CRUSHED DREAMS

Shadows lengthen for Zimbabwe Cricket

by Bertus de Jong • Last updated on

Even before Qualifiers, the coming World Cup was spoken of as something of a last hurrah for this generation. © ICC

For a handful of overs Zimbabwe were on top. With Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza at the crease, they looked on course for a trip to England. The stands were full, the crowd in full cry. Harare Sports Club was at capacity, they had closed the gate at 2.30pm. When Raza put Rohan Musafa on the roof with six overs to go, it looked almost inevitable. Twenty minutes later the United Arab Emirates, who barely scraped into the tournament, shut the door on Zimbabwe's World Cup hopes.

They had just needed a win against the second-lowest ranked side at the tournament. They might have taken that at the start of the competition, but then perhaps they hadn't expected to be facing a new ball travelling at almost 145kph, delivered by an opening bowler who was bowling with a taped tennis ball five years ago. Mohammed Naveed had ripped out Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire early in Zimbabwe's doomed chase, and would put an end to their resurgence at the death.

It was a brutal reintroduction to World Cup qualification tournaments, from which Zimbabwe have been exempt since being awarded Full Membership. They last played in a Qualifier in 1990. They won it, unbeaten, as they had the previous two editions. Things have changed outside the full member circle since then however, and as Zimbabwean cricket has languished in maladministration and self-imposed semi-isolation, the pack has caught up to them.

As the afternoon wore on into evening, the clouds split to reveal a striking setting sun behind a limply hanging Zimbabwe flag, presenting an easy visual metaphor for any passing photographer that cared to take advantage. The crowd kept chanting till the end, but didn't stay long after.

The stands were empty the next day as Ireland and Afghanistan squabbled over the spoils, but for half a stand of children presumably grateful for the day off school. It is hard to know when they will be filled again. "They come because it's Zimbabwe, and because it's free." said former international David Mutendera, watching stoically on the sidelines. "Why would they come to watch this?" As Mohammad Shahzad sauntered down the track to slap Andy McBrine onto the roof, setting Afghanistan on track for an easy win, he remarked, "That arrogance, that's what we need. We are too nice in Zimbabwe."

On the field, perhaps. Off it, the denouncements and blame-apportioning has already begun. Inevitably, there are calls in the press for Heath Streak or Grame Cremer to step down, Zimbabwe Cricket Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani was swift to announce his disappointment with the team, "I believe that I speak on behalf of Zimbabweans that the UAE match was literally a foregone conclusion and that was the only match we needed to be in England in 2019." he told the Zimbabwe Daily. Going on to question selection decisions and label the UAE as "the weakest team in the tournament." The same article, tellingly, described the Emiratis as "amateurs."

If neither Mukuhlani nor the Zimbabwean media seem to really grasp how much tougher the competition from Associates has become, the team themselves no longer have any illusions. Tours to Scotland and the Netherlands last Summer saw them drop a game against each. An A-team tour to the Emirates ahead of the tournament resulted in a 5-0 whitewash. The coach and several players were dutifully on the sidelines at Old Hararians earlier in the week as the UAE took on Afghanistan to get another look.

Certainly not all are so quick to blame the players. "They go out, they give 100% for 40%" says former Mashonaland all-rounder Darlington Matambanadzo, referring to the fact that the players are once again on partial salaries. "How long would you keep working your job if they pay you 40% of what they owe?"

The question of whether and how the current squad could be kept together looms large over Zimbabwe cricket. Some will doubtless drift away, some lured by the promise of a Kolpak or T20 deal, some into retirement. Even before the tournament the coming World Cup was spoken of as something of a last hurrah for this generation.

All told, they have hardly even had a bad tournament. Whatever the feeling in Zimbabwe, they were never favourites to qualify, and ended up missing out by the narrowest of margins. Across the Group Stages and Super Sixes, in fact, they won as many matches and lost fewer than Afghanistan, they just did it in the wrong order.

The truth is that the three run loss to the UAE was just the coup de grace to Zimbabwe's hopes of competing in the World Cup. The serious damage was done years ago, and in the boardroom rather than on the field. From the moment it was confirmed that the coming World Cup would be restricted to ten teams Zimbabwe were outsiders to make it, and that was the administrator's fight, not that of the players.

Unlike the other teams that will be missing out, Zimbabwe had a seat at the table when that decision was made. They did not speak up, they went along with it. As the big beasts of cricket carved up the ICC's revenues to share amongst themselves, and moved to shut the world out of the World Cup, Zimbabwe's representatives, desperate for a cut of their own or a money-spinning India tour, meekly complied. They had their vote, they sold it and it has cost them.

"A painful reminder of crushed dreams" was how Raza described his Player of the Tournament award. ©

They hardly had a choice of course. Zimbabwe's odds of winning that fight were a lot longer than those of them winning through this qualifier. Then, as now, heavily in debt to the ICC amongst others, and reliant on the largesse and indulgence of its fellow full members, Zimbabwe Cricket was in no position to make a fuss. To comply, take a gamble and hope to make it through anyway was the only course available.

Even now Zimbabwe will not face the full consequences of failure as the Netherlands did when they missed out by a net run rate margin of 0.035 at the last qualifier, or Hong Kong will this time round. They will retain their Full Membership, their status, and most importantly their cut of ICC revenues. There are some fixtures on the horizon, Australia and Pakistan will be over in a few months' time, the potentially lucrative visit by India is scheduled for next year.

But there are fewer certainties for Zimbabwe in the years ahead, their ability to host tours is contingent on financing, in all likelihood they will be expected to go through at least one round of Qualifying even to reach the "First Round" of the next World T20, with only the top ten ranked teams exempt from the Global Qualifier.

The heaviest losses will be unquantifiable. The financial loss from missing out on participation will not be inconsequential, with at least a million USD in cash from the ICC and a value in terms of sponsorship likely much more going begging, but the real price will come in terms of early retirements, wayning media interest and above all a lack of inspiration for youngsters starting out in the game.

Commendably Raza, visibly distraught on accepting the trophy for Player of the Tournament, drew attention to the plight of the Associate countries, with whom Zimbabwe understandably feel an ever closer kinship.

"This trophy will also serve as a reminder for Peter Borren and the Dutch players, for Kyle Coetzer and his Scottish players, for Mustafa and his UAE players, and all the countries that couldn't make it to the World Cup. Congrats to Nepal on the ODI status. This trophy will also serve as a painful reminder for the two of our brother countries who lost their ODI status. I wish them the very best of luck."

Yet though the Associates face even greater uncertainties in the years ahead, they will at least be used to it. Zimbabwe, for the first time in almost three decades, will again know what it means to be on the outside looking in. "A painful reminder of crushed dreams" was how Raza described his award. Those joining them on the sidelines in 2019 will need no reminding.

The Devil take the hindmost has long been the reality for Associates, now it is an established full member that lies a bleeding too. It was the smallest of margins that cost them, as is so often the case at such tournaments. But margins are soon forgotten, as the foremost move on toward England without them.

© Cricbuzz

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