The A-Z of Zimbabwe cricket in 2007

Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on December 23, 2007

A - Anthony Ireland retires from international cricket to pursue a county career.

B - Brendan Taylor smashing 60* and earning man of the match to lead Zimbabwe to an unexpected win over Australia.

C - Coaches, Kevin Curran sacked, Robin Brown hired. Brown won his first match in charge against a powerful Australian team.

D - Dave Ellman-Brown, a life president of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, was not invited to an AGM behind closed doors.

E - Easterns, the dominating team in the 2007 domestic championships.

F - Freedom Takarusenga gave an exclusive interview to brmtaylor.com about life as Zimbabwean cricketer.

G - Government intervention, when Australia were set to tour Zimbabwe for 3 ODI's, the Australian government intervened.

H - Harare Sports Club, the one ground in Zimbabwe where the team can put up a good fight.

I - Injuries to Sean Williams throughout the year meant despite being the countries best First Class batsman, he cannot break into the side.

J - Just scraping through, that was how the fans felt when Zimbabwe had a hard time beating a South African Composite XI.

K - Kasteni was a surprise inclusion in the 2007 World Cup squad. The gamble failed.

L - Leading from the front, Prosper Utseya has taken a 5-fer in the second SuperSport Challenge match, and scored an unbeaten century in the first.

M - Mark Vermeulen, a trial date has finally been set, but all year he has been dominating the club cricket circuit as the Old Hararians captain.

N - National League standards are still low, but the all powerful Takashinga side is becoming better and better

O - Only a matter of time before Zimbabwe are playing Tests again, India in 2008 is the target.

P - Peter Chingoka and Ovias Bvute are again under pressure, facing mismanagement charges from the ICC.

Q - Quotas again becoming an issue, when it was revealed the selectors were forced to choose an 8:3 black to white team.

R - Ray Price makes a surprise return to international cricket after 4 years in England

S - South Africa have been there for Zimbabwe cricket every step of the way, and have tried to allow them access into each of their domestic tournaments.

T - Tatenda Taibu returns to Zimbabwean cricket, and hits a century in his comeback match

U - Upsets against Australia and West Indies silenced many critics.

V - Visa bans, Peter Chingoka had to have special approval to go to an ICC meeting in Europe.

W - Wet weather has kept cricket in Zimbabwe to a minimum in late 2007, with several National League matches affected as well as several West Indies ODI's.

X - "Xperience", the return of several rebels as well as much more cricket being played has given the squad much more international experience.

Y - Young guns haven't been thrown into the deep end this year, with only two debutants in 2007 as opposed to eight in 2006.

Z - ZC have had a reasonably uneventful year, a pleasant change from the debacles of years gone by.