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**Official** Afghanistan in Zimbabwe (11th Dec to 6th Jan)

Bahseph

Bahseph

International Debutant
As a Southern African I do try to follow Zim cricket, my concern with them right now is three of their key batters are 38-39 ( Williams, Ervine and Raza). I see Ben Curran is in the ODI team but the longer the format the more I worry about where the runs will come from in the near future.
 
Bahseph

Bahseph

International Debutant
One of the best looking young players I've seen from Zim recently is Madhevere. He had a terrible Test start but I still think he has a game more suited for the longer format. Hopefully sense prevails and he gets a go in these Tests.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Bahseph said:
As a Southern African I do try to follow Zim cricket, my concern with them right now is three of their key batters are 38-39 ( Williams, Ervine and Raza). I see Ben Curran is in the ODI team but the longer the format the more I worry about where the runs will come from in the near future.
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Bahseph said:
One of the best looking young players I've seen from Zim recently is Madhevere. He had a terrible Test start but I still think he has a game more suited for the longer format. Hopefully sense prevails and he gets a go in these Tests.
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I made both points repeatedly in 2021, in arguably an even more apocalyptic way:

Prince EWS said:
Wesley Madhevere.

We could lose a Test nation if he's not a gun. No pressure.
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Prince EWS said:
Yeah it feels like it's been 10+ years since a batsman came into the side and looked like they might stick around for longer than a series or two, especially in ODIs. Moor was alright in Tests but got randomly dropped; I hope he doesn't bail. Ditto Ryan Burl who seems to get a lot more interest as a globetrotting T20 leg spinner than the Test bat I thought he was going to be.

It's still a sometimes-decent team but I really fear for it moving forward given its four best players will probably retire close together (and soon). I actually kind of expected them to do it after they failed to qualify for the last World Cup but I think the pain of missing it made them want to have one more crack at another one. BT will have been playing international cricket for twenty years in 2023 when the next one rolls around though.

The core of the side cut their teeth in a much better era for player development in the country. They'd already fallen in love with the game and learned how to bat and bowl when the **** really hit the fan. What we've seen more recently suggests they could get lapped by some of the associates in the next three years or so when the middle order calls it quits, unless Madhevere averages 40 with the bat and 25 with the ball.
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Prince EWS said:
I strongly suspect Zimbabwe's best batsmen (Taylor, Williams, Ervine, Sikandar) will all retire at once, and I have no real faith in the next generation of batsmen other than Madhevere.

The fast bowling will be okay, and Blessing will probably destroy some of the associate teams by himself on a good day, but between the sudden and dramatic decline of the batting standard and the serious improvement of the next tier of nations, I don't think we'll be able to confidently rank Zimbabwe ahead of the Netherlands, UAE, Oman, Scotland or USA Ringers of the world unless Wes is even better than the Williams-standard ODI player I'm expecting. And Williams would make my Zimbabwe All-Time XI.

Zimbabwe are already ranked 13th. When you're ranked 13th, all your best players are about to retire, an entire generation of batsmen after them "didn't really work out" (ie. weren't rated and moved overseas) and the newer players you're promoting now are only a couple of years past getting their arses handed to them in U19 cricket, I don't think there's much cause for optomism.

But then again - Wes is love, Wes is life.
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Williams, Ervine and Raza have stuck around approaching 40 I think partly just for this reason, but they can't do it forever and the batting stocks don't look much more promising now, and worryingly Wes hasn't kicked on yet either (he still remains the brightest prospect though).

Bennett has shown glimpses and Curran might help, but... yeah.
 
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Chubb

Chubb

International Regular
Wes needs to get off the Mary Jane, then he’ll be all right.

Knowing the generation of players I’ve followed for years are about to go increases my feeling it is time to fulfill my lifelong dream and visit Zim for the NZ series.

Incidentally learned today that Brydon Carse’ father is Zimbabwean. Yet another contribution to world cricket.
 
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CricAddict

CricAddict

International Coach
In the current team, the openers Bennett and Marumani look like they have some potential to play ten years. Madhevere has regressed a lot and needs to get his form back.
 
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