Under 19s thread. Players and under 19 matches

That 2020 top 5 - Wessly, Shumba, Myers, Bawa, Marumani was really special. They were capable of performing better than they did really. All 5 (if available) are likely to be big part of our senior future. They probably could have done better and they were leet down a bit by the bowlers.

The 2022 squad on paper isn't better than the 2020 one, no. But if they get good prep, good coaching and as long as ZC don't f**k the selections, then a 10th/11th finish is probably reasonable again. They'll have to get a favourable draw and really hit good form to get in that top 10 but it's certainly possible. Stranger things have happened. We'll have to see how they develop over the next three months.

The most exciting talent will be the batting again and that potential top 5; Welch, Saul, Wolhuter, Bawa, B Bennett. But there's some good bowlers - both the Bennett twins. Mataranyika seems an exciting prospect - the fact they took him on the Namibia tour says a lot. If Falao is the kid I'm thinking of then he is a pace bowler who gets some good bounce, the quickest in the squad. Schonken is a seamer as well I think?

There was a kid called Erasmus who blew everyone away with lightning quick bowling one year at a school T20 festival and got everyone talking, but I know he was a top top rugby prospect as well so looks like we've lost him.

I thought Tendai Mataranyika and Connor Mitchell were going to school in England but maybe they didn't in the end. I'm not sure why Wolhuter & Bawa are suddenly back in Zim during the middle of term either.

Donald wrote: ↑Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:19 pm

I'm taking it Connor grant and Mathew shronken are primarily bowlers?

Looking at cricket HQ scorecards they played against the Elton chigumbura academy lately

No there's a Connor Mitchell, a leggie, who was Hellenic but now is SA based then there's Connor Grant who's a seamer and Harare based. Mitchell is the cousin of the other Mitchell that went to Millfield who is a really promising batsman.

I'm glad you reminded me- where are Connor Grant and Erasmus? They're damned good bowlers. Grant gets prodigious swing and Erasmus is without doubt the quickest schoolboy bowler, he's a tremendous athlete, runs the 400m in sub 50 I believe, he's a highly motivated individual and outstanding at many things. I haven't seen him bowl for 2 years, but when he was 15 he was the fastest schoolboy and he's a lot bigger and stronger now so I would imagine he really puts it down. Connor Grant at the last T20 tournament when he was only 15 had the best bowling figured if I recall. I saw him get caned in one game only and that might have been Shumba.

In our miniscule player pool you surely have to pick the best we've got if you want to do better than 11th.

These few private schools that are all predominantly black (like 70:30) play the most and best cricket and have good facilities and the players are predominantly white kids because the black kids generally seem to prefer basketball yet our age group sides only ever have about 3 white players.

The u19 were supposed to be playing Rocks today but for whatever reason they didn't turn up. Ended up playing a scratch side made up mostly of Mountaineers, a couple of Eagles trialists plus Mudzinganyama & Marumani from rocks.

Marumani with an unbeaten winning century for the over-19s;

https://www.crichq.com/matches/959086/2nd_innings

Who is Fortunate Mhlanga in the u19s? Thats a new name to me

Jeez that's a hiding after posting a half decent total.

Great start from Saul and Welch and then a collapse, barring one tail ender. 150 runs between 3 batsmen meaning the rest got 100 combined and didn't bat the full 50. Not great.

It indicates our batting is not too bad, but our bowling is thin to say the least. On paper our batters appear to be Saul, Welch, Wolhuter, Bhawa and Bennet (x2??). We are light an all-rounder (Gibbs) and possibly another batsman and I don't think we have them lurking in the background. We can't go to the WC with seamers bowling 120 surely, we will get caned. Marumani is a plunderer of poor bowling and his 130 is clear evidence. I don't know why Erasmus is not in the mix, but I'd be taking a look at him urgently.

This is the first u19 extended squad in a long time that doesn't have a 15/16 year old in the mix which is also cause for major alarm for next WC.

This youngster Dean Gibbs who's apparently been offered a Dolphins contract really is a big loss to this side, that lad is a damned good player. He has to be really good getting a look in as a white kid with a Zim background into a skewed SA system. It will be very interesting to see how he goes down there. My issue is he probably wouldn't have even had a look in here, he may not have even been picked, yet he gets an offer in an infinitely more competitive environment. Spotting and retaining talent remains an elusive skill for ZC.

If he has in fact been offered a contract it means he's bypassed the SA u19 set up, which would be an indictment on their selection policies- a contracted 18 year old professional cricketer not in their u19 squad? 😂

How have we not seen Matigimu get a start for Titans yet? That is weird because he was a great prospect and is presumably still contracted, what are they waiting for?

Jeez we've lost some really good players over the last few years, it's bloody sickening.

Martell and Schonken batting 10 and 11 and not bowling at all. Weird.

You're right, we definitely seem to be a quality bowler or two light. I'm still expecting they'll find one or two more black kids from somewhere in the next few months. Hopefully they can bowl.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/sak ... ela-946523

I heard this lad had some pace

sloandog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:26 pm

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=471353183528747

Another one who has ended up at uni in the UK. At Loughborough I believe, so much better facilities/coaching than Myers will get at Southampton.

Also there is a new Graduate visa route in the UK from this year which means everyone graduating uni there can stay for a couple of years and work in any job. So maybe we won't see as many returning either.....

Wow, Loughborough. I could have gone there but the school of classics was s**t. Was so tempted though just by the facilities.

Cricketing facilities

He won't be on the MCCU programme obviously (I think it's only for England-eligible players now since they reformed, isn't it?) - but I'm guessing the facilities and coaching for the 'normal' uni team is still extremely good there.

Myers and Ndlela will be paying international fees at UK universities and that is serious money.

That's 4 top black young cricketers that have voted with their feet in the last couple of years. The taunts of "go back to where you came from, we don't need you!" is laughable now, plus there's a few in SA. You could almost make up a top team of young black talented guys who've fled the disaster that is ZC. 😂

The requirement is to be talented and poor, or just not university material or zero other options.

Evans played for Sussex Two's for a while, then for one of the MCCU's, then for a couple of decent clubs. I don't think that level of cricket will be available to those guys.

Evans only studied sport or something like that though didn’t he? He wasn’t very academic. Meanwhile Ndlela is doing mechanical engineering and Myers is very very smart too.

I'm hoping ZC keep in touch with Myers and make sure he knows he's well thought of. Even though he hasn't fired with the bat, you can see he oozes talent and has a lot of time. Shumbs and wez are two serious finds though. If we can look after the current crop, hopefully incorporate Bawa in there at some stage and perhaps Saul or Wollhutter, the batting looks good.

We just need another decent quick to come through and keep the fast bowling depth strong