They have one of the strongest squads on paper and are many people’s outside bet to reach the final, but Zimbabwe are not getting ahead of themselves ahead of the 2023 Over-50 World Cup.
They have a team stacked with former internationals in Stuart Carlisle, Craig Evans, John Rennie and Karl Burmester, and then added another late addition in the shape of Murray Goodwin, a man who played 19 Test matches and 71 ODIs, and who scored over 35 000 First-Class and List A runs.
Zimbabwe also gave a good account of themselves at the African Quadrangular series held in South Africa late last year, reaching the final before losing to a very strong Proteas Veterans side.
They achieved this despite a lack of a proper Veterans Cricket structure in the country, with the Over-50s having to rely on middle practices or games against schoolboy and even girls teams for match practice.
And it is for this reason that Zimbabwe captain Darrell Goodwin is playing down their chances of winning the tournament south of the border.
“We may be a little underdone, but we will see what happens when we get there,” he recently told Spirit of Cricket. “I don’t want anyone to arrive at the tournament thinking we’re the bees’ knees, saying ‘we’re gonna win this, we’re great’. To me that doesn’t work. You just go there, play your best and what happens, happens.
“I know everyone says we have a great team, and we do have a great team. As ‘individuals’ it is a great team, but let’s see how we mould together as a proper team.”
Zimbabwe are in Division A alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, USA, Canada, West Indies and New Zealand. Their opening game of the tournament, which will again be sponsored by Evergreen Lifestyle, is on March 6 against the Kiwis at Cape Town Cricket Club.
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About Evergreen Lifestyle
Established in 2008, Evergreen Lifestyle is South Africa’s premium retirement brand with seven operating villages in the Western Cape and Gauteng, and a further six in the pipeline. The business began with a vision to change the retirement landscape in South Africa, offering a partnership for life based on five key pillars: physical security, financial peace of mind, continuous care, a sense of community and exceptional hospitality.
You’ll find Evergreen’s award-winning retirement villages in the most beautiful parts of the country, at the end of sun-dappled country lanes, perched on majestic mountain slopes, and within walking distance of our beaches, rivers, and wetlands. And you’ll find vibrant fun-loving communities enjoying the finer things in life – like good food, great company, lasting friendships, and a sense of belonging that is enabled by the resort style facilities and amenities on offer.