ICC bans Brendan Taylor from all cricket for 3.5 years [Post #65]

[MenInG]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1485522867768991745

 

[Major]

Cocain, not surprised looking at his hair and facial structure.... When he came in the guy look pretty good but with that fat and messed up face it was never a surprise.......

Whats really sad is he spot fixed. He was the one zimbabwe player i liked and respected. But even the likes of him can be involved. Hope he gets banned and suffers for what he has done.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Eerily similar to the Heath Streak case, Zimbabwe's failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup ruined a few lives and made these players prime targets for predators that work for gambling syndicates in India.

None of that excuses Taylor for his stupid actions and failure to report the approach, and the ICC, in turn, cannot be lenient with him.

On the other hand, the situation is a mere symptom of the broken nature of international cricket and it's the ICC's own negligence and incompetence with respect to addressing the structure of cricket that so many players are vulnerable. I imagine the situation is more grave with associate nations.

 

[thelandofthebravepeople]

No doubt he made mistakes and it has cost him on the personal level.

But one thing I don't understand is how he got a drug problem. If he took cocaine 1 time and he imidiatly regrettet afterwards how can he become addicted? I think something is missing here.

 

[silentkiller187]

seems like a sad story but not sure his version is entirely correct, indulging in cocaine and then having men storm his room the next day not sure if it was painted like this to make him seem the victim

 

[Junaids]

Poor guy.

Cricketers from Zimbabwe are a bit like Pakistanis - vulnerable due to their financial limitations.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

His account seems a little embellished but on the whole its plausible that it went down similarly to what he said.

Makes you wonder who else has been trapped in India and whether the activities at the glitzly parties that are held for certain leagues are used to blackmail players.

 

[Major]

Poor guy.

Cricketers from Zimbabwe are a bit like Pakistanis - vulnerable due to their financial limitations.

Ah no..

Pakistani cricketers at international lebel do not have financial limitations.

All of fixers were international crickters.

 

[gazza619]

Poor guy.

Cricketers from Zimbabwe are a bit like Pakistanis - vulnerable due to their financial limitations.

Many non-poor cricketers of Pakistan were also involved in fixing in the past. Its called greed.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

A lot of financial problems Zimbabwean cricketers face. Really sad that ICC has continued to support a board where players aren't paid for 6+ months. ZC should be sanctioned as well.

Substance abuse is a harsh reality and anyone can get into that but Cocaine is one of the bigger baddies that can lead to a lot of crimes.

Another thing, I guess every cricketer should be told to avoid meeting "businessmen" especially Indian.

It does take two to tango and Taylor isn't innocent by any means. But I sort of feel sad cause he was a real good talent. He never looked like the player he used to be since he returned in 2017.

 

[zacattakk]

So, is his ban for the delay in reporting?
Did he actually do any spot fixing? From his statement it's not clear, he just says he never did match fixing, but some posters above imply that he did fix.

 

[zacattakk]

Poor guy.

Cricketers from Zimbabwe are a bit like Pakistanis - vulnerable due to their financial limitations.

The Pakistani fixers were well paid international players. They fixed for their own greed and lack of moral values, not because they were broke or unpaid for months at a time.

 

[James]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1485547433585164290

 

[sam_ahm]

A lot of financial problems Zimbabwean cricketers face. Really sad that ICC has continued to support a board where players aren't paid for 6+ months. ZC should be sanctioned as well.

Substance abuse is a harsh reality and anyone can get into that but Cocaine is one of the bigger baddies that can lead to a lot of crimes.

Another thing, I guess every cricketer should be told to avoid meeting "businessmen" especially Indian.

It does take two to tango and Taylor isn't innocent by any means. But I sort of feel sad cause he was a real good talent. He never looked like the player he used to be since he returned in 2017.

ZC was suspended at that time and all ICC funding towards ZC was freezed, hence the players were unpaid.

 

[ElRaja]

he took $15k, thats not a life changing sum of money, its not glam and glitz, you have to be in a pretty bad place to accept that knowing deep down that it has the potential to bite you some day.

not condoning what hes done, but zimbabwe are like the step child of international cricket, they fight for a few scraps here and there but are fundamentally always gonna be marginalised.

its a shame, given how good the team were in the 90s.

 

[pillionrider]

It is disgusting to imagine the people who see a talented player who could never quite get his due to the country he played for, and sniff a potentially frustrated person. And then go on to try and exploit him.

And why is it always third-class Indian businessmen who are doing this?

 

[silentkiller187]

So, is his ban for the delay in reporting?
Did he actually do any spot fixing? From his statement it's not clear, he just says he never did match fixing, but some posters above imply that he did fix.

i think he is being banned for failure to report, he took the money but never went ahead with the fix according to reports. ICC were going to release the details in next few days so i imagine his lawyer asked him to prepare a statement before hand as to beat ICC to the headline , always better when you confess rather than get outed.

Brave man for sharing none the less , seems there was always an issue with drugs speaking to some people around the notts county circuit really sad when stories like this come out shows you the otherside of the coin

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I actually feel sympathy for him - not for his act but his circumstances - the fragile and precarious nature of playing cricket for a country like Zimbabwe. I've never held a job in my life where I was unsure of not receiving a regular salary. To have financial obligations towards your family and being a sportsperson - the ever present and looming risk of career threatening injuries - I can imagine the mental toll it can take on a person. Obviously this is not to minimize his failings but reading Taylor's entire situation I will be lying if I did not admit to being sympathetic towards his situation.

Hope he emerges out of this situation and ends up in a better place mentally and financially.

 

[MenInG]

Former Zimbabwean cricket captain Brendan Taylor has foreshadowed a “multi-year” ban from the ICC for a four-month delay in reporting a match-fixing approach.

In a Twitter post, Taylor — who played 34 Tests, 202 ODIs and 45 T20Is for Zimbabwe from 2004 to 2021 — released a searingly honest statement, admitting he took cocaine and a $15,000 bribe from an Indian businessman — an interaction that caused his life to unravel.

While Taylor detailed he faced a multiple-year ban from international cricket, he denied any involvement of spot match fixing at any time during his cricket career.

