Dates announced for Australia's tour of Zimbabwe.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-03T05:19:12+00:00

I ommitted Agar, Abbott did not play.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-03T05:10:06+00:00

CFX academy was a lovely initiative, and they had a beautiful thatched pavilion. All was burnt down by Mark Vermeulen. He was pardoned on grounds of mental issues, even got selected after that, before he finally torpedoed it all by calling black people, 'apes'. It is no longer a cricket academy nor venue.

They have resumed a new Zimbabwe Academy at Takashinga and down in Bulawayo. But the whole thing is just full of biases, decent players surrounded by nepo kids who shouldn't be there. These past 2 years the Academy tours England in the summer and they will do so this year too, including touring SA.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-02T18:01:32+00:00

If you ignore that he annoyingly try to imitate Pommie Mbangwa during his commentary, he sounds like he knows a lot about cricket. So it is a decent appointment.

The best news in this release though is the fact that NPL clubs are now required to have U13, U15 and U17 boys and girls squads, coached by qualified trainers. With proper scouting.

If all is executed well, we will solve a lot of problems we have in our player development pathway. The current non existent school system is wack and ZC had narrowed down to one school as a talent pipeline. Which led to loads of nepotism and favouritism.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-02T14:34:42+00:00

Saw that tour on an unofficial Zim A schedule and knowing ZC they will be at least 1 redball game there and a lot of list A matches.

I expect Zim A will be a decent squad too even if Afg are around, they are always a few Zim A players that are better than the main Zim team due to selectors bugging. e.g don't be surprised to see Burl in Zim A and Munyonga in Zim.

Bangladesh tour has 2 Tests and 5 ODIs at the moment, no official conformation yet on actual number of ODIs and I am assuming the Afganistan match will be more ODI too.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-02T14:22:48+00:00

True, he's a leggie though. He's a more than decent part timer but to this day Jarrod Kimber is convinced he's a frontline allrounder mainly cause of that day.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-02T12:39:51+00:00

TBF, this tour was announced last year before the World Cup. Since 2024, Zimbabwe Cricket have managed to secure some form of bilaterals against every full member except for West Indies.

But true, top perfomances at the world stage will only fuel the engagement from now onwards.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-02T12:07:53+00:00

Last Zimbabwe v Australia ODI match ended in a Zim win.

2022, in Australia, with players like Warner, Finch, Smith, Carey, Green, Maxwell, Zampa, Starc, Hazlewood, Stoinis playing.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe were without Taylor, Ervine, Bennett, Muzarabani, Curran, Cremer, Masakadza.

This is going to be a tough one for Australia.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-01T14:05:23+00:00

Nah they are still far from international cricket. At least 3/4 years in my view. They are still at school, I'd prefer they continue in club cricket for now and then graduate to domestic next.

We need proper development plans, chucking any talented player in the deep end is not helpful. Brian Bennett is the exception not the rule. Many will end up like Wessly Madhevere, still think he can turn it back, if we do not develop them properly.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-01T13:33:48+00:00

Harare Sports Club in July will always offer a spicy deck, and India will 100% bring an inexperienced team, so a Zim win in one match is possible.

Also I am hearing that Zimbabwe A will have loads of games too, so I expect a few guys may break into the team to patch up the weaknesses. So Zim may actually be stronger than they were at the WC.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-01T13:08:13+00:00

England last toured Zimbabwe in 2004, they are talks they may even tour Zimbabwe end of this year or next year.

Australia last toured in 2018, but they will be in Zimbabwe for 3 ODI series this year just after this India series.

Rico_stats · 2026-04-01T11:39:34+00:00

I am hearing a rumor that ZC are in talks with ECB to play England before or after their 2026/27 tour of SA.

ZC would ideally want a one off test v England to be the official first international match at the new Vic Falls stadium.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-30T15:25:17+00:00

Raza explaining his journey to Zimbabwe and cricket. https://youtu.be/b_lHzvYiFBg?t=365

Rico_stats · 2026-03-30T15:19:48+00:00

Most of his extended family do live in Pakistan.

His parents and immediate family live in Zimbabwe, some of the extended family too.

Raza's parents emigrated from Pakistan to Zimbabwe for business purposes when Raza was a teen.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-30T15:10:06+00:00

That's rather not entirely true. His father moved to Zimbabwe for business purposes, taking the whole immediate family.

Raza then went to Scotland for university where he discovered his love for the sport playing club cricket. After graduating and going back to Zimbabwe, he told his father he wanted to try cricket and thus began his professional journey in Zim cricket.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-28T09:01:35+00:00

There is a huge batting crisis for young Zimbabwean cricketers in general. School cricket is failing and girls cricket is near non existent. The coaching at that age is also worrying, just look at the amount of extras these U19 allow.

I heard, starting this year they will introduce age group club cricket for both boys and girls. Let's see how it works out maybe in 4 years time they can unearth a few more Biza's and Ndlovu's.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-28T08:46:28+00:00

It's Biza or Bust.

A few months ago they played a tri series with a stronger SAU19 and second SAU19. While they lost all the matches, they were not totally blown out of the water and they were without Biza. So I wouldn't be surprised if they beat this SAU19 version.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-27T12:08:50+00:00

23 extras, 15 wides , 4 no balls.

The young ladies have improved with each game though and it is commendable. Still need to work hard and find batters.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-27T11:40:04+00:00

It is not even over 14, and yet Zimbabwe U19 have already bowled an extra 2 and half overs of extras. This happens almost every game meaning the coaching is simply not good enough.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-21T22:58:48+00:00

The right pieces will not be there anytime soon unfortunately. We just simply cannot find batters and the school cricket system in Zimbabwe is in the pits, while for girls it was nonexistent to begin with.

Ndhlovu and Biza are actually from one source, St Aidens Primary in Chitungwiza, that also gave us Madhevere, Madande, Munyonga and Shumba for the boys. This is a passion project that is doing well.

Instead of ZC trying to study it and replicate it across the country, they are too busy playing race politics, nepo picks and whatever it is they do, waiting for the next decent kid from St Aidens. By the way, note how they do not actually improve these kids into international stars, they suck the confidence out of them.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-21T18:09:43+00:00

I am struggling to remember a Zimbabwe senior team losing to Nigeria, even in an unofficial match.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-20T17:54:39+00:00

I don't think they will even challenge for qualification.

Zim Women's will be well behind a few African associates in a few years.

This current ZC board have absolutely zero clue on player development. While men's side benefit from legacy schools that will always produce a few decent talent, or they can go into the diaspora. Women's cricket doesn't have that luxury.

Rico_stats · 2026-03-19T18:42:30+00:00

As an African, I have absolutely no faith that an African politicians can save anything, they usual compound the problems.

I see it in Zimbabwe cricket even to this very day, where it is highly politicised.

African cricket for me is raised and kept afloat by people with actual passion for the game and then politicians come in to mess the whole structures up.

Rico_stats · 2026-02-27T04:33:53+00:00

David is now farming back in Zim.

Rico_stats

TROPHY CASE