Zimbabwe target return to Test cricket after World Cup

[hari504504]

For the ones used to the strong Zimbabwe squad consisting of the Flower brothers,Streak,blignaut,Whitall brothers,Olonga who were great competitors against most opposition... This side seems to be getting there, good batting and bowling on display.. probably not long before this side shapes up into a strong squad in int'l cricket in Tests/ODIs B->

[IKnowU]

A random debutant whoops our Lethal Pace Attack :hehe:

[Sid]

no case of anyone back,it just our great bowling attack

[Zelig]

Craig Ervine looks a decent bat. If they can force Sean back into the team it will do a world of good for them.

[ZodiaC]

Hope so, though our pacers were mediocre, Taylor and Ervine batted sensibly, hope they continue this form and return to the international scenario.

[vvvslaxman]

A random debutant whoops our Lethal Pace Attack :hehe:

Our lethal pace attack comprised of 3 random debutants :winky:

[zen]

Zim beat WI in T20s or something iirc and now this win against Ind (whatever the strength of the squad) .... Don't know if they are back but they are improving I don't know (remember) what happened to the likes of Taibu. (may be decided not to play for Zim). He is a good player!

[diegovegaz]

no case of anyone back' date='it just our great bowling attack[/quote'] exactly:giggle: anyone can beat us talk of a comeback, its against india talk of a best performance, thats against india too :haha:

[mastana]

Zim beat WI in T20s or something iirc and now this win against Ind (whatever the strength of the squad) .... Don't know if they are back but they are improving I don't know (remember) what happened to the likes of Taibu. (may be decided not to play for Zim). He is a good player!

He is in the squad. And i saw him shaking hands with players after the first match.

[SachDan]

Consecutive wins against India and now another convincing victory against Lankans. They are doing well alrite...

[asterix]

The win against SL counts. The Indian team was so pathetic, even Kenya or ireland would've fancied their chances..

[Serani]

They even managed to beat the mighty West Indies a few months back.

[SachDan]

They even manages to beat the mighty West Indies a few months back.

:hysterical:

[achilles]

@ asterix... :hysterical: Zimbabwe have being dying for quality international cricket ever since they caught everyone's imagination once again after the Inaugural World T20 2007. And boy have they done a good job :hatsoff:

[ZodiaC]

Today I felt they were gonna collapse surely after Masakdza's wicket fell early. But boy, to my surpirse they handled the pressure really well and played a really good, balanced innings. Hats off to them. But oddly enough, their worst player now seems to be the skipper himself :D

[b555]

Zimbabwe target return to Test cricket after World Cup http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/zimbabwe/8736957.stm

[Sachinism]

Awesome. Gonna be awesome to watch Bang-Zim tests, good contest :woot:

[Feed]