“I’ve been carrying a burden for over two years now that has sadly taken me to some very dark places and had a profound effect on my mental health,” the statement read.

“And I’ve only recently managed to start sharing my story with close friends and family and receive the love and support I guess I was too ashamed and frightened to seek in the first place.

“This may not make for comfortable reading but I would like to make a statement regarding a finding made by the ICC, which is soon to be released.”

The 35-year-old batsman said he was invited by an Indian businessman in October 2019 to discuss “sponsorships and the potential launch of a T20 competition in Zimbabwe and was advised that I would be paid USD$15 000 for the journey”.

The invitation came when the team had not received salaries for six months and there were concerns the country would not be able to continue playing internationally.

He said he was a “little wary” but undertook the trip all the same.

During drinks on the last night, he was offered cocaine which the businessman and his colleagues were taking and said he “foolishly took the bait”.

“The following morning, the same men stormed into my hotel room and showed me a video of me the night before doing cocaine and told me that if I did not spot fix at international matches for them, the video would be released to the public.

“I was concerned. And with six of these individuals in my hotel room, I was scared for my own safety. I’d fallen for it. I’d willingly walked into a situation that has changed my life forever.

“I was handed the USD$15,000 but was told this was now a ‘deposit’ for spot match fixing and that an additional USD$20,000 would be paid once the “job” was complete. I took the money so I could get on a plane and leave India. I felt I had no choice at the time because saying no was clearly not an option. All I knew was I had to get out of there.

“When I returned home, the stress of what had taken place severely impacted my mental and physical health. I was a mess. I was diagnosed with shingles and prescribed strong antipsychotic medication – maitriptyline.”

It took him four months to report the offence to the ICC.

“I acknowledge this was too long of a time but I thought I could protect everyone and in particular, my family,” he said.

He said he was ready and will “humbly” accept the ICC decision.

“I approached the ICC on my own terms and I hoped that if I explained my predicament, my genuine fear for our safety and wellbeing, that they would understand the delay,” he said.

“Unfortunately, they did not, but I cannot feign ignorance in this regard. I have attended many anti-corruption seminars over the years and we know that time is of the essence when making reports.

“I would like to place on record that I have never been involved in any form of match-fixing. I may be many things but I am not a cheat. My love for the beautiful game of cricket far outweighs and surpasses any threats which could be thrown my way.

“As a result of approaching the ICC I attended multiple interviews and engagements and was honest and transparent as I could be during their investigations. Inside and outside I was beating myself up and I still wish I had sought support and advice earlier for a multitude of reasons.

“That being said, the ICC are taking the decision to impose a multi-year ban on my international cricket career. I humbly accept this decision and only hope that my story will be used as a means of encouragement for cricketers to report any approaches early.”

Taylor, who resigned as the Zimbabwe captain late last year, said he would check into a rehab centre to “try get my life back on track”.

“I will admit that the past two years have been incredibly challenging, both personally and professionally and it is from absolute rock bottom that I am trying to climb out of the mess I made,” he said.

“My family and friends have been incredibly supportive of me and it is clear to me now that I have a much bigger problem which for some time has needed addressing.

“I have to tell my story now because I know people will want to hear from me. To try and understand what led to this point. But for many weeks I will be away and trying to get better.

“I owe it to myself and to my family to get clean and to put them first. I have let substance take control of me and impair my vision, my morals and my values and it is time that I prioritise what really matters.”

Taylor ended his Zimbabwe career — which spanned 17 years — as the nation’s second-highest run scorer in ODI cricket including a national record 11 centuries in 205 appearances.

He was equally effective in the Test arena amassing six centuries in 34 matches, five behind national record-holder Andy Flower.

Taylor said he was hopeful his story would be “used as a means of encouragement for cricketers to report any illicit approaches as early as possible”.

“I had not realised that coming forward and talking would give me so much relief from the hell I have found myself in for years. Drugs and narcotics do not discriminate and it took all that I have to admit that I have a problem,” he said.

“To end I need to let you know I am sorry for those I have hurt. I am sorry for those I have let down.

“I would like to thank my family, my friends, and my supporters for always being there. I have learnt the true meaning of loyalty.

“The greatest honour that can be bestowed, is to captain and represent ones country and for this, I am eternally grateful.

“I am also grateful for what this experience has taught me. I am grateful for my four beautiful children, my loving supportive wife, my health and the clarity I now have to want to be a better version of myself.”

— AFP

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...n/news-story/9090f72b16f27d705d9c28da25de209d

 

[IAJ]

Cocain, not surprised looking at his hair and facial structure.... When he came in the guy look pretty good but with that fat and messed up face it was never a surprise.......

Whats really sad is he spot fixed. He was the one zimbabwe player i liked and respected. But even the likes of him can be involved. Hope he gets banned and suffers for what he has done.

Have you even read his full statement?

 

[finalfantasy7]

and why arent the ICC doing more to investigate the indians?

 

[sweep_shot]

He will probably get banned.

To be honest, he is almost done with his career anyway. A ban is not a big blow for him at this stage.

 

[Maher96]

Incredibly Shocking news.

The guy was one the Zimbabwe's best.

Such a shame, image tarnished forever.

Hope he can get his life back on track.

 

[Major]

He will probably get banned.

To be honest, he is almost done with his career anyway. A ban is not a big blow for him at this stage.

Issue is he can miss out on leagues or coaching gigs which he would got as he was a good batsmen.

 

[Varun]

So the guy flew cross-continent, did drugs, took illegal money, and only came to the fore to pre-empt somebody else outing him first.

Throw the book at him.

 

[Mamoon]

There is probably some truth to what he said but I don’t buy this whole “I am a saint and I got duped into something I did not want to do and I never fixed any matches” narrative.

He got blackmailed for sure, but I highly doubt that he never fixed any matches. Anyway, his career is finished now.

A fine player on his day, could have easily played for Zimbabwe during their golden era so to speak.

 

[finalfantasy7]

So the guy flew cross-continent, did drugs, took illegal money, and only came to the fore to pre-empt somebody else outing him first.

