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National Premier League 2020 ( NPL )

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ZCF Hall of Famer
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Ballance

Averaged 37 in tests, high 40's in List A, but didn't do as well in ODI's, but absolutely zero doubt about his caliber. Proper proper world class player, these guys don't grow on trees.
ZCF Hall of Famer
Not that we need to throw yet another Captain's hat into the mix, but he's a damned good captain.

He's partly home grown as well, clearly the powers that be feel that's a necessary box to tick.
Legend

zimfan1 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:33 pm

Although on the bright side. Ben Curran wants to play in the Logan Cup, I think decisions over squads are being made in the next couple of days. No fixtures though.


What’s Ben’s preferred batting position? And I can’t remember if he is a wicket keeper or not. I hope ZC see the opportunity presenting itself here
Legend

zimfan1 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:43 pm


jaybro wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:38 pm


zimfan1 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:19 pm

Hmmmm, I think we may find that a couple of players call it a day over the next couple of months.


I assume you’re talking about current national team players, not the old fellas in the boozer league?


Not in the current squad but not far from it. Can't say any more at the moment. Contracts are about to be awarded which will make decisions for a number of players over their futures.

Franchise slots being allocated this week I think,


I got a feeling PJ might be one of those players. Don’t know anything but I don’t really think he needs ZC so if he doesn’t have a contract he might not see the point anymore. He will be 30 next year. I hope he sticks around and fights for his place

Imagine Chamu sneaking in a national contract before being dropped in a few months smh
ZCF OriginalVeteran

zimfan1 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:33 pm

Although on the bright side. Ben Curran wants to play in the Logan Cup, I think decisions over squads are being made in the next couple of days. No fixtures though.


Is that true :) if it will happened that so good and also want some county players to play in logan cup. Finger crossed 🤞
ZCF Hall of Famer
BC is an opening batsman, and a decent one . Nice technique, solid defence, leaves well, hits the ball hard etc, done the hard yards in English conditions and knows his game.

Also an absolute gun fielder.
ZCF Hall of Famer
Last flight out of UK is tomorrow. They go into lockdowm and no international flights. If he's not here by now he won't be coming.
ZCF Hall of Famer
If ZC had plans for a couple of overseas to spice things up and strengthen the league I don't think we'll be seeing any English players this season. I stand to be corrected, but I'm fairly sure international flights are about to be put on hold.

Its a pity because its good for the local lads to measure themselves.
ZCF Hall of Famer
ZC are missing a trick here. Some reciprocity with England opens a lot of doors. The strength of your local professional game has a direct impact on your national players. Plus you soon see who copes at the higher level.

That covid really messed things up, it would have been great to watch Derbyshire and Durham. These county sides are seriously professional and there are some damned good players on display. Perhaps they'll think about another pre-season in Feb/March again?
ZCF Hall of Famer
Big money to Ballance to resume his international career with Zim in 2021.

That's the play.

He's a guy who's test quality who will never play for England again so is in that zone if someone that should be playing international
You guys are f***ing lunatics if you think Ballance is going to come anywhere near Zim cricket. Maybe I am misreading the tealeaves here but it seems like some people are entertaining this as a possibility. Or maybe it's just the Dogg!

We can't get Nick Welch but Ballance will give up probably 100k a year in Yorks, a secure life with all his mates to play one test every three years, four FC games for the Southern Rocks and some odi league stuff.

I know we've all been locked down to varying degrees but Christ Alive.
Legend

ZIMFAN wrote: ↑Wed Nov 04, 2020 9:50 pm

You guys are f***ing lunatics if you think Ballance is going to come anywhere near Zim cricket. Maybe I am misreading the tealeaves here but it seems like some people are entertaining this as a possibility. Or maybe it's just the Dogg!

We can't get Nick Welch but Ballance will give up probably 100k a year in Yorks, a secure life with all his mates to play one test every three years, four FC games for the Southern Rocks and some odi league stuff.

I know we've all been locked down to varying degrees but Christ Alive.


It is really just a dream at the moment but the line of thinking is that BT and Jarvis are earning a lot more than that 100k a year you are talking about on long term contracts of which the first year was paid upfront to show commitment. The money and security thing isn’t the issue. The possibility of Ballance playing a World Cup is also another carrot. With him in the team our batting lineup would then be considered strong I believe with 5 genuine, experienced batsmen.

Him leaving his life in the UK for 4 years is where I’m not sure. That depends on how he feels mentally and emotionally. I personally don’t believe the problems we witnessed before will be seen anytime soon. The ICC has been closely monitoring our expenditure. We don’t have any debt.

You will most probably see South Africa collapsing before us at this point. There are guaranteed fixtures as well. It’s wishful thinking for now but if he sits down and really thinks about it he will see more benefits of coming than staying.

He will become the next Mark Rampakash there always scoring runs but never getting selected. That’s where it’s going.
ZCF Hall of Famer

ZIMFAN wrote: ↑Wed Nov 04, 2020 9:50 pm

You guys are f***ing lunatics if you think Ballance is going to come anywhere near Zim cricket. Maybe I am misreading the tealeaves here but it seems like some people are entertaining this as a possibility. Or maybe it's just the Dogg!

We can't get Nick Welch but Ballance will give up probably 100k a year in Yorks, a secure life with all his mates to play one test every three years, four FC games for the Southern Rocks and some odi league stuff.

I know we've all been locked down to varying degrees but Christ Alive.


