Zimbabwe domestic season 2021-22

Well, I'm really pleased that we have a First Class double round robin again. I'm also pleased we have the full fixture list in advance. Shame it's only two days in advance (!), but it's better than some years.

The season-ending Southerns/Northerns thing is interesting. Some players may have potentially up to 11 First Class games this season and thats pretty good tbh. Positive.

Hopefully we get squads soon, although if any overseas player sor overseas Zimbos are coming, it probably won't be for the first few games due to short notice. Some of the national team guys might sit out the first round too I suspect - some probably want/need a break after a relatively busy few months.

It's a shame that its mostly Harare based AGAIN. But I understand I suppose with Covid regulations and also cost. The fact that two rounds are being played in BAC and Masvingo tells us that HSC, Taka, OH, QSC and Kwekwe are probably being used for the women's qualifier during that time.

Pro50 in Nov/Dec and the T20 disappointingly seems like it will be played over a single week in Jan.

Two rounds of round robin matches + 3 matches of Southerns v Northerns too! = 23 FC matches in the season. Bumper, compared to the past! Hope all this goes well as planned.

Good to see the domestic season up and running. Will help in keeping players fit and ready for the important series against Afghanistan and Netherlands.

I question why we are set to play so much first class stuff and little white ball cricket when we have 3 test matches scheduled over the next 24 months whilst in the same time period we have two white ball qualifiers to prepare for.

Logic does not factor into any decisions

zimfan1 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:38 pm

I question why we are set to play so much first class stuff and little white ball cricket when we have 3 test matches scheduled over the next 24 months whilst in the same time period we have two white ball qualifiers to prepare for.

We're still stuck in the 90s. Everyone here still wants to play tests and First Class. The rest of the world has moved on and Zimbabwe is stuck in a time warp. Even the black players and young poor kids want to play red ball cricket over anything. It's a really dated mindset that at some point does need to change. Ask a 15-year-old in the subcontinent if they want to play a Test or the IPL and I think we all know the answer. Even in England or Aus a fair amount might say T20 nowadays even. In Zim you ask a 15-year-old black kid in a government school in Highfield and they will probably still say Test.

Ideally we would play a lot of every format of course. It's really great to see so much First Class organised - really really good. But then having a T20 tournament that lasts 5 days is a literal joke! There has to be a balance and we have to move with the times a bit.

I'm happy with the FC stuff.

An extra round of T20 would be better

secretzimbo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:03 pm

zimfan1 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:38 pm

I question why we are set to play so much first class stuff and little white ball cricket when we have 3 test matches scheduled over the next 24 months whilst in the same time period we have two white ball qualifiers to prepare for.

We're still stuck in the 90s. Everyone here still wants to play tests and First Class. The rest of the world has moved on and Zimbabwe is stuck in a time warp. Even the black players and young poor kids want to play red ball cricket over anything. It's a really dated mindset that at some point does need to change. Ask a 15-year-old in the subcontinent if they want to play a Test or the IPL and I think we all know the answer. Even in England or Aus a fair amount might say T20 nowadays even. In Zim you ask a 15-year-old black kid in a government school in Highfield and they will probably still say Test.

Ideally we would play a lot of every format of course. It's really great to see so much First Class organised - really really good. But then having a T20 tournament that lasts 5 days is a literal joke! There has to be a balance and we have to move with the times a bit.

Probably a funding issue. Also with the T20 WC expanding to 20 teams, ZC are probably confident that their spot is guaranteed. Same with ODIs going to 14 teams.

It says he's been injured. That event will be the most unwatched T10 of all time with the T20WC currently being played, plus we are supposedly about to play some international cricket. Its not unreasonable of them to say no, the only thing is that Blessing misses out on a good pay day and the opportunity to get picked up for others if he were to have done well.

If the Afghan ODIs are going ahead early December then fair enough.

Blessing is arguably our single most important player currently? Crisis if he gets injured.

Pro50 starts 11th November. Double round-robin. Matches tentatively scheduled to be held at each of Queens, Kwekwe, Mutare and Masvingo - although that seems quite ambitious. A final scheduled for the 4th December.

Afghanistan ODI fixtures beginning 12th. Apparently. Test highly doubtful unless Afghanistan stump up the broadcast money in the next week or so - proving difficult.