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zimbabwe
Charles Coventry’s fine deeds
By Will last year, mid-August, 4 Comments »
He sounds like a man from the Victorian era, but Charles Coventry wrote himself into the history books today with 194 – the equal-highest one-day score in history – for Zimbabwe. They still lost to Bangladesh, but what an effort. He looks like he should be fixing computers, not boshing bowlers.
Zimbabwe-Bangladesh encounters always intrigue me. They’re very much the bottom of the bottom, often little better than Associate nations, but this match was a corker by the looks of things.
4 Comments »Sri Lanka cannot – must not – tour Zimbabwe
By Steven Price 2 years ago, mid-October, 5 Comments »
Steven Price is a freelance journalist in Zimbabwe
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This week’s news that Sri Lanka’s players and board have opted to play in the Indian Premier League rather than honour a signed commitment to tour England next year has been noted with interest inside Zimbabwe’s dwindling cricket community. They have sent a clear signal: when the choice is between money and playing for your country then cash is king. The question now is what will happen when the decision is between playing for your county and morality.
Sri Lanka are scheduled, according to the ICCs increasingly meaningless Future Tour Program, to visit Zimbabwe sometime in the next few months. According to the blinkered logic of the ICC, there is absolutely no reason the series should not go ahead.
However if you speak to anyone inside the country (anyone, that is, not in the dollar-rich inner circle of the Zimbabwe cricket board) there is increasing incredulity that anyone can seriously consider playing given the current situation inside the Zimbabwe.
The ICC might drone on about sport and politics not mixing (Pakistan might raise an eyebrow or two at that suggestion) but there has to come a point, somewhere, when even the most blinkered logic realises enough is enough.
By the United Nations’ own estimates, almost half of Zimbabwe’s 10 million population are on the brink of starvation. Ignoring the whys and wherefores of the reasons for that, can Sri Lanka’s players really sit in their cosseted five-star hotels in Harare and Bulawayo and eat their bountiful meals while half of the very people serving them are starving?
The tourists will not be harmed. Zimbabweans are peaceful people. And besides, the state-run police and security forces will ensure only the handpicked few get near enough to even shake their hands. But the issue is not security. By touring, the Sri Lankans will be giving credibility to Robert Mugabe’s insane claims that things are OK. How can they not be when cricket sides are happy to tour? No longer can anyone seriously maintain that the cricketers will not be used as a political tool.
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Cricket has all but ceased inside Zimbabwe despite the propaganda of the board. School cricket is dead outside the few surviving private establishments, through no fault of ZC – the schools themselves are dead. Teachers have fled the country in thousands and there is no money for books, repairs or salaries of those that remain. Inflation, now 240,000,000% and rising, saps the will to live.
Club cricket is in a similar state. Almost all the good, qualified coaches have left, along with a steady flow of local players, and for most there is no way of maintaining facilities or buying equipment. The only few clubs that continue to prosper, and the ones where visiting ICC dignitaries are shown, are those such as Tashinga with close links to the government.
The chances of the Logan Cup taking place this season are also diminishing. The veneer of normality and the illusion that the game is thriving across the land was maintained last year by ZC bussing players from Harare to other regions to boost the playing strength of areas where the game was dying.
The decision over the Sri Lanka tour will have been made in Dubai this week where the ICC executives met. The thought that Peter Chingoka, a man banned by the European Community because of his overt links to the Mugabe regime, could fly business class to such a meeting and be wined and dined in a luxurious hotel while his country starves underlines for many the hypocrisy of the ICC.
The question now is whether, given the collapse of the power-sharing agreement and the impending humanitarian disaster, anyone can seriously want to play cricket in Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka’s players were quick enough to take a stand when money was at stake. We can only hope they are as quick to rest on their morals.
5 Comments »Desmond Tutu’s Cowdrey Lecture (MP3)
By Will 2 years ago, mid-June, 7 Comments »
Desmond Tutu gave this year’s MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s on Tuesday, in which he called for the boycott of Zimbabwe. Andrew Strauss also hinted at a possible boycotting of Zimbabwe’s tour here next year unless the government take prior action.
You can download the entire lecture (1h 12m) here. Tutu’s 26min speech is here, while Strauss and Barry Richards’ discussion can also be listened to.
I think Tutu was at my christening, or my brother’s. Or was it my parents’ wedding? Well whatever. He’s a family friend of a friend, and apparently a bit of a leg end to boot.
Do you agree with Tutu regarding the boycott, or should sport be kept well away from politics?