Throw the book at him.

yet, it was the indians, now what i know of its the big fish you have to worry about more - and make sure they get punished by the law, im really curious why your statement focused on not the major point? ermmmmm, cant be because - major point is Indian

 

[Local.Dada]

Well when you have a known weakness especially for drugs, women etc than you are walking with a target on your back for all the bookies even the smallest fish.

 

[finalfantasy7]

There is probably some truth to what he said but I don’t buy this whole “I am a saint and I got duped into something I did not want to do and I never fixed any matches” narrative.

He got blackmailed for sure, but I highly doubt that he never fixed any matches. Anyway, his career is finished now.

A fine player on his day, could have easily played for Zimbabwe during their golden era so to speak.

yet same question to you, as ive asked varun, in the above, how come you missed out the bigger problem, the big fish indian?

 

[Local.Dada]

yet same question to you, as ive asked varun, in the above, how come you missed out the bigger problem, the big fish indian?

Ok the bookie was of Indian origin, has Indian passport, adhaar card.

Has anyone claimed there is no mafia, gangsters, betting and other illegal rackets in india?

Kehnaa kya chahte ho bhai?

 

[Major]

There is probably some truth to what he said but I don’t buy this whole “I am a saint and I got duped into something I did not want to do and I never fixed any matches” narrative.

He got blackmailed for sure, but I highly doubt that he never fixed any matches. Anyway, his career is finished now.

A fine player on his day, could have easily played for Zimbabwe during their golden era so to speak.

But its ridiculous he allowed getting blackmailed.

What js worst? Ban for recreational drugs or fixing ban?

Accu has a 24 he hotline that he could have called and i am sure they would had asissted in his departure from god forsaken India.

Makes me think whether Asad Rauf was a victim of same thing. In his case the issue was more family related like adultry.

Here its just drugs

 

[Saj]

Seeing a few messages around from some players and ex-players feeling sorry for Taylor.

I wonder if that sympathy would be there if it was a Pakistani player.

Surely Taylor knew what he was letting himself in for.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

So 6 men went through the reception area, and stormed into his room and yet none of the guests heard anything? What a load of **.

Also, why no police report?

Surely the hotel would have footage of these “6 men” coming into the hotel.

 

[Local.Dada]

I wonder if that sympathy would be there if it was a Pakistani player.

.

C’mon . Amir got a lot of sympathy and support during his ban and after his re-admission from anyone and everyone.

Umar Akmal and Asif weren’t they repeat offenders?

Taylor was well respected player due to his on field performances and so far his career has been non-controversial even while playing for a somewhat unstable country like Zimbabwe.

Do you have any equivalent example where someone got undeserving flak ?

 

[Mamoon]

yet, it was the indians, now what i know of its the big fish you have to worry about more - and make sure they get punished by the law, im really curious why your statement focused on not the major point? ermmmmm, cant be because - major point is Indian

The Indian didn’t do anything wrong. He is a bookie, this is his job.

 

[pakistani pride]

Poor guy.

Cricketers from Zimbabwe are a bit like Pakistanis - vulnerable due to their financial limitations.

Uhmm no. Pak national cricket team players earn huge amount of money and if they use a little bit of common sense can live like kings in Pakistan.

 

[Saj]

C’mon . Amir got a lot of sympathy and support during his ban

I'm talking about the time that players are found guilty - not afterwards.

The ICC haven't even announced what his ban will be, which breaches etc and already we are getting, poor guy this and poor guy that.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

C’mon . Amir got a lot of sympathy and support during his ban and after his re-admission from anyone and everyone.

Umar Akmal and Asif weren’t they repeat offenders?

Taylor was well respected player due to his on field performances and so far his career has been non-controversial even while playing for a somewhat unstable country like Zimbabwe.

Do you have any equivalent example where someone got undeserving flak ?

How is Umar Akmal a repeat offender? He didn’t spot/match fix.

 

[Gilly]

I'm talking about the time that players are found guilty - not afterwards.

The ICC haven't even announced what his ban will be, which breaches etc and already we are getting, poor guy this and poor guy that.

Probably because he didnt claim he was innocent and admitted his mistakes.

Most people will have more sympathy for someone who admit their mistakes than someone who tries to avoid their responsibilities.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

Probably because he didnt claim he was innocent and admitted his mistakes.

Most people will have more sympathy for someone who admit their mistakes than someone who tries to avoid their responsibilities.

He kept it a secret for 4 months…he clearly didn’t want to admit his “mistakes”, but was forced to do so before the ICC released a report.

 

[Gilly]

He kept it a secret for 4 months…he clearly didn’t want to admit his “mistakes”, but was forced to do so before the ICC released a report.

The report by the ICC is about how Taylor told them about being approached by a bookie and the threats he received. Taylor was not caught but he went to the ICC and told them what happened, The ICC investigated what he told them and found that he reported the matter 4 months after the incident so he will be banned for this. Taylor did not spot or match fix but did accept $15,000 for meeting with the bookie. He came forward to the ICC and was not caught by the ICC.

 

[hitthestump]

The Indian didn’t do anything wrong. He is a bookie, this is his job.

Even for you this is scraping the barrel.

Brendan should be treated as a victim. Nobody knows what these criminals are capable of.

 

[Mamoon]

Even for you this is scraping the barrel.

Brendan should be treated as a victim. Nobody knows what these criminals are capable of.

Brendan must be a complete fool if he thought this would turn out to be any different. You get sponsored by an Indian businessmen to discuss a tournament and get paid $15k upfront.

Your board, ICC and some other renowned sponsors are not involved in this arrangement. What did he expect was going to happen?

If Brendan is a victim than he was putting himself in a position where he was bound ger to victimized and exploited. Furthermore, he is not some young, inexperienced player who was naive and lacked exposure.

We are talking about a player who is in his 30s and has played international and domestic/franchise cricket for nearly two decades. How on earth did he know not what he was walking into?

In my opinion, Brendan is not the angel he is portraying himself to be. Zimbabwean players are grossly underpaid so they will always be tempted to fix matches. He knew what he was getting into and I doubt if he didn’t fix any matches.

This is mostly like his way of coming clean by playing the victim and garnering sympathy before he got caught by the ICC ACU, and it appears that people are falling for it.