Zimbabwe : Picking up the pieces A bunch of former cricketers, who once fled Zimbabwe amid political and economic turmoil, are now working overtime to breathe life back into the game. Aditya Iyer traces the reasons that led to the near extinction of cricket in the country and reports the rebuilding, one brick at a time. More... Picking up the pieces Indianexpress, Aditya Iyer, 14 June 2010 A bunch of former cricketers, who once fled Zimbabwe amid political and economic turmoil, are now working overtime to breathe life back into the game. Aditya Iyer traces the reasons that led to the near extinction of cricket in the country and reports the rebuilding, one brick at a time He thudded down on his motorcycle from Kopje - the highest point of Harare - down into the main town, angry and venomous. The view from the top disturbed him. His Zimbabwe was in ruins below. The shops were shut, while filth and moss formed layers over the plastic shutters. He revved his vehicle through the avenues and into the park areas, where he grew up playing cricket. Now only grass grew here, tall and unkempt, making the cricket field resemble the savannah. It hadn't been touched for over a year. After all, with one trillion dollar notes worth almost nothing, money during that hyper-inflation time couldn't even buy labour. With a scythe in one hand, he waded through the blades of green, hacking his way through the undergrowth. A small pasture cleared, Bryan Strang started pulling out the deep-rooted weeds manually. Little did the former Zimbabwe Test cricketer realise that he wasn't alone; many of his former colleagues, who had left the country amid the testing politico-economic conditions, too had returned to begin the weeding process so that cricket could flourish again. "During hyper-inflation, the inflation touched a few thousand percent. We were at war and everyone in the country was involved. Everyone hated each other and it was all a little too difficult to handle. Later, for the sake of the our country, and the future generation, we returned and formed a cohesive unit," Strang recollects. Collateral damage All that chaos inevitably took a toll on sport and the cricketing structure in Zimbabwe collapsed. Stuck in a maze of racial prejudice, it had been nearly four years since Zimbabwe ceased to be a Test nation. The Logan Cup, their first-class tournament, had been cancelled for the first time in its 101-year history. A mass exodus of the white players - and a few black ones too - left the already decaying game in a state of complete rot. While a cricket team run by its board, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, still existed, it was a ghost of its former self. The glory days just a decade earlier seemed like a distant memory. But just as the process was thought to be irreversible, the game has risen through the ashes. And the growth has been quick. With many former cricketers returning to be a part of the new-look Zimbabwe Cricket, the future looks bright. From their first Test captain, Dave Houghton, to their most successful, Alistair Campbell, and the last skipper of the winning era, Heath Streak, everyone's got a role to play. Many present day Zimbabwean cricketers, such as Andy Blignaut, Charles Coventry and Greg Lamb, who had left to ply their trade in county cricket, are back too to save the dying game. Starting from scratch "Things started changing for the better in August last year," says Campbell. "It was about the same time that I got a call from Zimbabwe Cricket to join them in the capacity of Chief of Selectors and Chairman of the Board. I agreed, but on strict terms and conditions, such as zero interference and racial equality. "Cricket in Zimbabwe was mismanaged. I always felt that there was talent in abundance, but we were doing great injustice to it by not having enough coaching facilities to bring it out. We have had a good start but the main aspect which we are working on now is the sustainability of progress. There are many steps on that road and we've passed a few milestones," Campbell adds. Hosting India and Sri Lanka for a tri-series was one of those. With no international cricket played on the land for more than 18 months, the two Test playing nations agreeing to uplift the face of the sport was a massive step. But many other cricketing powerhouses still remain reluctant due to security concerns. "They compare Zimbabwe with Afghanistan. This is Harare, not Kabul. Just ask the Australian ambassador, who lives here. Does he report back home that he drives in an armoured car and wears a bullet-proof vest? I mean, he's out playing golf on our golf course," Campbell says, visibly annoyed. After the tri-series boost, came a setback. New Zealand pulled out of a forthcoming tour citing security reasons. "India and Sri Lanka have come here and there have been no concerns. It's time other Test nations also to stop hiding behind diplomatic lines and come and see for themselves," Campbell says. While Campbell's matter-of-fact style has been a breath of fresh air on the administrative side of affairs, the coaching, too, has been a revelation. "Alan Butcher (former Surrey captain and current Zimbabwe head coach)is absolutely brilliant at what he does," says Dave Houghton, the current assistant coach. "Since he has taken over, Zimbabwe cricket has seen good days. We were great in the tri-series and competitive in the West Indies. Butcher really gels with with the players and the results are there to see for everybody," he says. Houghton wore many hats with the team post retirement - head coach, analyst, consultant and commentator - always lending unconditional support to the side. But when Zimbabwe cricket slipped into the oblivion, Houghton was one of the few who stayed back to clean up the mess. But after a long association with the national side, Houghton has decided it is the right time to strengthen grassroots cricket. "I'll go back to Bulawayo to help with the local franchise, the Matabeleland Tuskers. Grassroots cricket is the most important structure to develop the national side. It is the foundation stone. If our franchise structure is strong, the system won't collapse like it did the next time there is an adversity," Houghton says. Franchise system After the first-class system ceased to exist during the dark days, the Zimbabweans have borrowed a tried and tested formula from their neighbours. According to Heath Streak, the bowling consultant, the franchise system has brought about stability. "The South African prototype of the franchise system has worked brilliantly for us. We have five franchises in the country which play all year long. The results have shown in the national team. In about three years, we'll be ready for the biggest names," Streak says. Like any structure, the foundations are being strengthened to make sure it doesn't cave inwards. "We've started working from the grassroots upwards, not the other way around. The coaching system has changed for the better. With the franchises coming into play, we've done well to fast-track back into