7 Comments »Zimbabwe begin to dream
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of April, 2 Comments »
Well well. Are we about to witness the fall of Robert Mugabe’s ZImbabwe dictatorship? The BBC are running a story which suggests he might be willing (for want of a more accurate word) to step aside and could make an announcement on state television in the next few hours. This seems highly unlikely; at no stage during his tenure has Mugabe ever backed down to threats, politically or metaphorically, so it’s no surprise that the streets of Harare aren’t yet teaming with parades (or efigies).
2 Comments »A new dawn for Zimbabwe?
By Jonathan Liew 3 years ago, at the start of December, No Comments; be the first!
It’s probably far, far too early to say this, but Zimbabwe look like a team very much on the up. Australia saw what they could do at the World Twenty20, and now the West Indies – who made England look very foolish just six months ago – are feeling the heat. Putting aside the Windies’ deepening mire for a sec, it’s heartening news for a team most of us had given up on.
There was a time in the mid to late 1990s when Zimbabwe looked as though they might crack the big time. They had a generation of gifted cricketers – the Flowers, the Strangs, Whittall, Goodwin, Johnson, Streak, Olonga and more – who propelled them to victories over India and Pakistan and the second stage in two consecutive World Cups.
Of course, things started going a little pear-shaped after that. Yet while the political situation is still quite unsustainable in the long term, the green shoots of recovery are very much in evidence. For the first time in a while, they’ve got a settled team and a modicum of experience. The batting unit looks strong, and from what I’ve seen and heard of him, Prosper Utseya is blossoming into a genuinely world class player.
Cricket needs Zimbabwe to make a full recovery. In an era when the game is trying to stretch its frontiers, its demise in an existing stronghold would be a serious blow. More than that, though, Zimbabwe needs cricket, profoundly and urgently. Which is why we should all be quietly rooting for them in this series.
No Comments »Zimbabwe beat Australia- again!
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-September, 11 Comments »
Zimbabwe beat Australia the first time that they met in a World Cup match, back in 1983. In 2007, they’ve repeated the dose by beating Australia in their first Twenty-20 World Cup match. I know that the players aren’t taking it too seriously, but I didn’t know they were taking it THAT unseriously. Mind you, Zimbabwe probably played very well too. (I didn’t see the game)
11 Comments »Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh; Zimbabwe vs Pakistan
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-March, 11 Comments »
Interesting games today- the winner of Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka will secure qualification. Even if Bangladesh lose today they are still well placed to go through. Meanwhile Zimbabwe will be their usual selves, but it is anyone’s guess as to what version of Pakistan will turn up today.
11 Comments »India vs Bermuda, West Indies vs Zimbabwe
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-March, 7 Comments »
India are batting, and have already lost a wicket to what will be one of the great images of the 2007 World Cup, as Bermuda’s heavyweight Dwayne Leverock took a slips catch worthy of Mark Waugh. The earth shook as the big fella hit the turf!
Zimbabwe can still make the Super 8’s, but beating West Indies will be hard.
7 Comments »Ireland win a tie
By Will 3 years ago, mid-March, 7 Comments »
Now that is a one-dayer, with a finish and conclusion that only cricket can produce. What other sport would produce a tie and witness one of the teams doing a victory lap?
Zimbabwe had the match by the throat and somehow lost it. Well, they didn’t officially lose it – but Ireland most certainly took more from the match than they did. Here is what I mumbled on about during comms in the final three overs.
49.6 White to Matsikenyeri, OUT, drives, misses and it’s a tie! What a match; what an incredible last 10 overs. Only the third tie in World Cup history – all three have involved an African nation – and Ireland jump in delight
EC Rainsford run out 1 (10m 1b 0×4 0×6) SR: 100.00
Last ball
49.5 White to Matsikenyeri, 2 runs, well what a mad ball. Short, wide, cut just behind backward point who made a brilliant attempt to catch it. They go for a single, in comes the throw – but the batsman appears to run in front of his stumps…and he’s home safe! My word this is madness
49.4 White to Rainsford, 1 run, driven past cover – and he gets the single! This gets Matsikenyeri back on strike – not a good ball from White. Not a good over.
This is epic. 4 from 3
But Matsikenyeri is now off strike
49.3 White to Matsikenyeri, 1 run, full toss, spooned to midwicket – but no! Dropped? The man came in and appeared to just stop in his tracks, the ball dropping short!
49.2 White to Matsikenyeri, 2 runs, too short, square cut powerfully into the deep
49.1 White to Matsikenyeri, 2 runs, full toss, hammered through cover and long off has a chase to his left…and does well, saving four
Rainsford the No.11 for Zimbabwe, at the non-striker’s end. White’s back into the attackIt’s all down to Matsikenyeri. By not taking the run, he’s back on strike – and only he can win this for Zimbabwe.
