Letters

Editorial address: jward@cricinfo.com

ZIMBABWE CRICKET HAS HIT A NEW LOW

My name is Sibusiso Nkomani and I am a Zimbabwean living in Belgium. Firstly I would like to thank John Ward for all the work he has done for us. Without him I don't think the newsletter could be written on a weekly basis.

Secondly I think the selectors need to rethink their selection methods. The recent results against an inexperienced England side will show that. I don't mean to offend anybody but why are Doug Hondo and Sean Ervine in the ODI squad? It’s quite obvious that they haven't matured enough to play international cricket. Another question is why Paul Strang did not play in the England series. He is our second-highest wicket-taker in both forms of the game, yet he keeps getting left out.

Now that we are playing cricket in the winter, why not have winter tournament to keep fringe players and players returning from injury (like Henry Olonga) the chance to regain their form. Finally I would like to ask what exactly the problem is with Bryan Strang and Andy Blignaut. Hopefully our new coach will get the morale high again and we can do well in Sharjah.

Sibusiso Nkomani (Belgium)

Reply: Both Bryan Strang and Andy Blignaut suffered injuries before the South African tour and have been out of action since then.

A QUESTION OF COMMITMENT?

I am a Zimbabwean who is at the moment residing in England. I had the opportunity to watch Zimbabwe play and I have to say that if we continue playing like this even Kenya might whitewash us. I was flabbergasted by the batting and the fielding displayed by Zimbabwe in the Old Mutual Series. Starting with the batting. I know that Zimbabwe does not have depth but right now, apart from one or two players, the players seem to lack commitment. Players like Craig Wishart and Stuart Carlisle always seem like they are going to play a big innings, only to go out in their twenties or thirties. Surely, it’s not a question of talent, especially considering how much the England team had changed compared to the one in the Natwest Series.

There is clear evidence that new players need to be groomed to take up the opening batting positions. In all the matches, no real foundation was laid by the two openers, except maybe Grant Flower in Bulawayo. At this stage of the game, look at the openers for countries such as South Africa, Australia and Pakistan, and the number of runs they score in the opening 15 overs and the command they come up with to the crease. I surely think Dion Ebrahim can be groomed for the opening position as he seems to have enough talent.

Coming to the fielding. Zimbabwe has been known to be a great fielding nation, but of late that’s in question. Without a strong bowling attack we have to try and make a better effort in the field, in order to put the opposition batsmen under some pressure. I look at South Africa and in particular what Jonty Rhodes brings to the field. At least Zimbabwe can try and work towards that goal before the World Cup.

So, overall, I think it is a question of commitment. I know that Zimbabweans do not get as much money as other country, but when a star batsman like Andy Flower can play his heart out for his country, I think the other players can go out there and at least prove that they should get paid enough because of the commitment they are showing.

Arthur Mvundura (England)

TEAM STRUCTURE

G’day. Well done on this fine publication. I have enjoyed following the discussion over team selection recently. I propose a squad of 18 for both Tests and ODIs.

Tests Batting Order

• 1. Campbell
• 2. Ebrahim
• 3. Masakadza
• 4. Carlisle
• 5. A Flower
• 6. G Flower
• 7. Whittall
• 8. Streak
• 9. P Strang
• 10. Blignaut
• 11. B Strang
• Replacements: Wishart, Rennie, Watambwa, Price, Olonga, Friend, Taibu.

Many comments have been made about these players already. I believe that Whittall should be tasked with the all-rounder’s role at number seven. He has moved up and down the order due to the failure of teammates and he needs to be given a clear task to take advantage of his skills.

Generally this team offers great batting depth. If playing on slow pitches B Strang should be replaced with Price or Watambwa. Of current players, every Test centurion is in the team. Of the bowlers, only Blignaut has less than 50 wickets, and he already has two five-wicket hauls. Overall I have gone for experience and the capacity for big efforts. Young players without first-class experience or reputation should be given more time to develop.

ODI Team

• 1. Campbell
• 2. G Flower
• 3. Carlisle
• 4. A Flower
• 5. Wishart
• 6. Ebrahim
• 7. Whittall
• 8. Streak
• 9. Blignaut
• 10. P Strang
• 11. B Strang
• Replacements: Marillier, Masakadza, Viljoen, Brent, Friend, Watambwa, Taibu.