international cricket. "Before the start of the tri-series, if someone told me that we'd reach the final, I wouldn't have believed it. I was hoping for an upset win over either Sri Lanka or India. To win against both sides, and twice against India, is fantastic. It may not be their full strength sides, but they are still really strong teams. This is due to a strong grounding," Streak says. After injecting life back into the game, now, the former players are hoping to take the big leap. "Test cricket will mark the real change. We need it now. People have been speaking about the two-tier system and I believe in that. We are not ready to compete against the Australian side yet but we will be more than a handful against the West Indies, New Zealand and Bangladesh," Campbell says. The craving for a Test status is unanimous in the corridors of Zimbabwe's cricket circles. "As far as the future is concerned, we're in good hands. We shouldn't make some of the same mistakes that we made earlier, but learn from them. Test cricket will be our big leap, and we're expecting it back within a year from now. The current team belongs to no race, colour or creed and playing for Zimbabwe is currently the biggest reward of our struggles," Streak adds philosophically. Glass half full The capitulation against Sri Lanka in the tri-series showed there is a lot more ground to be covered. Campbell, however, sees the brighter side of the result. "Even if we lose a few matches, so what? It's all part of the larger picture of learning and progressing. We played a four-day match as a tour warm-up in the West Indies earlier this year, why not just play five days and call it a Test match. We're ripe for it," Campbell says. Strang's motorbike is now powering its way past the children playing in the adjacent cricket field and into the HSC parking lot. He makes his way upstairs to the administrative lounge. The lawns are neatly mowed in two shades of green, and the boundaries are laced with contracts and advertisements. The view is spectacular, as the stadium lies surrounded by rhododendrons, blossoming jacaranda trees and the hillock of Kopje on the west. "Like we achieved everything else, we will achieve the Test status too. It is just a few more months of hard work away," Strang says, taking in the view. The redemption is nearly complete and the phoenix has risen, as the dedication spreads outwards infectiously, embracing the rest of the country. TimeLine 1981: Become an associate member of the ICC 1983: Participate in the World Cup. Beat Australia in their opening match. 1992: Given Test status; Play and draw first Test, against India in Harare. 1995: Beat Pakistan in Harare, their first Test victory. 1997: Blank England 3-0 at home in ODIs. 1998: Beat Pakistan in Pakistan, their first away win. 1998: Reach the final of a tri-series, for the first time, in Sharjah. 1999: Defeat India and South Africa in the group stages of the World Cup to reach Super Sixes. Finish fifth overall in the tournament. 2003: Amid political unrest, England pull out of their World Cup game in Zimbabwe due to security fears. Beat Sri Lanka to advance to the Super Sixes stage. Andy Flower and Henry Olonga stage their "black armband" protest, before going into permanent exile. 2004: Captain Heath Streak rebels against the board, 14 players join him. Go down to Bangladesh in Test and ODIs. Go into one year of self-imposed suspension. 2005: Lose to South Africa, New Zealand and India. Players complain of mismanagement in the board. 2006: The government takes over. Domestic first-class competition cancelled. Zimbabwe go into self-imposed exile from Test cricket. 2007: Exit in the first round of the World Cup 2007: Upset Australia in their opening game of the inaugural World T20 in South Africa. 2009: Denied visas to play in England for the second World T20. 2010: Lose ODI series to West Indies 4-1, win the one-off T20. Upset both Australia and Pakistan in the warm-up matches of the World T20 in the West Indies. Beat India and Sri Lanka to reach the final of the tri-series at home. 'It wasn't blacks or whites but cricket that paid the price' The summer of 2004 saw sport in Zimbabwe experiencing both its highs and lows at the same time. While Kirsty Coventry swam her way to three medals at the Athens Olympics, the wobbling pillars of Zimbabwe's cricket administration collapsed. It was the era of Streak's Rebels in Zimbabwean cricket. Captaining the side during political instability and having to tolerate racial unrest within the cricket administration, Heath Streak snapped on April 2, 2004, pulling out of the national team and taking along with him 14 other Zimbabwe cricketers. Although he wanted to set a precedent for future generations, at that time, the move pulled the carpet from under the system, pushing it to the verge of extinction. "I do not want to open healing wounds, but I would have done things differently now," Streak says. The board had taken away most powers from Streak, reducing him to a shadow captain. While the Zimbabwe board believed that greater indigenous representation was required in the team, the white players looked to Streak for a guarantee. "It was a tough time. We seniors were well set in the side and couldn't be removed but the younger lot weren't. It was a stand someone had to take and it happened to be me." Although Streak did return - not as captain though - a few months later, the damage was irreversible. Before long, Zimbabwe cricket hit another low, this time on the cricket field. Playing in the opening Test of their South Africa tour, Zimbabwe bundled out for 54 runs in the first session and South Africa piled on 340/3 dec, by the end of the first day's play. Half way through the second, Zimbabwe lost by an innings and 21 runs. Neil Manthorp, a South African journalist, watched the match in in Cape Town. "That was the absolute low in Zimbabwe cricket for me. They were a shadow of themselves because of what has happening in the administration and the country," he says. Having watched the events unfold from close quarters, former Zimbabwe skipper and current chairman of selectors Alistair Campbell, who had retired by then, recollects: "The political scene was changing and the black players believed that the whites weren't involving them. These were just perceptions, but everyone bought into it. It was about the same time that Streak's Rebels pulled out of the game. It was a disaster waiting to happen and nobody could stop it because it was too late," Campbell says. Streak sums it up. "At the end of the day, we weren't British Zimbabweans or Asian Zimbabweans or African Zimbabweans, we were Zimbabweans. The fact that we were being divided on the basis of colour harmed our cricket. In the end, it wasn't the whites or blacks who lost, it was the cricket that paid the ultimate price."

[mastana]

Snatch the test status from Bangladesh and give it to Zimbabwe.

[ZodiaC]

Snatch the test status from Bangladesh and give it to Zimbabwe.

No way, Bangla atleast got 2 world class playas (Shakib, Tamim).