His excuse for why he sat on this story for so long and didn’t inform the ICC is laughable to say the least.

 

[MenInG]

Former India opening batter Gautam Gambhir has reacted to ex-Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor's explosive confessions on Twitter on Monday about being approached by bookies in India, his involvement with cocaine and how he was blackmailed by the bookies thereafter. Gambhir in his column for The Times Of India newspaper has written about the need to have more protection for whistleblowers who report against a "corrupt approach".

"Brendan Taylor and his admission of delay in reporting a corrupt approach has caught my conscience and attention. I operate on absolute zero tolerance approach when it comes to any wrongdoing," Gambhir wrote.

"I was reading Taylor's statement with the same emotion - disappointment, disgust and anger. I read it once but it didn't make me angry. I read it again and it was the same. I read it the third time and the emotions were different. Don't get me wrong as I am not supporting Taylor. I am only concerned about the circumstances which forced him, a father of four children fearing for his and his family's lives, to delay reporting the incident to the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit. Taylor is a sportsperson and not a hard-nosed criminal whose faculties would support him if six individuals barged into his hotel room with a threat to release a video where he was reportedly consuming a banned substance," Gambhir added.

Taylor in his statement on Monday had said that while there was a delay in reporting the matter to ICC, he did not fix any matches. Taylor retired from international cricket last year as Zimbabwe's second highest run-getter in ODIs with 6684 runs.

Gambhir further wrote that people who report corrupt approaches should be given more security and also requested the authorities to go a bit soft on Taylor in case he was not involved in any wrongdoing.

"Surely these corrupt men are not working in seclusion. More often than not they seem to be part of an organised group. What if someone had tried to physically harm Taylor or his family? Is there a provision to provide security to cricketers who report a corrupt approach but fear for their or their family's well-being? Is there any network which activates their security at local level," Gambhir questioned.

"By Taylor's admission, he didn't succumb to the pressures of corruptors and never did anything wrong. If this is true then perhaps authorities can go a little soft on him. If he is corrupt, then law must take its course," Gambhir opined.

https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/aft...er-security-for-fixing-whistleblowers-2728265

 

[Saj]

He kept it a secret for 4 months…he clearly didn’t want to admit his “mistakes”, but was forced to do so before the ICC released a report.

Exactly.

The cats out the bag so let's confess and give everyone his version.

As I wrote before I'm interested to see what ICC confirm, I can't imagine they are too pleased about Taylor going public about this now.

 

[Gilly]

Exactly.

The cats out the bag so let's confess and give everyone his version.

As I wrote before I'm interested to see what ICC confirm, I can't imagine they are too pleased about Taylor going public about this now.

The ICC only have Taylors confession, if Taylor did not approach the ICC to inform them of what happened then nobody would have known.

The ICC did not find out about this until Taylor told them so he deserves credit for coming forward, it does not absolve him in any way. He has to serve his punishment.

 

[Saj]

The ICC only have Taylors confession, if Taylor did not approach the ICC to inform them of what happened then nobody would have known.

The ICC did not find out about this until Taylor told them so he deserves credit for coming forward, it does not absolve him in any way. He has to serve his punishment.

From what I've heard, people knew what was going on and the Anti Corruption guys were already onto him.

 

[Gilly]

From what I've heard, people knew what was going on and the Anti Corruption guys were already onto him.

I guess the report will clarify what happened.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Gautum Gambir is a politician. Rather than focussing on his emotions reading Brendan Taylors statements he should focus on catching criminals in his country.

 

[Saj]

I guess the report will clarify what happened.

Not necessarily.

ICC usually only provide the basic information on such matters.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

No doubt he made mistakes and it has cost him on the personal level.

But one thing I don't understand is how he got a drug problem. If he took cocaine 1 time and he imidiatly regrettet afterwards how can he become addicted? I think something is missing here.

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug.

I knew someone who did a couple of lines at a party once. And within months he was an addict.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Think certain people are seeing things in black and white in this particular case.

Taylor's case is not the same as someone like Amir, Butt, Asif or even Cronje. Those individuals were not in desperate circumstances where they hadn't been paid by their cricket board in 6 months, or were questioning how they would put food on the table for their families. They did what they did purely out of greed. This is honestly sad to read and quite obviously something that was done out of desperation.

Didn't think I would ever agree with Gambhir but he talks alot of sense in his statement.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

What certain people here will never understand (possibly because many have never struggled with poverty) is that desperate times cause people to desperate things. Things where they might not even question logic. Rather than pointing fingers and judging someone who was clearly not in a good headspace when he made these decisions, y'all should pray that you are never a victim of this kind of desperation.

 

[hitthestump]

Think certain people are seeing things in black and white in this particular case.

Taylor's case is not the same as someone like Amir, Butt, Asif or even Cronje. Those individuals were not in desperate circumstances where they hadn't been paid by their cricket board in 6 months, or were questioning how they would put food on the table for their families. They did what they did purely out of greed. This is honestly sad to read and quite obviously something that was done out of desperation.

Didn't think I would ever agree with Gambhir but he talks alot of sense in his statement.

While i think there would have been many push factors (fear of retribution and addiction being the main ones) i don't think poverty is suspected to be one of them. Brendan could have done a million things to put food on the table other than spot-fix.

Nobody can tell me these international cricketers are going to starve if their main source of income dries up. There will always be opportunities elsewhere and they will always be well connected.

We do need to look beyond the simple 'it's greed' aspect though. Underground millionaire bookies from a 3rd world country don't sound like fun adversaries to have.

 

[silentkiller187]

Think certain people are seeing things in black and white in this particular case.

Taylor's case is not the same as someone like Amir, Butt, Asif or even Cronje. Those individuals were not in desperate circumstances where they hadn't been paid by their cricket board in 6 months, or were questioning how they would put food on the table for their families. They did what they did purely out of greed. This is honestly sad to read and quite obviously something that was done out of desperation.

Didn't think I would ever agree with Gambhir but he talks alot of sense in his statement.

