mbulelo smpofu
Brandon Moyo, Brandonmalvin9@gmail.com
ZIMBABWE Cricket’s international commitments often overshadow domestic cricket, yet both realms are interconnected. A fair and transparent selection process is crucial to ensure that the national team is composed of the most deserving players. However, questionable choices continue to plague the selection committee.
It’s perplexing how players who consistently perform well in domestic cricket are frequently overlooked. Is the purpose of domestic cricket merely to fill up fixtures, or is it a genuine platform for players to showcase their talent and earn national selection?
The recurring pattern of overlooking talented players raises serious concerns about the selection criteria. It’s time for the selection committee to prioritise performance and merit over any other considerations. A transparent and fair selection process is essential to rebuild trust and restore faith in Zimbabwean cricket.
If domestic cricket statistics are anything to go by, then the David Mutendera-led ZC selection panel needs to reward the hard work that Nick Welch has been putting in since the start of the 2024/25 domestic season, both in the four-day Logan Cup and the Pro-50 Championship.
The 26-year-old Welch didn’t have the best of starts to his Zimbabwean career when he was handed his debut last year during the Chevrons’ tour of Namibia. In three innings, he could only score 39 runs at an average of 13 with a high score of just 18 runs. His last appearance for Zimbabwe would be in a match against Nigeria at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier in November last year.
Since then, Welch has not played any international cricket but went back to the domestic scene to regain his form, which he has this season. The former Sussex, Surrey, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Second XI counties player has been in scintillating form this season, with numbers, all things fair, that should not be ignored.
Having missed out on selection for the ODI series against Afghanistan which gets underway on Tuesday, Welch should be in contention for a spot in the Test side if domestic form really counts during team selection. Leading Mega Market Mountaineers, Welch is the second leading run scorer in the Logan Cup with 491 runs at a breath-taking average of 81.83. He is only behind Ben Curran who has managed to amass 519 runs in seven innings.
Welch’s rich vein of form sees him boast of an impressive 100% conversion rate as he has three centuries and zero fifties in his three games. In the three matches Mountaineers have played this season, he has scored a century in all.
His Logan Cup campaign got off to a flying start as he made 125 runs from 151 deliveries in the first innings of their opening game against Rhinos early November. His second ton, at that time his highest First-Class score, was against Southern Rocks where he scored a brilliant 151 runs off 223 balls in a game that ended as a draw.
First-Class century number three of the season and fourth of his career was against Tuskers last week where he brought up his highest score in the format. Welch scored a brilliant second innings 159 runs from 295 balls to help Mountaineers secure a draw against Tuskers.
Welch has made a strong case for his selection into the national team, a case that holds water all things fair and equal. In List A this season, he averages 52 in three innings with one ton and one half-century. Fair selection should be the standard, regardless of circumstances.
Not only is Welch the only one who has seemingly fallen out of favour with the selectors despite having the statistical backing. Johnathan Campbell, with a List A average of 40.29, was shockingly overlooked for selection for the ODI side for both the Pakistan and Afghanistan matches. Campbell boasts of better numbers at domestic level than some of the selectors’ favourites.
Campbell is the third leading run scorer in the Pro50 Championship with 216 runs in three innings. He has three half-centuries in as many matches for Southern Rocks, two of those being unbeaten. The 26-year-old, who has represented the Chevrons on nine occasions in T20Is, made a strong case for selection into the one-day squad given his form on the domestic scene.
His three centuries came against Eagles in October where he scored an unbeaten 77 runs off 69 balls, Mountaineers in November where he made 87 runs from 67 deliveries and recently against Rhinos, scoring 52 runs not out off 42 balls. As a part-time bowler, he also has three wickets, something that gives him an edge. In First-Class cricket this season, Campbell averages 31.67.
What is the purpose of domestic cricket if top performers are consistently overlooked? This situation suggests ulterior motives by those responsible for rewarding deserving players. Cricket in Zimbabwe has been struggling, and this trend will persist if unfair selections continue series after series.
To grow and develop the game, players who excel should be given the same opportunities as everyone else. Others are given a few opportunities and dropped soon after, while some, it’s always ‘trust the process, they will come right.’ It is time for Zimbabwe Cricket to drop deadwood and select those who are deserving, based on statistics, if the national team is to move forward.
All things being fair and equal, Welch and Campbell, among others, should have been considered for both the Pakistan and Afghanistan series. Campbell has been called up for the Test matches against Afghanistan — that is comforting — however, there is still no spot for Welch. We wonder what sin he committed to continue being overlooked. – @brandon_malvin
