Where is Your Pride, Zimbabwean Sportsman?

I want what all men want, I just want it more – Archilles

Zimbabwe cricketer Foster Mutizwa had the chance to catapult himself into some form of minor cult status, in Saturday’s match against South Africa A.

The headline was ready to be written. One ball, 2 runs to win and 1 to tie.

The journalists were ready to coin the latest phrase in their tales of cricketing legend. A win in this first class match would have been a welcome boost for the game as the country tries to make its way back onto centre stage in global cricket.

Sections of the crowd in the Met Bank of the Harare Sports Club burst out into the national anthem as the South Africa A’s Rusty Theron prepared to bowl the last ball of the match.

Foster fluffed his lines. The ball wasn’t special. I don’t know whether was trying to sweep it or cut it. He knows. He did neither. He was stumped.

Give that same scenario to an Aussie, Kiwi or even a Pom and the ball will end up at State House.

It takes a dose of the special stuff to be a winner. You need a certain level of pride to get over the finishing line in first place. The thought of losing must annoy you so much that you will not stand for it. You will not lose.

That is how much some men want it. Foster wants it too. He just doesn’t want it enough.