This is an interesting argument, poverty is always relative, Brendan taylor has played t20leagues around the world, county cricket in england etc, if his lifestyle choices like drug taking , bad business decisions etc resulted in poverty and the fact he had to break the law to then get out of the situation then i have little sympathy.

i myself have struggled with real poverty, my parents came over from pakistan when i was young we had a big family and we suffered, not once did my dad think i need to break the law , he worked hard and as we grew we managed to make a better life for ourselves. theres people all around the world that are in far worse conditions and mental headspaces if everyone started commiting crime in the name of poverty would we excuse them or are we treating Brendan Taylor differently because he used to be a professional cricketer?

Im not judging Brendan but he did what he did , and he should now face the music, just like amir did and just like asif did, his statement sounds more like a last ditch attempt at gaining sympathy but then everyone sees it differently.

 

[James]

It is somewhat to his credit that he voluntarily stepped forward and admitted this in full, because if the story had come out down the line and he had gone into denial/obfuscation/legal defence mode then it costs a lot of money, resources and man hours (which could be spent elsewhere on more serious matters) to investigate the wrongdoing. This move, sincere or not, will reduce his punishment. But he should still be held to account.

 

[Gilly]

This is an interesting argument, poverty is always relative, Brendan taylor has played t20leagues around the world, county cricket in england etc, if his lifestyle choices like drug taking , bad business decisions etc resulted in poverty and the fact he had to break the law to then get out of the situation then i have little sympathy.

i myself have struggled with real poverty, my parents came over from pakistan when i was young we had a big family and we suffered, not once did my dad think i need to break the law , he worked hard and as we grew we managed to make a better life for ourselves. theres people all around the world that are in far worse conditions and mental headspaces if everyone started commiting crime in the name of poverty would we excuse them or are we treating Brendan Taylor differently because he used to be a professional cricketer?

Im not judging Brendan but he did what he did , and he should now face the music, just like amir did and just like asif did, his statement sounds more like a last ditch attempt at gaining sympathy but then everyone sees it differently.

Taylor did not break any laws, he did not spot fix and there are no criminal charges against him. He did break the rules of the ICC and will be punished for that and rightly so. Taylor is not being treated differently than anyone else.

 

[silentkiller187]

Taylor did not break any laws, he did not spot fix and there are no criminal charges against him. He did break the rules of the ICC and will be punished for that and rightly so. Taylor is not being treated differently than anyone else.

So its perfectly legal to sniff cocaine in india? my bad. and yes he has broken ICC regulations aswell and i agree shouldnt be treated any differently from anyone else.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

This is an interesting argument, poverty is always relative, Brendan taylor has played t20leagues around the world, county cricket in england etc, if his lifestyle choices like drug taking , bad business decisions etc resulted in poverty and the fact he had to break the law to then get out of the situation then i have little sympathy.

i myself have struggled with real poverty, my parents came over from pakistan when i was young we had a big family and we suffered, not once did my dad think i need to break the law , he worked hard and as we grew we managed to make a better life for ourselves. theres people all around the world that are in far worse conditions and mental headspaces if everyone started commiting crime in the name of poverty would we excuse them or are we treating Brendan Taylor differently because he used to be a professional cricketer?

Im not judging Brendan but he did what he did , and he should now face the music, just like amir did and just like asif did, his statement sounds more like a last ditch attempt at gaining sympathy but then everyone sees it differently.

If you read the statement carefully you will find out that he was not a drug addict prior to the incident. And to be fairly honest he would be neither the first nor the person on this planet that was driven to drug addiction out of a combination of desperation and depression.

You're right poverty is relative. But I can tell you from first hand accounts that no one can support a family of four if he is not getting a steady paycheck. Especially in an economically downtrodden country like Zimbabwe. I know an individual who had a cushy office job at a hospital paying over 1 lac. He got laid off during COVID and not long after he was looking for a 20k job because he had gotten so desperate looking for work and not being able to find any. We don't know what kind of situation others may be going through which is why it is not right to assume. Passing judgments on Taylor's lifestyle choices and business decisions in particular is a highly misguided step on your part considering that you are not his accountant, nor do you live in a country with an inflation rate of 837.53 percent.

And you're right again being poor does not mean you should break the law. But I don't think the circumstances can simply be dismissed. Not everyone is as mentally strong as others. And rather than painting people who do things out of desperation as bad guys, we as human beings need to be a little more empathetic.

Finally, I don't think he is trying to gain any sympathy. He is simply trying to explain why he did what he did. He notes that he considers his international career finished. What more do you want from him?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

While i think there would have been many push factors (fear of retribution and addiction being the main ones) i don't think poverty is suspected to be one of them. Brendan could have done a million things to put food on the table other than spot-fix.

Nobody can tell me these international cricketers are going to starve if their main source of income dries up. There will always be opportunities elsewhere and they will always be well connected.

We do need to look beyond the simple 'it's greed' aspect though. Underground millionaire bookies from a 3rd world country don't sound like fun adversaries to have.

That's easy for you to say because you are neither in his position nor do you live in a country with an inflation rate of 837 percent.

Unless you are his accountant nothing you insinuate here has any basis in reality.

Also, calling Zimbabwean cricketers 'international cricketers' is also a stretch at this point considering teams like India, Australia, England, New Zealand treat them like lepers playing them every 5 years whenever its convenient for them.

I honestly can't even remember the last time India or Australia hosted them or the last time England played them at all.

 

[Saj]

The man has been playing cricket all over the world.

He has played County cricket for many years.

He has made a hell of a lot of money throughout his career.

Poverty? Really!

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

If only people had shown this much outrage when Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz failed to report their corrupt approaches and were subsequently banned by the PCB.

The same people who were jumping for an actual match-fixer Sharjeel to be included in the squad are suddenly dishing out lectures on morality.

Unlike Amir, Sharjeel who are both playing cricket and Mohammad Azharuddin, who until recently was an elected MP, Brendan Taylor didn't actually fix matches. So the fact that he had to go through all this emotional turmoil makes me sad. As it would anyone who had an ounce of empathy in their heart.

 

[hitthestump]

That's easy for you to say because you are neither in his position nor do you live in a country with an inflation rate of 837 percent.

Unless you are his accountant nothing you insinuate here has any basis in reality.

