Why is it that we haven't produced any express bowlers??

[hhm]

The only thing I think is that the athletic blacks pursue soccer....

You got it spot on there! That's why I say give it 10 years or so. We can't really count the Olonga, Madondo, Mbangwa, Matambanadzo class. The Churchil boys - Taibu, Hami & Matsi was really where it started. That has only been around for less than 10 years, and it has already succeeded in 'stealing' the likes of Shingi from soccer, plus Manatsa, Vitori etc from rugby.

Fast forward to 2020, and you'll have a completely different landscape. I envisage that whatever happens to international cricket, Zim domestic cricket will have more franchise teams, at least two divisions, and a healthy club cricket structure. Zim is unique, and little funds even then will be able to sustain a broad cricket wage bill - because of the 'understanding' black population. Right now soccer has that advantage over cricket now because not just in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League, players for teams in Division One & Two (sometimes up to Three&Four) get some form of remuneration from club owners, plus the outside chances of getting a job to play for one of the low division soccer teams in South Africa(or part time when you opt to migrate and do 'nursing' in England). Cricket pays more, but it's struggling to pay just 15 national team players! Not many can be inspired to cross over to playing club then First Class cricket

[betterdays]

We can't really count the Olonga, Madondo, Mbangwa, Matambanadzo class.

I'm surprised to see Mbangwa's name with the other three ... I know one paid for Milton (comparatively low cost compared to other private schools - even Plumtree I beleive??) but the lad was born in Plumtree where there were few and far middle class black folk at the time (??), anyway ... an aside really to a good point about timings of cricket progress in zim

[bayhaus]

Darren Sammy and Kemar Roach. Sammy cant crank up the pace that Roach does, but look at the size difference

[cock]

Zim public and selectors seem to have a mania about not having any real quicks. South Africa have real quicks but their bowler, who is no 1 in the world and doing all the damage for them only bowls about 130 km/h. Its all about control and swing

[edwintapiwa.toreveyi]

guys its simple, when this guys cum 2 international, they hit 130s-140s nd thy get injured.. u cannot juss bowl quick at e age of 18 without being managed..
1st, ww lack academies eg bowling and batting academies, most quickies in e world came rm such, u hv more proffessional advises on hw 2 pump weights, perfect deit, dn hw yo body acts nd reacts, 2nd.. lack of resources wc lead 2 lack of exposure at young age, and zimbabwe as a nation we turn 2 beliv the only way 2 hv s livin its by studyin of wc some hw its true coz our sports dnt rily get finincial support, so we luz guys with rill potential...

[Boundary]

I once read that Morne Morkel was fast tracked by the SA system after they sniffed out his pace. Pakistan, next door to India, produces more quicks than they can handle while their neighbours jealously look on. Add that to the institutional memory concept, ie. knowledge passing down the ages, I conclude that only a few things affect us:

1. We don't have a fast bowling culture. The kids don't aspire to be because we never had the 1980s WI attack, for instance.
2. Those that prove to be fast aren't groomed to international standards, either lack of money, youth coaches or former pros to teach technique and other simple tips.
3. The lost years did more damage than can be quantified at this stage, the game moved on while we struggled with our non playing school kids. Look at the off field standards Prior has established for wicket keeping or the way T20, especially IPL, is influencing captaincy, batting or death bowling or DRS/HD tv/hotspot or Hawkeye and other technological advances that Zim players don't have access to unless touring ...

Zim needs to catch up and fast. That means finding 90mph bowlers pronto, even if they don't bag a lot of wickets a quick bowler will always find ways of unsettling top international opening batsmen, let alone tailenders.