48.6 KJ O’Brien to Mpofu, OUT, GONE! Smacked to mid-on, they run a single – but Matsikenyeri stays at the non-striker’s end and mid-on’s throw hits the stumps
CB Mpofu run out 0 (3m 5b 0×4 0×6) SR: 0.00
Ireland are buzzing now. 9 from 7
48.5 KJ O’Brien to Mpofu, no run, hammered down the ground – no! Brilliant stop from the bowler’s right foot
9 from 8
48.4 KJ O’Brien to Mpofu, no run, inside edge! My word that was close
48.3 KJ O’Brien to Mpofu, no run, driven back to the bowler – the batsman wants a run! How? Scampers back into his crease
Ooh this is close now. 9 from 10
48.2 KJ O’Brien to Mpofu, no run, well bowled! Slower, and Mpofu just dabbed it gently to mid-on
9 from 11
48.1 KJ O’Brien to Utseya, OUT, GONE! A full toss, slapped straight to cover! A dreadful shot; Ireland are absolutely ecstatic, never mind the fans in the stands
P Utseya c Morgan b KJ O’Brien 1 (3m 3b 0×4 0×6) SR: 33.33
Here’s Kevin O’Brien for the penultimate over of the match47.6 Botha to Matsikenyeri, no run, another slower ball but not on target this time; defended.
47.5 Botha to Utseya, 1 run, inside edge, a desperate scrambling single
10 from 14 and the Ireland fans are singing in the stands. All 10 of them
47.4 Botha to Utseya, no run, full, straight, hit back to Botha
That was absolutely dead. Is there a twist in this game? Zimbabwe are doing their utmost to make a pig’s ear of it. 10 from 15. Two quick fours will do it for Zimbabwe, but they seem to be frozen in time
47.3 Botha to Brent, OUT, gone! Excellent slower ball, bang on middle stump, completely foxing the batsman
GB Brent lbw b Botha 3 (15m 12b 0×4 0×6) SR: 25.00
47.2 Botha to Brent, no run, slower ball worked into the packed off side
47.1 Botha to Brent, no run, good line, good length and it’s blocked out to cover
10 from 18. Can Zimbabwe mess it up?
And with a great sense of inevitability, they did mess it up – due in no small part to Stuart Matsikenyeri receiving very little of the strike after playing a gem of a knock. That was unfortunate, but these things happen and his team-mates couldn’t rise to the occasion.
Well batted Jeremy Bray, too. The most laid back of characters off the pitch, he’s a bulldog with a bat in his hand. The World Cup is alive.
7 Comments »Sri Lanka vs Bermuda; Ireland vs Zimbabwe
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-March, 51 Comments »
Today’s game between Ireland vs Zimbabwe has some potential for an upset; Sri Lanka vs Bermuda looks like it could be one-sided.
Ireland vs Zimbabwe is in Jamaica, so it starts an hour later. Chat on, game on!
51 Comments »World Cup, third warm-ups: live discussion
By Will 3 years ago, mid-March, 5 Comments »
The penultimate day of warm-ups. Bangladesh and Scotland ought to be a good game. Bermuda v Zimbabwe…less so.
Bangladesh v Scotland
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Bermuda v Zimbabwe
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
Canada v Ireland
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad
Kenya v Netherlands
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica
World Cup, second warm-ups: live discussion
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of March, 15 Comments »
More warm-ups today.
Australia v Zimbabwe
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
Bangladesh v New Zealand
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Canada v Pakistan
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad
India v Netherlands
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica
For those in Britain, India’s match is being televised on Sky.
15 Comments »Video of the Mark Vermeulan incident
By Will 4 years ago, mid-September, 4 Comments »
See here. And see here and here if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
4 Comments »The future of Zimbabwe
By Will 4 years ago, at the start of August, 4 Comments »
Percy Sonn (new Best Name In Cricket award nominee) and Malcolm Speed have returned from their chin-scratching mission in Zimbabwe and will release their findings on the future of the country’s participation in international cricket soon. Don’t know how soon, but soon. And this after a really quite remarkable victory (albeit against the mighty Banglas).
What’s the consensus out there? Should they be allowed back into Test cricket or banished for good? In case you didn’t hear, Terry Duffin – 24-years-old going on 50 – was sacked the other day…
4 Comments »Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh last over.
By Scott 4 years ago, at the start of August, No Comments; be the first!
Oh, there was one ODI played today, the 10th place play off… the nice thing is that it went down to the wire. Zimbabwe needed 17 off the last over and…. they did it!
Good effort from Taylor and Mupariwa to get Zimbabwe over the line.
