Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
IN December 2023, former Zimbabwe international Dave Houghton, then head coach of the senior men’s national cricket team, stepped down, stating that a “new voice” was needed in the dressing room. Six months later, in June, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced they had found that “new voice” in South African national, Justin Sammons, who had previously worked as a batting consultant for the Proteas.
Excitement grew about this new chapter for Zimbabwean cricket, with many holding high expectations for the man considered a development guru. Sammons’ appointment was seen as a step forward, heralding a new era for the Chevrons.
However, as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Under Sammons’ stewardship, there hasn’t been much to celebrate, with poor results continuing to plague the team. Under his tutelage, the Chevrons are yet to win a series, their only victories coming against continental minnows during the T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifiers.
Since taking over in June, he has overseen losses against India (4-1), Pakistan (identical 2-1 scores in ODIs and T20Is), Afghanistan (2-1 in T20Is, 2-0 in ODIs and 1-0 in Tests), and Ireland (1-0 in Tests). A white-ball series against Ireland is ongoing at Harare Sports Club.
While acknowledging that expectations of victory against Pakistan and India were low, losing at home to Afghanistan and Ireland raises serious concerns. It is unacceptable and demands questions about the direction of the game.
For a long time, blame has been heaped on the players, but no one has dared to question the decision-makers. If the players are subject to constant scrutiny for poor results, their coaches must also be held accountable. Players don’t select themselves, and it’s time the decision-makers faced the music for their choices. Cricket fans are slowly losing faith in a man who was supposed to usher in a new beginning.
In their recent Test match against Ireland at the spin-friendly Queens Sports Club, Sammons opted for a four-man seam attack comprising Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, the inexperienced Trevor Gwandu, and Newman Nyamhuri. Ireland’s spinners proved the difference, securing victory for the visitors. They did their research which Zimbabwe seems not to have done. Zimbabwe had a wicket-taking spinner, Vincent Masekesa sitting on the sidelines.
Gwandu and Nyamhuri’s inexperience was exposed against Afghanistan, yet the coach chose them over the experienced Victor Nyauchi, who took a five-for in his last Test at Queens. The coach later criticised the two backup bowlers for being poor, but when questioned about why he chose inexperience over experience, he said:
“We still pick the guys who we think will win us the game. It’s not an excuse. We were not good enough, there are no excuses. Hindsight is a wonderful thing; if we had played a spinner, who knows, he might have picked up 10 wickets, that’s a different story. If we had played Joylord (Gumbie), for example, who knows, maybe he could have scored a hundred. We don’t know, it’s just one of those things. We don’t know how Victor would have bowled; I’m sure he would have bowled well because he is bowling well.
These guys have also been bowling well, that’s why we picked them because we thought they were our best chance of taking 20 wickets. So we can’t go back now,” Sammons said, defending their poor decision-making.
He knew the two were inexperienced but still chose them, then he blames them again for the defeat, calling it a learning curve. But for how long will they continue to learn? International cricket is no place for experiments.
Without diminishing Sammons’ capabilities as a coach, its clear there hasn’t been any improvement in the team compared to previous regimes. Results haven’t changed, and questionable decisions continue.
Nyamhuri, with no first-class experience, was backed to bat at number nine, ahead of the much more experienced Muzarabani. Notably, in that same game against Ireland, Muzarabani had scored a fighting 47 runs in the first innings, helping Zimbabwe secure a seven-run lead. In the second innings, when someone capable of holding the bat was needed, Sammons and his coaching staff again opted for Nyamhuri ahead of Muzarabani, a decision that proved costly.
The Chevrons under Sammons haven’t improved, and it’s the same old story of poor results. Saturday Chronicle understands that Sammons was initially meant to be the batting coach. Their preferred candidate is said to have pulled out at the last minute. Grant Flower is believed to have been the first choice but withdrew at the eleventh hour. Other candidates were either deemed unsuitable by ZC or demanded excessive remuneration. This raises the question of whether the chosen man has really made a difference to the national team or has simply continued the same pattern of poor results that led to others being dismissed. — @brandon_malvin
