Still heading towards the abyss

It's all going pear shaped ... Vusi Sibanda shoulders arms and loses his wicket against West Indies © Getty Images

Quite bluntly, nothing less than pure blind loyalty could have inspired hope that the current Zimbabwe side, under prevailing conditions in our game and country, would march past the first stage of the World Cup.

But in a land where such levels of optimism would be viewed in some quarters as patriotism, quite a number of people actually believed Zimbabwe would pull off a Houdini act. Well, most out of naivety and lack of sagacious grasp of the game than any good reason.

Before I go on, I'm impelled to dismiss the blind patriots who may think that this is a cheap dig at Zimbabwe. First off, remember I am a journalist and a Zimbabwean. No need to name my No. 1 team. And it is not proper in my profession to take sides. But if I was to do it, I would not be part of the bandwagon and take the side of a ruinous administration that has presided over the dearth of a promising jewel that was Zimbabwe cricket.

There is always the chance of an upset or two in any World Cup, but going into this showcase, a novice-filled Zimbabwean side was never going to produce that. That's not meant to be belittling, but the reality is that best players the country have have been driven out, and what is left is a third-string outfit comprising apprentices disguised as international cricketers.

Here is a team that has been badly let down by a grievous leadership, a young side stripped of all dignity and confidence

Yes, there were a few positives that came out even with the early exit, but they are hidden from view on the larger picture. It was an indifferent tournament which does not represent a forward stride in the game in Zimbabwe. Going by their one-day showing, there were no signs that Zimbabwe will be any more ready come their reintroduction to the longer-version of the game in November.

Here is a team that has been badly let down by a grievous leadership, a young side stripped of all dignity and confidence. Watching Zimbabwe stumble to a tie against Ireland in an otherwise thrilling opening match they should have won, they looked painfully out-of-depth. They resembled an adolescent who has been robbed of all self-confidence by an abusive parent. An abandoned child walking into an adult world can easily slide off the straight and narrow.

It will be a grim day when the remaining players end growing speculation and decide that they too have had enough.

After the Ireland match, West Indies played below par but still won. Then to put us in further dire straits, a mourning Pakistan side took us to the cleaners. But the writing had always been on the wall. If only anyone cared to see it.

The greatest tragedy for Zimbabwe is that the ICC will not be moved an inch by the World Cup performances with regards their preparedness for Test resumption.

Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, like the country's failed political leadership, will stay on regardless, slamming the doors on any more of the skilled former players and administrators

Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, like the country's failed political leadership, will stay on regardless, slamming the doors on any more of the skilled former players and administrators. They will gladly take the money earned from the World Cup. That which actually goes towards cricket will be squandered on subsidising sub-standard tournaments, and appeasing potential voices of dissent within.

Incidentally, a Bob Marley song boomed across the park during one of Zimbabwe's group matches in Jamaica: "You can fool some people sometime, but you can't fool all people all the time." Hopefully someone took note.