😂

Its just a hypothetical, good fun discussing the possibilities. His father lives here so he has strong ties.
ZCF Hall of Famer
Players move all the time.

What if he got a county offer in a southern state for instance?

He's. Citizen he can always move back and forth and he may want to see family
ZCF Hall of Famer
Once you have Zimbabwe in your blood its always home.

England is not an easy place after living in Zim, I'm not sure you ever get used to it. It has its upsides of course, particularly in cricket, but the weather, the winters, the s***ty little houses, the congestion, the neighbors being an 8 foot putt away, never having a friend you grew up with, different humour entirely, you'll only ever have superficial friendships there, based partly on how well you're doing.

It might sound cynical but the average Pomeranian is a feral fellow, ask the rest of the colonized world.

Oh and £4.50 for a warm beer is pretty much a game changer.
ZCF Hall of Famer
And their preoccupation with football, the sport of idiots 😂
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer

Googly wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 5:38 am

Once you have Zimbabwe in your blood its always home.

England is not an easy place after living in Zim, I'm not sure you ever get used to it. It has its upsides of course, particularly in cricket, but the weather, the winters, the s***ty little houses, the congestion, the neighbors being an 8 foot putt away, never having a friend you grew up with, different humour entirely, you'll only ever have superficial friendships there, based partly on how well you're doing.

It might sound cynical but the average Pomeranian is a feral fellow, ask the rest of the colonized world.

Oh and £4.50 for a warm beer is pretty much a game changer.


Yea because Zimbabwe is all sunshine and rainbows isn't it mate..


The s***ty little houses


Not really..


Never having a friend you grew up with

Are you getting mixed up with Zimbabwe here, where most white folks emigrate and leave..? Stupid comment.


you'll only ever have superficial friendships there, based partly on how well you're doing.

It might sound cynical but the average Pomeranian is a feral fellow, ask the rest of the colonized world.

Oh and £4.50 for a warm beer is pretty much a game changer.


Makes sense that you're saying all of this actually as you've only followed Nick around Surrey.

Can't really take any of what's been said here very seriously as it's coming from a Zimbabwean who visits the UK sporadically.
ZCF Hall of Famer
To be fair I've heard this critique about England ALOT

My sisters married to a Pom and he insisted on Sydney.

My best friend same deal.

I won't call it a 'scam' but there seems to be a huge push by English to try and marry into Australia once the work holiday visa runs out. I worked in an industry closely linked with visas and sponsorships and it was never ending the begging to stay. It actually upset me because a lot of these poms I got to know and they were capable, but we could only afford to keep the top 1% on a visa.

And where I live now (Eastern Europe) there is a sizeable British community and a lot of what they complain about is the very thing Googly is talking about.

A lot has to do with the weather, prices and bleak architecture I think.

Personally I like that but a lot of people can't tolerate it at all and makes them depressed on a truly mental level.

I have a few friends from the Newcastle area and the way they carry on I just have no clue what they are saying, I do, but the humour and way of speaking I'm missing that joke. I think locals get the fabric but outsiders are 'huh'?

Zim houses are wide open spaces with big backyards and BBQ areas.

Also, and I'm sure Zimbos_5 would back me up here, a surprising amount of white zimbos return. It's that small community feel and lifestyle a lot have, then they go to England and they are a nobody.
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
Not saying England doesn’t have it downsides, it certainly does. However it’s not this depressing, dark wasteland that’s been described by googly.

I’ve been to Oz to play cricket and I loved it, but couldn’t live there. Found you Aussies to be arrogant, cocky and up your own ass, but you were also good blokes at the same time. We’re all a product of our own environment, so we shouldn’t be slagging off nations, especially when you’ve only ever been a visitor, not a resident. A few trips here and there doesn’t make you an expert.

Each country has its flaws and its positives. Zimbabwe’s positives are that they have a wonderful climate, lots of open houses and BBQ areas and a sense of white community...Then they have the most retarded, racist government, no economy, no electric, astronomical prices for food and fuel (when they actually have them) and a divided community based on skin colour...

The UK’s is a functioning economy, a strong government, first world living conditions and decent summers. The standard of living in this country is excellent.

The downside, I admit, are the winter months, which are indeed awful. The people here are no worse than anywhere else in the world and no more racist.
ZCF OriginalLegend

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:32 pm

Also, and I'm sure Zimbos_5 would back me up here, a surprising amount of white zimbos return. It's that small community feel and lifestyle a lot have, then they go to England and they are a nobody.


Not sure how I was a resource on this topic, but I do agree with this to a certain degree. There are those that have left and never return, but the white community in Zim did have a lot going for it. They love the relaxed lifestyle and in the UK they never get to enjoy fishing, houseboats, braais, that chilled out enjoyable lifestyle. Even just going to Borrowdale for them is much better than having to spend time at Arndale or Trafford Centre. There's just more to enjoy about relaxed lifestyle. In saying that though, if you grew up in the UK from a very young age and barely travelled back, you do become accustomed to it.

I love the cold weather and I agree that some parts of the UK are just a little disappointing.

The thing is though, you trading off with Zim. You may have a nice lifestyle in terms of fishing, brunch etc, but you don't have a good enough income. You don't have healthcare or a working social system. You have to deal with a corrupt police and a thieving government. Potholes line your road to work and power cuts are a regular. You can literally see the country starving, but then also see politicians having massive banquets.

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