Also, calling Zimbabwean cricketers 'international cricketers' is also a stretch at this point considering teams like India, Australia, England, New Zealand treat them like lepers playing them every 5 years whenever its convenient for them.

I honestly can't even remember the last time India or Australia hosted them or the last time England played them at all.

I mean if you're also going to speculate simply citing the inflation rate doesn't make you any more insightful than me. As Saj explained above there's several reasons why it's very hard to imagine Brendan struggling to find any other way to provide money for his family other than spot fixing.

That doesn't mean i dismiss the narrative that Brendan has been masterfully manipulated here. He may well be a victim and we shouldn't dismiss what else could have pushed him into this spot.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I mean if you're also going to speculate simply citing the inflation rate doesn't make you any more insightful than me. As Saj explained above there's several reasons why it's very hard to imagine Brendan struggling to find any other way to provide money for his family other than spot fixing.

That doesn't mean i dismiss the narrative that Brendan has been masterfully manipulated here. He may well be a victim and we shouldn't dismiss what else could have pushed him into this spot.

What's he getting out of it though? Any sympathy people may feel for him doesn't exactly cover-up the fact that he is telling a pretty miserable story that does not display him in a positive light (especially to all the judgmental people out there). And telling the world that you were duped into getting blackmailed and that you are having trouble making ends meet isn't something that can be good for your self-esteem.

Like I said, its easy to sit on a pedestal and judge others, but not as easy to understand what another person is going through. I don't claim to understand what he is going through. But all I know is that if someone lays out all that he laid out, they deserve a little bit of sympathy. And I dunno, maybe they are telling the truth?

What I don't especially get is the outrage and questioning of motives. Especially considering that he is doing the time, his cricketing career is over and he didn't even fix matches to begin with!

 

[MenInG]

Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been banned from all cricket for three and a half years after he accepted breaching four charges of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and, separately, one charge of the ICC Anti-Doping Code.

Mr Taylor admitted to being in breach of the following provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code:

Article 2.4.2 – Failing to disclose (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that (a) the participant knew or should have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code or (b) that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.

Article 2.4.3 - Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) receipt of gifts/hospitality with a value of US$750 or more regardless of the circumstances in which they were given.

Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of the approach received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code including in relation to Zimbabwe’s then upcoming series against Sri Lanka and/or Bangladesh.

Article 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and / or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Mr Taylor chose to admit the charges under the provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and agreed a sanction with the ICC in lieu of an Anti-Corruption Tribunal hearing.

His violation under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, which is separate and independent of the anti-corruption charges, resulted from an In-Competition test conducted on 8 September 2021 following Zimbabwe’s match against Ireland. Mr Taylor tested positive for the stimulant Benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, which is specified as a Substance of Abuse under the Code.

Mr Taylor has accepted a one-month period of ineligibility for the violation under Article 2.1 – the minimum allowed under the Code. Mr Taylor’s period of ineligibility was reduced to one month because he was able to establish that he had ingested the substance out of competition, that it was unrelated to sport performance, and because he is currently undergoing a rehabilitation treatment programme.

This one-month suspension will run concurrently with the suspension of three and a half years under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Mr Taylor will be free to resume his involvement in the game on 28 July 2025.

Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit, said: “Brendan is a former international captain who represented Zimbabwe for 17 years. Over such a long career, he participated in numerous anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping Codes.

“It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations, however he has accepted all charges, which has been reflected in the sanction. I would echo Brendan’s message to other players to report approaches as soon as they happen so any corrupt activity can be disrupted at the earliest possible opportunity. We wish Brendan well in his rehabilitation.”

 

[silentkiller187]

If you read the statement carefully you will find out that he was not a drug addict prior to the incident. And to be fairly honest he would be neither the first nor the person on this planet that was driven to drug addiction out of a combination of desperation and depression.

You're right poverty is relative. But I can tell you from first hand accounts that no one can support a family of four if he is not getting a steady paycheck. Especially in an economically downtrodden country like Zimbabwe. I know an individual who had a cushy office job at a hospital paying over 1 lac. He got laid off during COVID and not long after he was looking for a 20k job because he had gotten so desperate looking for work and not being able to find any. We don't know what kind of situation others may be going through which is why it is not right to assume. Passing judgments on Taylor's lifestyle choices and business decisions in particular is a highly misguided step on your part considering that you are not his accountant, nor do you live in a country with an inflation rate of 837.53 percent.

And you're right again being poor does not mean you should break the law. But I don't think the circumstances can simply be dismissed. Not everyone is as mentally strong as others. And rather than painting people who do things out of desperation as bad guys, we as human beings need to be a little more empathetic.

Finally, I don't think he is trying to gain any sympathy. He is simply trying to explain why he did what he did. He notes that he considers his international career finished. What more do you want from him?

If only people had shown this much outrage when Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz failed to report their corrupt approaches and were subsequently banned by the PCB.

The same people who were jumping for an actual match-fixer Sharjeel to be included in the squad are suddenly dishing out lectures on morality.

Unlike Amir, Sharjeel who are both playing cricket and Mohammad Azharuddin, who until recently was an elected MP, Brendan Taylor didn't actually fix matches. So the fact that he had to go through all this emotional turmoil makes me sad. As it would anyone who had an ounce of empathy in their heart.

Ive read the statement, he indulged in cocaine prior to him knowing anything dodgy was happening, so he was under no pressure to take coke. Speaking to people around the county circuit its questionable whether it was his first time or not but we will give him benefit of the doubt.

What evidence do you have sharjeel actually fixed a game, but still i dont advocate him playing for pak again, Irfan comes form a poor uneducated background, shall we use this as an excuse for his failure to report, no he done what he did and he paid for it in time.

Its very easy to paint yourself as the victim when you get found out, if someone takes your 15k and doesnt follow through with the fix what would you do, if his story is true then the businssmen who were blackmailing would have released the tape and info anyway to ICC, so who knows maybe he beat them to it?

Either way he has received a 3 and a half year ban and his career is pretty much over, if he suffered poverty before he will suffer a lot more now as a result of his own actions.

 

[silentkiller187]

its also been made clear now Taylor was under investigation for failing a doping test anyway so he was already under the radar.

