GOOD JOB MR TAIBU

A fight well fought Mr Taibu, good job for your country .

After reports of  Tatenda Taibu (29) quitting international  cricket last night I really looked at the "ninja"s contribution as a senior player, he has moulded a lot of careers of the current national team players. He provided that guidance and motivation to the young stars all the times, I remember during my days at Mountaineers when we had difficulties paying the players, he was always culm and willing to listen. He was more of the captain in the ship because he gave that same guidance to the senior players like Hamilton Masakadza, Prosper Utseya, Tino Mawoyo, Johnson Marumisa just to mention a few.

At national level he was the pillar of the team at all times, this is evidenced by the fact that during matches when crunch time came all captains including Heath Streak, Prosper Utseya, Elton Chigumbura and most recently Bredon Taylor would ask Tiba for advise on field settings and other on field technicallities.

Off field it really seems like he has taken yet another bold decision quitting this time for work at church. We can only wish him all the best but maybe a testimonial match would have been a good way to say thank you to our little man The Ninja.

The decision ends an 11-year international career during which he became the youngest Test captain in history. Taibu played 28 Tests and 150 one-day internationals (ODIs) for Zimbabwe.

“I just feel that my true calling now lies in doing the Lord’s work and although I am fortunate and proud to have played for my country, the time has come for me to put my entire focus on that part of my life,” Taibu said in a statement last night.

He is definately one of the most successfull stories on the game's development  and losing his services in cricket, I certainly pray that God allows Taibu to return to the game again in the future.
It seems everything has come full circle for him and he has taken the challenge to do God’s work. Taibu made his first-class debut at the age of 16, and his debut for the national team in 2001, at 18. In 2003, he was appointed vice-captain to Heath Streak on the team’s tour of England, and he was appointed national captain in April 2004, making him the youngest Test captain in history.

He was absent from Zimbabwean cricket from 2005 to 2007 as  he played a season in Namibia as the captain and another season for the Cape Cobras in South Africa. He made his return to the Zimbabwe side in a series against India A in July 2007, registering a century. The following month Zimbabwe hosted South Africa for a three-game ODI series and in the final game Taibu scored a career best 107 not out. It was the first ODI century by a Zimbabwean against South Africa.

The Kolkata Knight Riders of the Indian Premier League, on February 20, 2008 purchased Taibu’s contract. During 2010, Taibu’s form continued to soar and he scored 73 against South Africa as Zimbabwe were all out for 268. The South Africans chased down the total comfortably with Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers scoring centuries.

When Zimbabwe returned to Test cricket in 2011, Taibu was selected to play in their one-off Tests against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand despite making critical remarks against the country’s cricket administration. He scored half-centuries in each of the three Tests.

MUPARIWA AND EGWING BACK IN THE SQUAD

Gavin Ewing and Tawanda Mupariwa have been drafted in the squad for the triangular series pitting Zimbabwe’s A side against Sri Lanka and South Africa.Since their inclusion into Zimbabwe A’s training squad, just over a fortnight ago, concern had been over their fitness given the two had been out of the national set-up for a long time.

The two have since been subjected to a rigorous fitness programme, which they appear to have passed. Ewing, despite his form, had fallen out of contention for both the senior and A sides, while Mupariwa has been sidelined by injury for the past six months.

According to Zimbabwe A’s head coach Steven Mangongo, the two have been working hard in training and could be well on their way to remarkable comebacks.
“I am happy to announce that both Ewing and Mupariwa will be eligible for selection when the squad gets trimmed for the 50-over Tri-series, given they pass fitness tests.
“Mupariwa is on his way back to his menacing best and has been bowling with great control on top of batting well during training. Ewing looks to be in good shape and believes he is ready to take up the challenges of international cricket,” said Mangongo.

The duo’s return seems to be the only piece of good news coming from the camp after the team got off to the worst possible start in their preparations for the tri-series, which begins later week.
Despite an already shaky squad, Mangongo has had to contend with the loss of a couple of seasoned players and a blight of injuries.Foster Mutizwa and all-rounder Glen Querl failed to make it into camp due to injury and contractual obligations respectively.

Skipper Tino Mawoyo and Raza Sikander Butt received minor injuries during camp while upcoming leg spinner Natsai Mushangwe was axed from the team.Mushangwe was axed from the team after he failed to pitch up for Zimbabwe’s nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the Pran RFL Twenty20 final last month, while Mutizwa failed to recover from a back injury and will miss yet another series.
“It’s unfortunate that Mushangwe’s expulsion will stand and he will not take part in the series at all. He is an extremely talented bowler and would have been an integral part of the team had he made it.
“He has since apologised and asked to at least train with the squad, a request that we have granted him.

“Mutizwa has not taken part in any of our training sessions after he failed to recover on time, but on a more positive note both Mawoyo and Butt’s injuries were not serious and the two have since fully recovered even taking part in a few practice games,” he said.
Mangongo has opted to remain optimistic, insisting the worst is now well behind them and everything should go their way as the series beckons.

“We are not taking anything lightly as we aim to emulate the senior team’s victory during the just-ended Twenty20 series.“We have reinforced the team’s batting by including a couple of talented and promising players and I can only do so much as the players have to stand up and play their part.
“We might have lost a couple of players, but as the norm we always have cover for every player and position. Expect a lot from guys like Tino Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami and the every rising Richard Muzhange,” he said.

Aiding Mangongo in his quest for yet another series win are players like Cephas Zhuwao, rookie batsman Kevin Kasuza and Bradley Staddon, who received a late call-up into the squad after a spate of injuries. Staddon is expected to be a direct replacement to Querl while Zhuwao and Kasuza should provide a little batting arsenal. Mangongo’s message to his players is simple: stand up, be counted and attract the selectors’ attention.

“Well, as in all A sides, the objective is to perform well and put yourself in contention for the senior side, and that is exactly what I expect from my players during this series.“We are well aware of our opponents and will not be taking them lightly, but we are on home turf and, as such, we will definitely play to win it and hopefully continue the momentum sparked by the senior team’s exploits,” he said.

The series, which begins this Friday, will see Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and South Africa’s A sides taking part in a triangular series in limited overs cricket. Both the touring sides, Sri Lanka and South Africa, are expected to arrive on Wednesday with the two clashing in Friday’s opener at Harare Sports Club.
The local selection panel was expected to meet last night after which Zimbabwe’s A side will be trimmed and announced this week.

BY TINASHE KUSEMA OF THE SUNDAY MAIL