Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE cricket fans are fuming after leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, was surprisingly dropped for the upcoming historic Test against England. This comes just days after his dream debut against Bangladesh, where he took a brilliant five wickets, offering Zimbabwe a rare quality leg-spin option. The decision by Zimbabwe Cricket to pick left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza instead, has left supporters baffled.
No explanation was offered by selectors or team management when the squad was announced last week, adding fuel to the fire as cricket lovers vented their frustration across social media platforms, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).
Zimpapers Sports Hub compiles some of the passionate reactions from fans and analysts:
Merovaeous: “Imagine being Vincent Masekesa, who on debut took a fifer against a decent quality Bangladeshi side.
Has decent varieties, Wrong’uns and Googlies in the armour. Yet gets dropped for Newman Nyamhuri, with nine wickets in the last 10 domestic matches and four wickets in the last five Test innings.”
Sisa Ncube: “I can bet you right now. Wellington won’t play. Zim will go with four seamers. I hope they don’t drop Victor Nyauchi from the starting XI. Masekesa was sacrificed for their boys. It’s pathetic! Really shameful! Shame on you, Zimbabwe Cricket.”
Maita Dziva: “I’m so sorry, Masekesa, for not being picked after you got a five-wicket haul. But Zimbabwe Cricket inosekesa hayo (is a joke). This is just not fair to the young man. No, man!”
Cricketologist: “Masekesa and Wellington played in the same match and we had a chance to compare the two. Masekesa was tops with a fifer. Yes, conditions in England are different, but pick the spinner who takes wickets.”
Dean Du Plessis: “A leg spinner gets a fifer on Test debut, then gets left out as the selectors choose to go with an overrated, innocuous left-arm spinner. It will be up to you to interpret what that means. Conditions may be different, but surely players should be rewarded when they perform?”
Mayor of Kwekwe (Bxllyville): “In Zimbabwe, getting a fifer gets you dropped. Now bowlers are going to be scared of producing masterclasses because you immediately become a threat to you-know-who?”
Daniel Sson85: “Nyamhuri? On what exactly? Gwandu? On what exactly? Drop Masekesa, but retain Welly? The sheer lack of mental player management is killing our ridiculous.”
The one-off Test match, Zimbabwe’s first red-ball outing on English soil since 2003, is set for May 22–25 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, marking a major milestone in the country’s cricket revival journey.
Zimbabwe will then face South Africa in a four-day fixture from June 3-6, at Arundel, a match that doubles as the Proteas’ final preparation before the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, scheduled for 11–15 June at Lord’s.
The Zimbabwe squad departs for England on Friday to begin acclimatising ahead of the eagerly awaited encounter.
ZIMBABWE TEST SQUAD
FOR ENGLAND TOUR:
Craig Ervine (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams.
