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

[Mueddie28]

Not matter how bad we are going i still watch every ball

Great batting practise for Nick the quick

[TapsC2]

This might be the worst defeat we ever suffered. Stopped watching after the first session on the first day. I really don't know where to go from here.

It might be an unpopular opinion but these older guys have to go. All of them. We import guys and they take their salary space. We start again. What is the point of keeping 40 year olds who just don't have any fight in them?

[ZIMDOGGY]

As satisfying and funny it is to know that Mawoza is being ‘investigated’ , I’m not sure a collision course with the SRC again is genuinely in the best interests of the game tbh. Nothing will come of it other than some sabre rattling.


Also they just reappointed the SRC board not long ago and it’s full of the usual ZANU looting types who haven’t got a fucking clue about sport.

Well someones got to do something....

Like you said, all (rigged) elections just went through without a peep so we are in desperate times.

I dont have any other suggestions beyond SRC intervention or ICC complaints

[ZIMDOGGY]

Just to digress a bit from the battering that’s so unbearable to watch, this is quite an interesting development, question is, will the SRC act and force the ZC to respond?


https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/src-inve ... selection/

The Sports and Recreation Commission are opening investigations into allegations of bias, nepotism, regionalism and tribalism in Zimbabwe Cricket national teams’ selection process.

The probe comes after US-based Zimbabwean data analyst and lawyer, Paidamwoyo Madondo, petitioned the SRC on July 31 over what he termed “the systemic decline and rapid nosedive of Zimbabwe Cricket’s national teams” due to selections done without merit.

The petition, copied to the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and the International Cricket Council (ICC), queried the selection process of players for the Under 19 team, Lady Chevrons and the Chevrons.


The Chevrons are currently hosting New Zealand in a Second Test in Bulawayo.

With a win seemingly elusive, the hosts are in search of redemption from recent disappointments.

The Chevrons have played seven Tests this year, the joint-most with Australia, but have recorded the worst performance for any team with six losses and just one win.

Madondo asked the SRC to make public the findings of the Inquiry Committee of 2023 that was led by Lloyd Mhishi and address allegations of unprofessional conduct by ZC U19 cricket team manager Frank Mawoza towards local cricket fans.


In 2023, ZC appointed a three-member panel led by Mhishi to investigate Chevron’s failure to qualify for both the ICC Men’s World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup and review the overall structure and operations within ZC. However, the report was never made public.

Mawoza is alleged to have used his X account (@FrankMawoza1), to condescendingly refer to cricket fans as “Rhodies” or “house negroes” when they queried the team selection processes.

Madondo outlined that over the past 10 years, the decline in performance by the Zimbabwe national cricket teams to countries like Uganda “with little or no established cricket history,” series losses to Namibia, the consistent losses to Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Scotland; and the defeat of the Lady Chevrons to Nigeria and Vanuatu have evidence of “racial, ethnic and geographical discrimination.”


He cited the cases of Trevor Gwandu, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza and Wessly Madhevere whom he alleged are being selected ahead of Ernest Masuku, Brad Evans, Matthew and Johnathan Campbell, Alister Frost and Matthew Welch to fast-track them into national prominence despite having poor statistics on the field.

“Masuku has put excellent numbers in domestic cricket, season after season. He has done the hard yards. Yet, he has been forced by the authorities to remain on the fringes, watching from the sidelines.


“Then there’s Newman Nyamhuri. He holds no distinct of standout statistics. Holds no defining performances in first-class or List A cricket and yet he’s handed opportunities across all formats. This kind of fast-tracking is usually reserved for rare talents, players who force their way in with something extraordinary, like David Warner, who put heads even before he played red-ball cricket.

However, Nyamhuri is far from that,” wrote Madondo.

He alleged, with statistical backing, that Gwandu’s selection into the national team “clearly has nothing to do with merit and is entirely based on some other clandestine considerations that are far divorced from merit.”


Madondo queried why Masakadza, who failed to make any meaningful impact against “unranked cricket nations such as Mozambique and Gambia,” was selected ahead of “Vincent Masekesa from Manicaland . . . who took five wickets on debut in Bangladesh, only to be dropped on the high-profile series against England.”

Another allegation of conflict of interest was raised in the petition with reference to Elton Chigumbura’s selection into the Chevrons squad while he holds various positions that include being head coach of the Zimbabwe U19 team, head coach of Takashinga Cricket Club, and head of the Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy.


“These positions would reasonably give rise to issues of bias and disclosure of conflicts of interest demonstrated in player selection, especially where Mr Chigumbura is put in a position to select players, and likely is prone to select those players with which he has prior connections of vested personal development interest,” added the petition.

He said local cricket fans who endured the underwhelming performances of “certain players during their playing careers” should not “witness the same individuals make equally poor decisions as selectors.”


Madondo demanded from the SRC a comprehensive, independent, impartial and public investigation into the ZC selection processes.

SRC director-general Eltah Nengomasha in her August 5 response confirmed that the Commission would conduct investigations into the matter and assured Madondo that he will be furnished with the outcome in due course. “The SRC acknowledges receipt of your petition, The SRC will conduct investigations to establish the veracity of the alleged acts in the Zimbabwe Cricket national team selections. You will be advised of the outcome in due course,” said Nengomasha.

As wild a ride as it has been, the fact that ZC never once thought to reign Mwoza in or didnt fire him when this happened more than twice just tells you everything you need to know about ZC.

