Zimbabwe: Then, Now, and Somewhere in Between.
In 1989, I was fortunate to tour Zimbabwe with Lancashire County Cricket Club, playing a series of games at the Harare Sports Club (HSC). Most—if not all—the games were against different iterations of the full Zimbabwe side. It was April, so pre-season for us, and I believe, the end of their season. Results-wise, the hosts held the ascendency.
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I suppose, like many cricketers of that era and present, I had travelled to a country without fully understanding its past—naively oblivious to the weight of history that cloaked the then Rhodesia and now Zimbabwe. I try to address this below. The defence could counsel that professional athletes are permanently transient—country-hopping, travelling from city to city with little knowledge of how and why these places exist.
Ironically, across the street from HSC was Robert Mugabe's presidential residence. Our hosts communicated this at one of the many dinners, which provided unparalleled barbecued meat, abundant Castle lager, and local tobacco that was as cheap as chips. I knew of Mugabe—he was small and a revolutionary—I know, pretty shallow, but that was about it.
Again, in my defence, growing up on a South Manchester housing estate pre-internet gave me not much more than the basics. John, my late father, kept encyclopedias. However, they often gathered dust while his collection of sporting literature took precedence. Cricket biographies, Wisden almanacks, and football yearbooks shaped my worldview more than world history. The intricacies of a Graham Gooch cover drive or the statistics of Denis Law's scoring record were far more compelling than the complexities of African politics.
Now, decades later, as Zimbabwe cricket struggles for relevance, I find myself drawn back to that time, seeking to understand not just the cricket, but the intricacies of a nation in permanent flux.
I knew nothing of the Ndebele and Shona people—how could I, who originally occupied the land that I would later stand on? Neither had I heard of Cecil Rhodes—I knew John Rhodes (Friarmere Cricket Club)—who was responsible for claiming the land under the guise of the British colonial empire and naming it Southern Rhodesia—leaving Black Africans excluded from political power.
Fast-forward to 1965, and Prime Minister Ian Smith's government issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, creating the unrecognised state of Rhodesia.
The subsequent Bush War and the Lancaster House Agreement paved the way for Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 under the leadership of Robert Mugabe. Nine years later, a bunch of Lancashire cricketers thought none the wiser—sorry, this is an assumption without factual basis.
Like the country itself, cricket in Zimbabwe emerged from colonial roots. The region's first recorded match was played in 1890—the same year the Rhodesian Pioneer Column arrived—and the Rhodesia Cricket Union was formed in 1896. Rhodesian cricket was aligned with the South African administration throughout the 20th century, competing in South Africa's domestic competition, the Currie Cup. Several Rhodesian players represented South Africa internationally, including John Traicos.
Interestingly, Egypt-born Traicos made his Test debut for South Africa in 1969-70, during their final series before the Proteas were exiled, and then returned to international cricket in 1992, aged 45, playing in Zimbabwe's first four Tests. The gap between appearances—22 years and 222 days—is a record that will likely stand eternally.
Zimbabwe joined the International Cricket Council (ICC) as an associate member in 1981 and quickly made its mark, defeating Australia in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Test status followed in 1992. However, economic and political turmoil in the 2000s led to a player exodus, forcing their withdrawal from Test cricket in 2006. They returned in 2011 and, despite ongoing challenges, have committed to all formats—2025 promises to be their busiest Test year yet.
My recollections of Lancashire's 1989 tour are hazy. Having found some old scorecards, we were rusty at best. The below-par performance was partly due to the hosts' outstanding hospitality and insistence that we stay late and start early.
For the record, a blow to my left big toe in practice hampered my contributions—Honestly.
Phil DeFreitas (Daffy) seemed to be looking after a fellow Man City fan, bowling nice away shape that I could either leave or push drive. It was all friendly stuff until he turned the shine around and bowled a full inswinger. I would have walked in a match—if I could. Instead, I was on all fours, lurching around while Daffy balled like a headless hyena.
I had two choices: go to the physio, which would likely result in an X-ray and likely mean no play due to a busted toe. Or, I put a sock in it and act like everything's all right. The first choice suited me better, but 1stXI opportunities were limited, and I was in no way guaranteed to be the next cab off the rank.
It happened most pre-season's—it was my third, hardly a veteran! You return from a winter playing away and usually do OK. A few runs, a reasonable level of fitness, and fresh optimism for the season ahead. We had a report date in early April. The new kit for the season is dished out—including footwear. I believe Reebok supplied the boots that year. You put them straight in the case without much thought. Arrive in Harare; the nets are tacky, you see Daffy's inswinger late, and your fucking lead foot can't get the spikes out of the turf. Broken toe! —I blame Neil Harvey Fairbrother. There was no more staunch advocate for batters wearing spikes on both front and back—but then, who argues with Harv!?
Working backwards when comparing Zimbabwe's players, this current team bears no resemblance to its previous versions. Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Brian Bennett, and Blessing Muzarabani will carry a heavy burden while their country seeks to rebuild a broken infrastructure.
Zimbabwe's recent Test loss to England was as predictable as a Ben Duckett century, serving to highlight the stark reality of their current situation. The hosts declared 565-6, with centuries from Ollie Pope (171), Duckett (140), and highwayman Zak Crawley (124). The highlight for the visitors was 21-year-old Brian Bennett, who posted Zimbabwe's fastest Test century (97 balls) in a defiant 139. Despite Sean Williams (88) and Sikandar Raza (60) showing fight in the follow-on, Shoaib Bashir's 6-81 sealed England's innings victory.
So, it has been twenty years since these teams last met in Test cricket, and the gulf in talent and resources is at its widest point.
The research undertaken brought to mind many additional aspects of Zimbabwean cricket and its connections with the broader cricket world. Having reached the word limit here, I can dig deeper in a later post. For now, as always, thank you for your patience and for taking the time to read.
