Cricket World Cup 2007 Preview: Zimbabwe

[This is the sixth in a series of collaborative articles assessing the merits and demerits of the teams competing for cricket's World Cup in March/April in the West Indies.]

Zainub Razvi
Four years ago, when Zimbabwe last participated in the World Cup, they gave every side they played, including the eventual champions Australia, a through run for their money. Four years on, today, on the eve of the 2007 World Cup, it is almost a miracle that the country has managed to put together a squad of players for the tournament, let alone think of providing competition.

The mass player exodus that followed the last World Cup kept taking one ugly turn after another, as some extremely talented players left their homelands for greener pastures. First it was the older guard of the Flower brothers and Heath Streak, and then the likes of Shaun Erwin, Andy Blignaut and eventually even Tatenda Taibu left. The hole this exodus made was big enough on its own to sink the Zimbabwean Cricket, and things only kept getting worse as Peter Chingoka was re-instated as the Zimbabwe Cricket Board’s interim chairman, despite widespread rumors of financial mismanagement.

What followed was perhaps the final telling blow to the country’s cricket structure. Chingoka abolished the country’s long-established provincial cricket system and rewrote the constitution, introducing instead new organizations and officials, and in the process wiping out every means for anyone to speak against the board. The next line of players in Zimbabwe, the likes of Prosper Utseya, the current skipper, and the talented all rounder Sean Williams and wicket keeper batsman Bredon Taylor, all boycotted the forthcoming domestic one-day competition, and the four-day competition was not held altogether.

Fears of another mass exodus loom around despite a 2-year contract that the board forced the players to sign leading up to the World Cup, offering incentives of up to US $17,000 depending on their show in the Caribbean. But with such a depressing politico-social backdrop back home, and the lack of quality players in the squad, Zimbabwe might go to the Caribbean just to make up the numbers.

Prediction: Will not win a single game

Sibin Mohan
Zimbabwe has dropped from being one of the better teams in world cricket to virtual unknowns. None of the members of their World Cup squad seem to evoke any interest or a glimmer of hope. Gone are the days when Andy Flower (one of the most underrated and most gifted batsman in his generation) and Heath Streak ensured that the team was a pleasure to watch. Interference from the Mugabe regime and the loss of good players like Neil Johnson, Andy Murray and Mbangwa seems to have crushed their spirit. Their recent loss to Bangladesh won't help make matters easier either. They may have a tough time even qualifying for the super eight, as they have three good teams (Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland) in their group.

Prediction: May not qualify for Super Eights

Angshuman Hazra

Tatenda-Streaky-Andy
Used to be real handy
Masakadza Matsikinyei
Only on scrabble are fiery

Ireland Sibanda Duffin
Zim boys won't be luffin'
To find Big Brothers huffin'
To knock out their stuffin'

Spare them the dishonor though
Civil strife lays them low
Mocking Zim just isn't fair
We wish you Prosper, Utseya

Indeed wishes are all that we have for Zimbabwe. For a team that regularly pulled off upsets in World Cups and reached the Super six in the edition before last as group leaders, the Zimbabwe side has gone downhill like a rolling stone. Most of the decline has been due to player exodus resulting from discontent with living conditions in the country, and it is sad that the team today looks unlikely to pull off even a single upset win over big teams.

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Also see the Desicritics World Cup Preview for :
India
Pakistan
West Indies
South Africa
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
England
Bangladesh, Kenya
Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Bermuda, Netherlands