The Sunday Mail
Dear Tiba
AFTER numerous failed attempts to gain audience with you, I have decided to drop this email as there are a couple of things I badly need to get off my chest.
Let me start of by saying that I am not writing this email as the Deputy Sports Editor of the Sunday Mail and neither am I writing it as a Chevrons supporter.
I am writing it as all of the above.
It is my sincere hope that this email will be received in the same spirit as it is intended – from one professional to another, one cricket lover to another and most importantly from one Zimbabwean to another.
In about two weeks Zimbabwe will be hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
It is a massive occasion both for us.
For three weeks, give or take a couple of days, all eyes will be firmly fixed on us as the ‘World Boss’ Chris Gayle and his West Indies along with nine other nations will be here for 34 exhilarating games of cricket.
We have home advantage, and come rain or high or water; not a seat will be empty as the Chevrons go into battle with the hope of securing one of the two available slots to next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales.
Pardon the colloquial English, but the truth of the matter is ‘we gotta represent’ and I have every confidence that the fans will come in droves to rally behind the boys.
But will the boys deliver?
Zimbabwe Cricket recently announced our 15-men squad and it almost looks good on paper.
I say almost because there are a couple of omissions and inclusions that leave a lot to be desired.
I understand the need to blend youth and experience, hence the inclusions of guys like Ryan Burl, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani and PJ Moor.
Ordinarily they all would do well to learn from the likes of seasoned campaigners likes Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor and Graeme Cremer.
But I am worried Tiba.
Is this really the time to be experimenting with the team, or should we really be trying to get our match winners, big hitters and inform players into the team?
Look at what West Indies have done!
Cricket West Indies swallowed their pride and are sending as many big hitters and seasoned campaigners –aka mercenaries– as possible. They did so because they understand the importance of the occasion and so should we.
The three or four places that have been taken by your blue eyed youngsters could have gone to guys like Neville Madziva, Luke Jongwe, Donald Tiripano, Wellington Masakadza, Cephas Zhuwao, Timycem Maruma and Chamunorwa Chibhabha.
Zhuwao and Maruma are the two biggest omissions in the squad, solely based on current form.
In Zhuwao’s last five matches, for Zimbabwe A, he scored 241 and averaged 48.2, while Maruma has scored 261 runs from his last eight matches with an average of 32.62.
Zhuwao happens to be the most explosive batsman in the country at the moment, his 131 run knock against Kenya last moth reminding selectors what he is capable of on his day.
Jongwe, the youngest of the Masakadza clan, Madziva, Tiripano and Chibhabha have all at one time or another produced crucial match winning performances.
This juxtaposed to the likes Burl, who has an average of 16.12 from 12 matches, Malcolm Waller, who averages 19.62 from 77 matches, and Moor who averages 17.72 in 30 ODIs leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Which brings us to the all-important second part of this email.
What is really going on with you Tiba?
It’s nearly 600 days since you returned and got appointed as Convener of selectors, but we are nowhere near understanding what goes on behind the scenes or within that mind of yours.
As part of the Zimbabwe Cricket cabinet, there surely is a lack of transparency from your end.
I have tried and failed, together with a handful of my colleagues, to get an audience with you so that we get a better understanding of the country’s selection panel if such a thing exists.
Do we really have a panel?
How much power do you wield and what is the input of Heath Streak and Graeme Cremer as coach and captain?
What do you look at when selecting the Chevrons squad and how important is form and domestic statistics when selecting?
What does Zhuwao, Maruma and Masakadza have to do to get your attention?
What about some of the other youngsters who are not playing for Rising Stars; are they on your radar?
What is it that you see in Ryan Burl?
The guy continues to struggle but is always making the team?
Be rest assured Tiba that these and many other questions will be asked if the team doesn’t come to the party during the world cup qualifiers.
Till then!
Yours in sport.
Hunter
