Zimbabwe cricket is facing its most difficult period since gaining Test status
John Ward22-Mar-2003Zimbabwe cricket is facing its most difficult period since gaining Test status. Or, in other words, the trough into which we have slipped over the last two or three years is deepening.CONTENTSZimbabwe v Sri Lanka – scorecard and reportZimbabwe ODI recordsAndy Blignaut – ODI career – FC careerNational League – Round Nine – scores and averagesLettersThe most serious blow has naturally been the premature retirement of Andy Flower, who has been the backbone of the Zimbabwe batting over the last ten years. Ironically, as his batting has improved, so has his support from other team members weakened. Unlike Andy, Alistair Campbell, Grant Flower and Guy Whittall all scored more runs in the early part of their Test careers than they have done more recently and have failed to grow in the game. No younger players have yet established themselves in the team as reliable run-scorers, although our batting has been stronger than our bowling recently. But most of that is thanks to Andy.Now we have also lost Henry Olonga and Guy Whittall. Whittall emphasizes that he is not retiring for political reasons. "My body is not standing up to the strain of international cricket and it has affected my performances," he said. As followers of Zimbabwe will know, his knee specifically has been handicapping him for the past two or three years, especially his bowling, though he has only made runs now and then this season.He also finds the demands of international cricket keep him away from his family for too long. "I’ve had ten great years in international cricket, I’ve really enjoyed it and made many friends," he said. It is sad to see him go, but he will not be totally lost at present as he still intends to play club and provincial cricket. He is indeed a loss to the national side.It is not yet known whether other players will also be retiring and/or leaving the country. Grant Flower at least intends to stay on for the present. It will be interesting to see whether he is able to come out from Andy’s shadow and once again become the strong, reliable batsman he was until he lost form and confidence in 1998 – and has yet fully to regain it. His response is vital to Zimbabwe cricket, and we need him as never before.The Logan Cup competition starts again next month, and hopefully will not suffer too much from retirements, lack of interest or loss of players to club cricket in England. We need our experienced players to do well – the likes of Gavin Rennie, Stuart Carlisle, Pommie Mbangwa, Craig Evans and Trevor Gripper, those who have played international cricket but have been out of it recently, in many cases without being given the long run that those like Dion Ebrahim enjoyed.The selectors have a choice for the tour: either pack the team with young players, or blend in some of the more experienced players who may well rise to the occasion in their maturity. Hopefully these experienced players, mostly in their mid or late twenties, will show their credentials and earn their reward. The selectors do not yet know whether Hamilton Masakadza will be available for the England tour, but he too will be important, for the Test team at least.All this is assuming that the tour goes ahead. ZCU are keen for it to go ahead, but the government has to approve all tours, and with the England boycott of Zimbabwe during the World Cup that approval is not certain. Were the government to disapprove this tour, it goes without saying that Zimbabwe cricket will suffer far more than England.This weekend the PG Timbers knockout competition, 35 overs per side, takes place in Harare, and it will carry over to the two following Saturdays. This Saturday’s fixtures are:Alexandra Sports Club v Takashinga
Harare Sports Club v Uprising
Old Georgians v Alexandra II
Universals v Old Hararians
Mashonaland provincial manager Gus Mackay says that this competition replaces the old BP Shield, and the Alexandra second team, the most successful of the Mashonaland second league teams, has been brought in to bring the numbers up to eight.