[chappie coventry]

I like Welch there's something about him plays with fight & grit shame someone couldn't stick in there with him.
What a joke his not in the white ball teams.

[chappie coventry]

Moving forward my 11 for afghanistan tests would be.

1. Curran
2. Welch
3. Slug
4. BT
5. Willo
6. Bennett
7. Tsiga
8. Raza/Wello
9. Evans
10. Richie
11. Bless

[zimbot]

Spare a thought for the boys, nobody steps onto the field wanting to lose. They gave it a go, but right now, our best just isn’t enough for this level.

The question is: where do we go from here? After a result like this, it’s hard to shake the feeling we’re drifting into obscurity.

[zimbos_05]

What is clear now is that there will never be another secret ZC presidential election.

We just had an election. Mukhulani and Bvute were elected unanimously without any queries.

[Marshmallow]

Isn't it the best time to move on from Ervine’s captaincy?
My pick for captain from the current squad is Nick Welch. He has a fighting mentality and isn’t shy to argue with opponents — as we saw in the Zim A vs SA Emerging series.

[Googly]

I like Welch there's something about him plays with fight & grit shame someone couldn't stick in there with him.
What a joke his not in the white ball teams.

Its his own fault, but once again he was batting for his career there. He's pulled off some proper last minute saves. The upside is he's basically gotten a 50 against every team he's played, but hasn't converted one and no 20-30's inbetween to stat pad.

What's important with Nelch is he believes he belongs at this level. He's right up for the scrap and his commitment to practice and improving and self analysis is second to none. We've got a few guys that look like rabbits in the headlights and a couple of the seniors that think theyre good enuf as is and a couple of others that think its just nerves and nothing that a foot long Bob Marley can't fix.

You guys claiming he's got hard hands is not quite right. Ya he's pushed at a couple here and there but his defence has improved astoundingly. You dont have hard hands and keep lasting as many balls as he's had. His contact points have been exceptional, he's improved immensely in the last couple of months. The stats dont show that, which is why we need a selector that knows this game like yesterday. You push at these guys and they get you out pretty easily. I'd like to see who we've got who's lasting 70 balls against that attack with the new ball when the pitch is not that easy. Out of interest I took a look at how many balls he faced in 4 innings. Exactly 200, if thats not something to work with then I dont know what is. There are plenty of world class batters that would have struggled hugely against these guys on this pitch.

It's a bit sad if you're looking at that stat and not the average but this is pretty much where we are at atm. You have to survive first and he at least threatens to do that quite often.

It was good to listen to Scott Styris commentate, wish he'd been on the entire time so we didnt have to listen to the rest of the drivvle. He reckoned Raza was a number 8 at best and thats only if we needed his bowling....and its was implied that did we really need it? Is the cupboard that bare? There he is occupying the prime batting spot. The day he loses the "selectors'" and management's ear the better off we will be.

You can paper over batting flaws in other formats and against lesser opposition, but there's nowhere to hide at this level. New Zealand have a proper team of world class players.

Brian has some work to do. Hes done well enuf that he's been studied carefully and he needs to fix that glitch pronto.
He needs to get into the nets with someone who can spend hours with him and has the right fix. That was not a good look how he went out today. He's now going to have to deal with the mental pressure of how you overcome some shite innings, he hasnt had that yet.

Curran's problems are bigger. He's susceptible to a couple of things. Its a bit sad to say- good one for him to sit out, in terms of future selection, but we don't want a free pass for anyone, we need to know. Just ask someone who knows cricket and how Curran plays and theyre telling you the same thing- he would have struggled big time against this attack, as would anyone else...and I'm talking about openers around the world, never mind the guys we've seen multiple times.

Whilst I was chuffed for BT, his early out was almost necessary for them to see he's not going to single handedly save the day. One guy is not enuf of a bandage, neither are two guys, if you throw Cremer into the mix.

They should throw some bucks at NZ and ask them to bowl at all our other wannabe's next week so we can put that one to bed as well. Even in a no pressure situation weve got very few players that could hang around. Its exactly what we need to quieten this endless race thing down.

This Zolsky fellow keeps saying people are attacking the black batters. They're actually attacking the biased selections that have destroyed our cricket, and the batters of all races are caught in the crossfire. Its a horrible and monstrous sleight of hand. Their solution is to attack the white batters! The irony of that!! They firmly believe a black man cannot be racist. Now we're going to see black batters get white ball opportunity because thats the war, its black vs white and it's the black's turn. As if we didn't have bigger problems! There is absolutely no learning curve.

Zolsky is a born free, he's had the luxury of believing black folk had everything taken and are owed everything and that theyre at least as good as the whites. With 20 years and millions to get it done we are still seeing that the white man is firmly to blame. The delight and sheer glee that they failed dismally is waaaay waaaay better than a draw or a win. Believe me flocks of chickens and herds of oxen were sacrificed to make this happen. If you could have waved a magic wand and had the whites pile on 700 runs, there would have been a week of blissful quiet before they regrouped and came up with another racial angle. Without the race war they've got nothing. Zero, zip, zilch. If he wasnt getting his dance money he'd be unemployed or on another scam, likely the latter. Imagine that he's paid more than most of our professional cricketers.

The real conversation should be why is everyone so shit and who's to blame for that!! Its a beautiful smokescreen they've created. The answer will be that theyve had to spend tens of millions fighting the Rhodesians and havent had enuf resources left to improve our cricket. Had the Coltart Cabal not wasted their resources we'd be top 3.