**Official** Zimbabwe in South Africa Thread

[Richard]

Blignaut is not good enough to play 1st Class cricket in Australia, if he stayed in Australia all he would end up is as a grade cricketer. I think he is going to Bangladesh to play for ZIM A in the last OD.

Of course he's not good enough to play First-Class cricket ATM but I'm darn sure he would be if he had a couple of seasons' Second-XI and practice at Australian standards.
Real shame he's thrown in the towel at the first hurdle. And I certainly hope Ervine doesn't do the same.

 

[Richard]

I hope the future is good, and re-investment takes place.. Its going to take ages for people and their money to return, if they ever do..

Humans have always had a way of healing what has been destroyed... whatever state Zimbabwe's in when the back is finally seen of Mugabe, it'll recover.
How long it takes is another matter.

 

[Richard]

Yeah, my CW posting debut came pretty close to this cool fast bowler's debut.. With AAD on his last legs I decided to take the plunge.. nearly 3 years later it payed off against England! Charl is a top guy and a fast bowler who preserves the values of line, length, subtle movement, and knuckling down and getting on with it.. I appreciate that in a cricketer..

Kristin beats him on the avatar front though..

And his List-A-OD bowling-average beats just about anyone - ever.
Shame he's been below his best this domestic season:

From Charl Langeveldt, 2004/05 SOUTH AFRICAN DOMESTIC ONE-DAY
Standard Bank 78 7 339 8 42.37 2-20 0 0 58.5 4.34

From Charl Langeveldt, 2004/05 SOUTH AFRICAN FIRST-CLASS
SuperSport Series 167.5 33 534 19 28.10 4-84 0 0 53.0 3.18

 

[LongHopCassidy]

And the fact that they have the status doesn't mean they're worthy of it.

Give the minnows a break, do we call for the Maldives' ban from soccer friendlies because they get crushed every game?

 

[Gibbed]

Give the minnows a break, do we call for the Maldives' ban from soccer friendlies because they get crushed every game?

True, guess it's better than no cricket at all, even if the most exciting part is cracking open the first cold one

 

[Chubb]

Cricinfo is reporting an exclusive that Streak, Trevor Gripper, Stuart Carlisle and Ray Price could come back to Zimbabwe very soon, and play in the next "A" match.

If true, that would make the A side stronger than the full team. In additon to that the Zimbabwe selectors are apparently considering bringing Terrence Duffin and Dion Ebrahim from the A side to the full team after the warm ups. They are also considering whether the impressive Sean Williams should be kept on for the tests, having originally only been in the ODI squad.

I do not know if the Cricinfo exclusive is true but if it is it's good news for Zimbabwe.

 

[Richard]

Give the minnows a break, do we call for the Maldives' ban from soccer friendlies because they get crushed every game?

The FRIENDLY part is rather significant.
If Bangladesh, Zimbawe et al games were just meaningless friendlies I'd be completely fine about it.
But they're not - that's not how international cricket works - in cricket the international game is the big issue, in football it's the domestic game - and, funnily enough, you don't get domestic friendlies (except pre-season warm-ups - in which, funnily enough, no-one takes any notice of anything except for form purposes).
And Bangladesh, Zimbabwe et al games count towards records, and disfigure them.
So to get the true picture you always have to sort through things and go to the hassle of getting rid of these meaningless games.
And you always get these contrary types who try to turn the status to their advantage by avoiding the issue and just repeating "they're called ODIs - so they are ODIs".

 

[Richard]

Cricinfo is reporting an exclusive that Streak, Trevor Gripper, Stuart Carlisle and Ray Price could come back to Zimbabwe very soon, and play in the next "A" match.

If true, that would make the A side stronger than the full team. In additon to that the Zimbabwe selectors are apparently considering bringing Terrence Duffin and Dion Ebrahim from the A side to the full team after the warm ups. They are also considering whether the impressive Sean Williams should be kept on for the tests, having originally only been in the ODI squad.

I do not know if the Cricinfo exclusive is true but if it is it's good news for Zimbabwe.

Is it?
Would it not be better for them to wait until the end of Mugabe for a return?
Sometimes you have to look beyond cricket to it's place in the wider World.

 

[Chubb]

It's good for the team. I think it is very important to differentiate between the innocent Zimbabweans, who have a right to play for their country and to enjoy their sport, and the ZANU PF and the corrupt board. As I've said before, it is not their fault this happened, and if they wish to play for their country, which they love, then they should be able to.

 

[Langeveldt]

It's good for the team. I think it is very important to differentiate between the innocent Zimbabweans, who have a right to play for their country and to enjoy their sport, and the ZANU PF and the corrupt board. As I've said before, it is not their fault this happened, and if they wish to play for their country, which they love, then they should be able to.

Totally agreed.. Sometimes you just have to see above all the crap and politics and realize that these are a group of competitive guys who want to represent the Zimbabwe they still love, warts and all, on the biggest stage possible.. The countries corruption is not their fault, they don't condone it, nobody would accuse them of doing so.. They know their actions, staying or leaving, mean nothing politically, because nobody is listening.. Just look at how few people are posting in this thread for starters..

I say best of luck to them, international cricket will be stronger for it.. Their attitudes I feel have been exemplary..

 

[marc71178]

And you always get these contrary types who try to turn the status to their advantage by avoiding the issue and just repeating "they're called ODIs - so they are ODIs".

Well what are they then if they're not ODIs?

2 Full members playing a game under ODI conditions.

I notice it never stops you overhyping a bowler who can't take wickets.

 

[Richard]

No - because whether or not his team is deserving of playing, he's still playing and as long as he is, lack of wickets don't change the fact he's doing exceptionally well.
And they're classified as full-members - wow - so there's not a clear, massive difference between them and the top eight, then?

 

[Richard]

Totally agreed.. Sometimes you just have to see above all the crap and politics and realize that these are a group of competitive guys who want to represent the Zimbabwe they still love, warts and all, on the biggest stage possible.. The countries corruption is not their fault, they don't condone it, nobody would accuse them of doing so.. They know their actions, staying or leaving, mean nothing politically, because nobody is listening.. Just look at how few people are posting in this thread for starters..

I say best of luck to them, international cricket will be stronger for it.. Their attitudes I feel have been exemplary..

I don't disagree about the players and their attitudes to the Govt\Board (still don't think it's doing them any good being thrashed like they are being - don't think it ever does anyone any good).
I just feel they're damaging the integrity of cricket and cricket will in fact be stronger if they don't, both in terms of themselves and others.

 

[cbuts]

not the players fault. the icc should ahve been more proactive and banned the zcu already

 

[Neil Pickup]

Mpofu bowling hit-me balls at Bacher - even the prince of uselessness taking boundaries off the Zimboks. 300+ on the cards.

 

[Gibbed]

Mpofu bowling hit-me balls at Bacher - even the prince of uselessness taking boundaries off the Zimboks. 300+ on the cards.

Game should finish just in time for the Super 12

 

[Neil Pickup]

Game should finish just in time for the Super 12

Depends how many Kemp-related lost balls there are later.

 

[wpdavid]

Depends how many Kemp-related lost balls there are later.

Also depends on how the Zim batsmenapproach chasing 300+. If the score is obviously beyond them, they might just make sure they bat for the 50 overs.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Worst. Wicket. Ever.

Huuuge Matsikenyeri full toss. Smith hoiks. Misses. LBW.

 

[Chubb]

Poor Zimbabwe, blasted all over the park. Kemp didn't come off though did he? Maybe he was overconfident.

I hope Zimbabwe get to 200.