Letters

THANKS, PAUL AND BRYAN

Being a Zimbabwean cricket fan these days isn't easy.  It seems to me the only thing in Zimbabwean cricket which is up to standard is your excellent website (including the very entertaining biographies).  I would really like to compliment you on your superb covering of Zimbabwean cricket.  I am living in the Middle East right now and would feel totally isolated without your site.  Thanks a lot!

Concerning the cricket I sometimes fear it's on a slow but steady  decline.  How is it possible that the Zimbabwean cricket team can hardly get its act together on the field?  Well, I suppose the political and economic situation in the country is affecting us all.  Therefore, I just wish - and somehow expect - that better days will lie ahead for us in the future.  Zim, you still have my unwavering support!!  Even when two of your most dedicated and entertaining players - Paul and Bryan Strang - resigned.  Paul and Bryan, I really enjoyed watching you play and I think your talents were not appreciated enough!!

Martin Koene (Amman, Kingdom of Jordan)

DOMESTIC CRICKET STRUCTURE

Last week I read a letter by Hilario Chimnondo and I completely agree with him.  In John Ward’s reply he cited a lack of money for a longer programme.  I think the ZCU should abandon the national league and use the money that they spend to fly clubs from city to city to start a 10-game Logan Cup, with the two top teams playing in a final.

I believe that the standard of club cricket in the country is not very high, partly because of the lack of a sufficient player base.  This problem can be addressed by playing club cricket within provinces and then selecting the best 11 to represent the province in the Logan Cup, thereby getting the much-needed first-class experience and also giving those not selected for the province a chance to play cricket on a weekly basis.  An example of this could be a province like Matabeleland, instead of them worrying about how to get enough players for all their clubs, all they need to worry about is how to select the best 11 from all the players they have.

Sibusiso Nkomani (Belgium)

Reply: A likely problem if the national league was abandoned in favour of club cricket within each province is that most of the top players would then move to Harare where the strongest competition is, weakening the other provinces seriously.  We already have that situation on weekends when the national league is not being played and players from other provinces join in the Vigne Cup in Harare.

MORE ON SELECTION

I want to thank you for your great job in the cricket online that I have been reading from the very first issue.  Only one remark: since the beginning there are fewer reports.  I mean now there is no schools reports and no scorecards of the National League.  But the reports of Nigel Fleming are very interesting.  Congratulations to him.

I was in India during the England tour and I saw a very good Indian batting team. I think the Zim bowlers must be at their best to defeat the Indian team.

One idea for the Zim selectors.  I saw also a tournament called the ‘Challengers series’ with three Indians teams that play among themselves to select the final team to play against England.  Why not to do the same in Zimbabwe with the 33 best players, to pick finally the best team before every tour?

I think once again that the best Under-19 team was not in New Zealand, and again it’s a big disappointment to see the Zim team not with the eight best teams!  I think players like Justin Lewis and especially Greg Strydom were among the missing players.

My best wishes to Cricket Online.

Patrick Sepulveda (France)

Reply: Regarding fewer articles in ZCO: unfortunately with our present staff it is impossible to cover every aspect of cricket in Zimbabwe, and certain problem areas had to go.  It proved very difficult to get reports from most schools without constant nagging, and now we have stopped nagging they don’t arrive at all!  Club scorecards have been similarly hard to obtain.

A CHALLENGE FOR KEEPERS

Two great players of all time

Two great players of spin

-Tendulkar - a demi-God in India

-A.Flower – people’ cricketer, no doubt.

Keepers all over the world are cherishing their stumping and had been successful only once - Foster last year against India and Yadav in the 1993 series.

Adapting quickly to the Indian conditions, Flower stroked his way to a polished 100 in the first innings of the Delhi Test, also his first away tour.  Flower, using his feet, seemed totally at ease as he repeatedly found gaps, the mark of a true champ.  But his first mistake cost him his wicket.  It was a rush of blood, stepping out to Maninder and getting stumped.  But Flower had learnt his lesson.  In the second innings he put his head down and batted exceptionally well on a dicey track.  This innings showed another side of Flower - one who is willing to learn from his mistakes.  That was the only time when he was out stumped.

Stumping of these two champions is and remains a challenge for all the stumpers.  And the ground which taught him the lesson, look at his scores - 115,62*,183*,70.  Truly a champ!

Dr. Situ Phalswal (India)