Once again batting depth is crucial when only three individuals average over 30. B Strang has been missing from the ODI team for too long. His average figures are 10-1-41-1. What other Zimbabwean bowler can claim that? The ODI team should allow for more rotation through the squad than the Test team, to provide a rest for weary players. This ought to be tried on the Australian model, without any sense of a player being dropped.

James McMaster (Sydney, Australia).

CORRECTION

Just read your news item re Hondo, Croxford and Matsikenyeri. They will be at Port Adelaide Cricket Club in Adelaide.

Bob Andrews (committee member, Port Adelaide)

ZIMBABWE CRICKET SAGA

The ‘latest’ Zimbabwe Cricket Saga continues. I stress the word ‘latest’, because when has Zimbabwean cricket not had a problem? Whether it be on racial issues, pay, selections or just generally putting together winning performances. We have all seen what our team is capable of doing. For instance, beating India and South Africa at the latest World Cup to get to the Super Six stage. But for the moment Zimbabwe seems only to be known for its erraticism, sheer unpredictability, inner conflict and the fact that we have the best Test batsman in the world in Andy Flower.

What can be done to rectify Zimbabwe's problem?......Who knows? Maybe what we need is someone at the top to have a bit of imagination and try something new, instead of having virtually the same squad composition game after game and seeing the same end result. Hopefully our new national coach will have a different approach. There is still lots of time for improvement before the next World Cup. Personally I don't see how racial quotas will help us. We have all seen how talented Hamilton Masakadza, Brighton Watambwa and Tatenda Taibu are, and they deserve to be included in squads, but by choosing players to fill racial quotas and not by talent we will not get anywhere.

There are also a few of our long-term players who do not deserve a position in the squad, so why have we not seen more debutants in the side? There have been a number of debutantes lately, but they were mainly replacing injured top players. Surely if they had been introduced to the top level at a time when Zimbabwe had fit players we would have been more competitive. It would also save the youngsters from being thrown into the deep end, and having to shoulder too much responsibility. How can they perform to their full potential under that pressure? They are not all players of the calibre of Andy Flower who plays best when Zimbabwe is struggling. On the subject of selection, where has Pommie Mbangwa gone? He is a very similar bowler to Gary Brent and Gary has done really well since his return to international cricket. For that matter, why has Gary only been included in the squad now? As for what will happen and where Zimbabwe cricket will go from here, who knows? We can only watch and hope that our new coach will bring some changes. I wish him luck!

I am and will remain a staunch Zim fan, but it is disheartening to see our country lose so often. On a lighter note, I was really pleased to see my former cricket coach Chris Nyazika umpiring in the 4th ODI against England. I think it is a great achievement. Well Done!

Paul Durand (Marondera)

Reply: Regarding Pommie Mbangwa and Gary Brent’s non-selection, the policy of the selectors has been to prefer ‘bowlers with pace and bowlers who can bowl wicket-taking deliveries’. That also explains why Bryan Strang was overlooked for so long before Heath Streak’s temporary resignation in the one-day triangular tournament resulted in his return.

NINE YEARS OF TEST CRICKET

On this fine day, nine years back, would anyone believe that some of the Zimbabwe players, during their inaugural Test, were going to their offices before coming to the ground? But still the team of lawyers, accountants and farmer-sons was more educated in the basics than their mighty opponents. They amassed the highest-ever total by a country while making their debut. Also it was the first time when the debutant team didn't lose the test, a feat in itself.

UCB is celebrating their tenth anniversary after their return to the game. But I’m sorry to say South Africa did nothing for the upsurge of Zim cricket. In the past nine years they’ve played just one two-match series, that too when ICC made it mandatory. They should know that still Zim took one Test less to record its first win and that too was the biggest margin of victory by any team whilst recording its maiden triumph. How can I believe Dr Bacher when he said that they’ll uplift the standards of Namibia? Similarly England break the norm when they didn’t play with Zimbabwe in the debut Test.

What Zimbabwe got in 1994 was just three Tests in the whole year. In that ‘Basement Battle’ too Haughton played the 29th all-time best innings of Test cricket, according to Wisden. Just imagine Rawson, Curran (my childhood hero) and Fletcher playing with Houghton, Flower and Streak! Credit must go to Pakistan then, who being a biggie played the maximum number of Tests with Zim. And mind you, not many countries have beaten Pakistan in its own den.

Zimbabwe is no longer a second grade team now. If anyone has doubts, please compare the performances of other nations in their first ten years.

Situ Phalswal (India)