 

[Saj]

Article 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and / or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

This is interesting.

He's maybe not as innocent as some are trying to make out he is.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Ive read the statement, he indulged in cocaine prior to him knowing anything dodgy was happening, so he was under no pressure to take coke. Speaking to people around the county circuit its questionable whether it was his first time or not but we will give him benefit of the doubt.

What evidence do you have sharjeel actually fixed a game, but still i dont advocate him playing for pak again, Irfan comes form a poor uneducated background, shall we use this as an excuse for his failure to report, no he done what he did and he paid for it in time.

Its very easy to paint yourself as the victim when you get found out, if someone takes your 15k and doesnt follow through with the fix what would you do, if his story is true then the businssmen who were blackmailing would have released the tape and info anyway to ICC, so who knows maybe he beat them to it?

Either way he has received a 3 and a half year ban and his career is pretty much over, if he suffered poverty before he will suffer a lot more now as a result of his own actions.

I have no desire to go around in circles with you. If you don't feel any empathy for him that's too bad. Nothing you said here changes my opinion.

But if anything, please don't play this devil's advocate schtick where we have to act like Sharjeel is not a match-fixer because he denied it.

 

[sweep_shot]

Surprised at 3.5 years.

Shakib got 2 years ban for almost similar offense.

His career is almost over anyway. This ban is probably not much damaging for him.

 

[ExplicitAI]

Cocain, not surprised looking at his hair and facial structure.... When he came in the guy look pretty good but with that fat and messed up face it was never a surprise.......

Whats really sad is he spot fixed. He was the one zimbabwe player i liked and respected. But even the likes of him can be involved. Hope he gets banned and suffers for what he has done.

Would you say that drugs such as cocaine are the typical ones to ruin hair and facial structures? What about other types such as Cannabis?

 

[ExplicitAI]

I'm going to be quite honest and mention the fact that a LOT of famous athletes, actors, high-profile individuals etc, would try to use the mental health card as a means to escape any form of prosecution if caught. However, this is not to say that mental health should be dismissed just because the person got caught, but it should never be used as a cushion when trying to escape an offence as things would get a lot worse down the line. However, I do think it's believable that his mental health deteriorated due to the issues in Zimbabwe cricket, drug addiction and associating with corrupt bookies. He was never known to be a shady individual or a serial offender during his playing days, so again his mental health struggles do seem to be true.

I've always thought of Brendan Taylor as someone who was a shining light in Zimbabwe cricket and he definitely is of the age to retire permanently from international cricket and to just play county cricket or in T20 leagues. The ICC banning him at this stage means nothing for his international career since his time is pretty much up. If he was thinking of playing in T20 leagues to grab some extra cash then I'm afraid he's ruined any chances of that ever happening. He will be in his late 30's by the time his ban is finished and I'm not too sure which T20 league would want to give him a contract. I'm pretty sure he can land something but I highly doubt a high-profile T20 league would want to give a contract to an ageing Ex Zimbabwean cricketer suffering from a drug addiction.

There have been too many cases of cricketers being banned due to not reporting approaches, I thought most of these grown men would've got this by now. I honestly don't think it's hard to report an approach straight away, why wait 4 months down the line and then look to report the incident? A Sri Lankan cricketer (can't remember who) got banned for not reporting an approach a few years back, situations like these send shockwaves all over and I would expect cricketers from other countries to take note and understand what happens. The ICC and the respective cricketing boards would also be giving seminars to their players to educate them on this topic, but a few bad apples think that they can get away with it when in reality they are only fooling themselves in the long term.

 

[MenInG]

Very detailed report on the Taylor issue:

==

In late October 2019 Brendan Taylor reached India. Taylor landed in Mumbai on the invitation of one Mr S (the ICC has not revealed his identity), who wanted to "discuss" with the former Zimbabwe captain the potential to organise a T20 event in Zimbabwe. Taylor had decided to travel to India despite his agent warning him "not to waste his time with [Mr S] as he had a bad feeling about him."

Though the approach sounds similar to how Heath Streak, another former Zimbabwe captain, was lured in, Mr S is not Deepak Aggarwal, the man involved in the Streak case. Taylor was on Friday handed a three-and-a-half year ban from the game, for four breaches of the ICC's anti-corruption code, including a five-month delay in reporting an approach.

Taylor's agent, based in the UK, had spoken to Mr S in September 2019 about the prospects of his client featuring in the Afghanistan Premier League that year. That tournament never took place and Taylor was informed by his agent nothing had materialised from the talks with Mr S.

Nevertheless, Taylor decided to travel to India after getting assurances from Mr S. "In late October 2019 Mr Taylor travelled to India for three nights, four days, at [Mr S's] expense, and met with [Mr S], his family and his associates," the ACU said in a redacted recounting of the case released on Friday by the ICC. "[Mr S] said that he wanted to talk to Mr Taylor about setting up a T20 tournament in Zimbabwe and to discuss potential sponsorships, and would pay Mr Taylor US$15,000 for his time and services during the trip."

In a Twitter post last Monday (January 24) in which he first publicly confessed to the approach, Taylor had said he was a "little wary" about Mr S's offer. But the main reason he travelled to India, he said, was because Zimbabwe Cricket had not paid its players for six months and their future as a Full Member seemed uncertain. Zimbabwe had become the first Full Member to be suspended by the ICC in July, though in mid-October - presumably before Taylor's late October trip - they had that status reinstated.

The ACU findings echo Taylor's tweet in that he immediately told the corruptors he wasn't going to do anything illegal. "Mr Taylor told [Mr S] that "if there's any skullduggery, or dodginess, one, I'm not flying", to which [Mr S] responded "no, we don't work like that. We are legitimate people"," the report says.

USD 35,000 offer for spot-fixing

In his four interviews with the ACU - conducted in 2020 on April 1 and 2, August 17, and December 8 - Taylor would provide further details of his various interactions with Mr S. Soon after landing in India Taylor received a Samsung S10 phone from Mr S because his own phone was "busted". He also got "some new clothes" and was also "provided" with "various things for his entertainment" during his stay in India.

