false sense of security on how good they are.

Praising 50's against Ireland etc.

I think everyone has got a rude shock

[TapsC2]

Yes one would hope that we give Sri Lanka problems in the white ball series as well after this carnage. This is honestly a level above our guys. Not their fault

[Kriterion_BD]

When is our next Test after this? it would be interesting to play a fellow minnow like Ireland, Afghanistan or Bangladesh in the next couple of months to see if we actually have learnt anything and improved.

This spell of playing England/SA/NZ has been horrendous and it's hard to judge progress.

Very little chance of competing against Ireland or Afghanistan. You're almost guaranteed a win vs Bangladesh as long as the Test is played somewhere in Bangladesh, but very little chance against us in any other country.

[TapsC2]

I think at full strength and with some sensible tactical decisions we will beat Ireland. They need to organise a 3 test match series against them instead of this.

We need a new captain

[andrea lanzoni]

I think at full strength and with some sensible tactical decisions we will beat Ireland. They need to organise a 3 test match series against them instead of this.

We need a new captain

In the meantime they are discussing whether to have a WTC in two tiers or not, with promotion and relegation

Two tiers in Test Cricket is not an option today: it's simply not hiding what reality is.

Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland and (for now) Afghanistan are Test Nations of another league.

[Mueddie28]

I think at full strength and with some sensible tactical decisions we will beat Ireland. They need to organise a 3 test match series against them instead of this.

We need a new captain

In the meantime they are discussing whether to have a WTC in two tiers or not, with promotion and relegation

Two tiers in Test Cricket is not an option today: it's simply not hiding what reality is.

Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland and (for now) Afghanistan are Test Nations of another league.

Do not forget West Indies

[Kriterion_BD]

I think at full strength and with some sensible tactical decisions we will beat Ireland. They need to organise a 3 test match series against them instead of this.

We need a new captain

In the meantime they are discussing whether to have a WTC in two tiers or not, with promotion and relegation

Two tiers in Test Cricket is not an option today: it's simply not hiding what reality is.

Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland and (for now) Afghanistan are Test Nations of another league.

Bangladesh are better than the Windies and Pakistan, at the current moment.

The tiers will supposedly be 6+6, but ECB seems wary of supporting it whereas CA is "open". Its an interesting idea and concept. It could work, if they guarantee inter-tier matches as well. For example have the top 6 sides in Division 1 (AUS, IND, ENG, SA, NZ, SL), with the rest in D2. But then have a system where each team plays 4 series vs teams in their own divsion, and 2 with teams from the other division. That way you can assuage ECB's fears of ever missing out on Ashes and India series, and at the same time ensure that all teams play a decent mix of opposition.

[secretzimbo]

When is our next Test after this? it would be interesting to play a fellow minnow like Ireland, Afghanistan or Bangladesh in the next couple of months to see if we actually have learnt anything and improved.

This spell of playing England/SA/NZ has been horrendous and it's hard to judge progress.

Very little chance of competing against Ireland or Afghanistan. You're almost guaranteed a win vs Bangladesh as long as the Test is played somewhere in Bangladesh, but very little chance against us in any other country.

Well we've been relatively competitive against them all at times in the past. My point is that hopefully/maybe our players will have learnt or improved from this brutal run of fixtures and if we were to play one of those smaller teams then maybe we would see it.

[Kriterion_BD]

Well we've been relatively competitive against them all at times in the past. My point is that hopefully/maybe our players will have learnt or improved from this brutal run of fixtures and if we were to play one of those smaller teams then maybe we would see it.

There's a series vs AFG at the tail end of this year I think. The Afghans seem to have figured out how to play white ball cricket at a high level and they've done it in about the same time it took Bangladesh, but with far less opportunities at the top level. Based on that, its only a matter of time before they crack the red ball code.

I think Bangladesh are also due to tour Zimbabwe for 2 Tests and white ball games next winter...hopefully they keep that to 2 Tests, and 5 ODIs and don't try to add some T20 bullshit in exchange for one of the Tests or some of the ODIs.

[secretzimbo]

Only positive is that BT looks very good.