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Zimbabwe’s failure to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 has become the hottest topic in sporting cycle this weekend.
Heartbroken fans have expressed a gamut of opinions and offered all sorts of advice on what should happen next.
The prevailing opinion in some, much like what is pop culture in many places is, the coach, captain and convenor of selectors should all be fired.
Make no bones about it. Answers need to be found. Losing to the United Arab Emirates never mind a Windies side that looks a far cry from the greatness of its history is unacceptable and there should be action.
However, many reactions, at the moment are visceral.
Without knowing the inner workings of the team or Zimbabwe Cricket, can we say an action as dramatic as firing Heath Streak deals with the issue? Is Zimbabwe’s cricketing community now at a point where it says Streak has nothing more to offer to the local game and must be lost to a different country? Should we say the same of a youthful Tatenda Taibu?
In the case of Streak, his talents are the envy of many as is evidenced by him picking up another contract (third year in a row) as bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the prestigious Indian Premier League which kicks off in a forthnight. So he will not find it hard finding work.
Will all the lessons they learnt from this tournament, the institutional knowledge of the anatomy of the game at present be taken away at a whim?
Note. We are not making a defence of Taibu or Streak. They have made some questionable decisions and critically in that match against the UAE when they dropped Tendai Chisoro resulting in a long tail. Add to that bizarre decision not to bat first in a tournament where doing so had served them well. Questions will also be asked around the performance of Lance Klusener as batting consultant as that department simply didn’t stand up to scrutiny against quality sides.
The bigger question should always be centred around how the game moves forward into the ODI league that kicks off. That will also include how you define the roles of the coaches and convenor including expanding the latter, how to make sure too much power does not rest in one office.
And how does the game support the players, who having failed, are hurting. None of them wanted to lose and there should never be a suggestion that they intentionally let the country down. Sikandar Raza in accepting the player of the tournament gong said:
This trophy will also serve as a reminder for the 15 million dreams that we crushed.
Click here to watch that acceptance speech.
Given that scenario, how does the board make sure that it backs its players? How does it protect them? How does it give confidence in the country that they can bounce back and win?
Yes, the game has its problems, but what can be salvaged. What are the solutions and what set skills or policies are needed to deal with a deficiency?
Sure, new blood will need to come in, but 2004 is a reminder of the fact that a wholesale change, enforced or otherwise will be disastrous. That said there is a healthy amount of talent that has represented Zimbabwe at the highest level in the wings. To name a few we have, Tarisai Musakanda, Ryan Burl, Carl Mumba, Richard Ngarava, Neville Madziva, Luke Jongwe, Ryan Murray from the young players never mind the likes of Brian Chari, Prince Masvaure, Chamu Chibhabha, Timcyen & Tendai Maruma, Tino Mutombodzi and a few more. If you notice, that is just 13 players we have randomly named and that does not even include some of the members of the Rising Stars Academy, former under 19 captain Brandon Mavuta, his successor Liam Roache, Wesley Madhevere and more.
The fallout will demand action, but cool heads will be needed to make sure it takes Zimbabwe Cricket in the right direction.
Whatever the board does now, will be a defining moment.
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