It was just before he was to return to Zimbabwe that Taylor was confronted by Mr S and associates with an offer to make USD 35,000 for "engaging in spot fixing in upcoming matches." According to ACU the offer could have been for Zimbabwe's tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in February-March 2020.

"He [Mr S] also told Mr Taylor that he needed another player involved to make the fix happen, and he wanted him to help find this other player," the ACU report says. "[Mr S] then handed over $15,000 in cash to Mr Taylor (as part payment) and told him that he would receive the rest of the money once the fix occurred. Zimbabwe were due to play Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in February and March 2020."

According to the ACU, the first time Taylor contacted them was on March 31, 2020, nearly five months after his India trip. He did not "mention" the "discussion around corruption" with Mr S, though he did admit to receiving USD 15,000 in cash.

"In his initial interviews, Mr Taylor stated that the $15,000 payment was effectively a payment for his services in travelling to India, basically an appearance fee. In subsequent interviews, however, Mr Taylor changed his story and accepted that while he had initially travelled to India believing that he would be paid an appearance fee of US$15,000, at the end of his trip when the payment was actually made to him, it followed a discussion around corruption and a request for him to be involved in corrupting matches in exchange for payment, with the payment being made as a deposit for his involvement in corruption."

Taylor, the ACU concluded, did not fix matches but had taken on Mr S's offer by accepting the money. "Mr Taylor has stated that it was never his intention to carry out any fixing for [Mr S] and he did not do so, however while he initially said no to [Mr S's] approach he ended up agreeing to the offer and accepting the US$ 15,000.

"Mr Taylor said that he did so because he felt he had no choice because after he initially said no, [Mr S] told Mr Taylor that he ([Mr S]) had a compromising video of Mr Taylor which he would release to the media and Mr Taylor's wife unless Mr Taylor did some work with him."

That video was of him "doing cocaine" after the "celebratory dinner" he had with Mr S on his last night in India. Taylor said he "foolishly took the bait", was "cornered" and "willingly walked into a situation" that has changed his life forever.

"Throughout the course of his interviews," the ACU findings note, "Mr Taylor stated that he only accepted the money (i) because it was his appearance fee for travelling to India, and (ii) he felt threatened and scared and he did not know what [Mr S] or his associates would do if he refused the money, so he therefore took the money so he could get out of the room, although he never intended to go through with anything."

Asked to 'block' Mr S, Taylor deletes all correspondence

Taylor was contacted by Mr S once again in mid-March 2020 when he was on Zimbabwe's tour of Bangladesh. Mr S wanted Taylor to "work" for him during that series, which the latter refused - this was the call that prompted him to report the approach.

"Mr Taylor stated that he refused to do any work (which he understood to be a reference to fixing) for [Mr S] to which [Mr S] responded by again threatening to release the video to the TV and radio, as well as his wife. [Mr S] then asked Mr Taylor to return the money and they could call it quits. This was followed up by a message from [Mr S] to Mr Taylor again threatening to release the video because he had refused to do any work for him.

"Following the call he received from [Mr S] in mid-March, Mr Taylor realized that he had to report this matter to the ACU (albeit late). This he did on 31 March 2020. Mr Taylor did not, however, provide full details at that time, including making no mention of any discussion around corruption."

Taylor was told to "block" Mr S and not have any contact, but the ACU said Taylor deleted his entire correspondence with Mr S. "Mr Taylor claimed that he did this in fear of his family finding the messages. As such, the ACU was deprived of the ability to review such messages, which may have been (and probably were) relevant to its investigation."

As for the USD 15,000, the ACU has been told by Taylor that it is being "looked after safely" by a friend. Taylor's ban will expire at midnight on July 25, 2025. But the ACU has put a rider on any return post that.

"Mr Taylor acknowledges and agrees that it is not appropriate for him to retain the US$ 15,000 he received from [Mr S]. In particular, he acknowledges and agrees that neither he, nor his family nor his friends can benefit from this money (whether directly or indirectly) in any way. It is therefore agreed that Mr Taylor's return to participation in cricket following the expiry of his period of Ineligibility is conditional upon him demonstrating, to the ICC's satisfaction, that neither he, nor his family nor any of his friends have benefited (whether directly or indirectly) from this money."

Taylor took cocaine three days before Ireland ODI

On January 25, Taylor got himself admitted to a drugs rehabilitation centre after admitted he had a "problem". He would also confess to the Daily Mail that he failed a dope test in September 2021, the last time he played for Zimbabwe. That was on September 8 last year when Taylor, after the ODI against Ireland in Belfast, submitted a urine sample as part of the in-competition doping test that players regularly undergo.

On October 13, a WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne certified that Taylor's urine sample contained the cocaine metabolite Benzoylecognine, a prohibited substance as per the ICC's anti-doping code.

On November 30 Taylor was informed by the ICC that if he could prove he had "ingested" the prohibited substance out of competition and it was unrelated to sport performance, he could get a ban of three months, which could further be limited to one month "if he were to satisfactorily complete a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by the ICC. The other option was for Taylor to get his B sample tested. Taylor accepted the original findings, admitting he had "ingested cocaine on 5 September 2021, three days before he provided his sample, for recreational purposes."

The ICC gave Taylor a month-long ban for the doping violation, which it said would run "concurrently" with the sentence he will serve for breaching the ACU code.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/how-brendan-taylor-got-into-a-fix-1299116

 

[MenInG]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708061300641677678

 

[Ball Blazer]

Brendan Taylor will return to international cricket for the second Test against New Zealand after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban for an ICC anti-corruption code breach.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I'm sure many people will want to give lectures on morality, just as they did three years ago when he was banned.

But I, for one, am happy for him. I don't know how much of an international career he’ll have at this point, but he has fought some monumental personal battles, and come out the other side. I wish him and his family the very best. I hope he makes the most of his second chance, however long it may last.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Playing ODI today against Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe Cricket is really done if they have to rely on 40 years old.

 

[sweep_shot]

Playing ODI today against Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe Cricket is really done if they have to rely on 40 years old.

It was done the moment likes of Andy Flower, Henry Olonga, Grant Flower etc. retired.

Zimbabwe have been like this for the past 22 years (with occasional upsets).