The Farai Sporting Diaries

With most sporting codes now being commercialized, one thing that has never changed is how sports continue to impact our societies.  The excitement, disappointments, highs and lows which comes with sport is something we experience in our everyday lives.

“Talent alone is not enough”, is a statement many if not all the gaffers tell their athletes. We have seen many talented footballers, cricketers and rugby players who lacked discipline and heavily relied on their talent ended up not fulfilling their potential.  Talent and hard work go hand in hand so is in our everyday lives. Intelligence without being accompanied by hard work will make anyone not achieve anything in life. In order to achieve something, one must put in the hard yards be it you’re talented, intelligent or not. I have been privileged enough to have played cricket and be in class at the same time with hard workers and it’s something which I can gladly say it’s contagious.

Sport has a way of bringing the society together and one of the notable personalities to stand above the rest is Mahomed Salah. They say statistics don’t lie and Mo Salah is arguably one of the best footballers going around.  What he has done for Liverpool since he joined them is nothing short of a miracle but what he has done off field is even more special. Mo Salah is a devoted Muslim and most people who were against the Muslim community have changed their minds and attitude towards them.  Same thing can be said about Ngolo Kante, who has helped a lot of people view and appreciate the Muslim community in a good way.

The ongoing Test series between South Africa and England is another clear indication of how being patient in life one must be and making sure whatever you do ultimately will be rewarded. The society tend to put pressure on everyone because of high expectations and this inevitably make people get depressed and have mental issues.

At the end of the day it is how one handles the pressure moments and continue to believe in their own abilities. Some might view Sport on the bases of entertainment only but fortunately there’s more to that as it galvanize communities. Those who deem it on the bases of entertainment only again well I can also safely say it is the best reality show one can ever watch.

On the 2^nd of November it turned out to be one of the most significant day not only in South African rugby circles but the whole nation who joined to celebrate the victory of the springboks. The timing of the victory was so good because South Africa as country is going through a difficult period and Siya Kolisi’s post-match interview summed it up perfectly.

It was arguably one of the best rugby world cups if not the best I’ve watched. The lowlight of the tournament unfortunately was the typhoon which killed people and ultimately some of the games were postponed. Japan as many predicted welcomed everyone and the hospitality was so good that not even a single incident was reported. From the locals singing almost every participating’s national anthem, to filling all the stadiums every game, I have no doubt next year they will successfully host the summer Olympics games as well.

I was happy that my predictions from my previous blog that South Africa will go all the way and lift the cup came to pass but what I didn’t see coming was how good Japan would be. The biggest lesson to be learned from the Japanese campaign at the world cup was the fact that in a team-oriented sport all you need is unity and play according to plan. Unfortunately, they lost in the quarter finals to the eventual winners but for me that was one of the three major highlights of the tournament.

The second major highlight of the tournament for me came between England and the mighty All Blacks. I will be the first one to admit that what I saw that day was something special and by far it was the best match of the tournament. You have to give it to Eddie Jones, his team was motivated enough to take the game to New Zeland and his tactics worked perfectly.  It takes something special to beat the All Blacks, but it takes even a more clinical performance to comprehensively beat them.  As Eddie Jones labelled the All Blacks as the ‘’gods of rugby’’ so beating them would have felt so special.

Some might say the Springbok’s route to the final was easy but ask anyone who has played sport at the highest level they’ll tell you that there’s no International game which is easy. Before meeting England in the final, South Africa played Wales and it was one of the most boring games at the tournament but when it comes knockout games, it is all about getting the job done. I was worried obviously as a Springboks fan watching them struggle to convincingly beat the Welsh but what I saw in the final is why I love sport. Going into that game it was with no doubt that England were the favorites after beating the gods of rugby. Sport finals are generally boring, but the Springboks totally outclassed, outmuscled and overpowered the English. Rassie Erasmus changed the tactics and it was evident that their opponents were not expecting the running game but rather the kicking game instead. The third major highlight was when the final whistle came, and it was surreal that 18 months ago almost everyone including myself had written off the Springboks. Credit must be given Rassie for creating such a good culture and bringing back the pride of South African rugby. To contextualize Rassie’s achievement, all the four coaches who made it to the semi-final had overseen their various teams for 4 years prior to the world cup compared to Rassie. It’s an achievement which should be celebrated together with the team.

It was just after 13:00pm in the afternoon the first weekend of November 2019 when Jerome Garcia blew the whistle to signal the end of the rugby world cup final. The rainbow nation finally had a good reason to celebrate as the boys did not only do their country proud but more importantly putting the smiles on people’s faces. People of different races and religions flocked to the streets to celebrate what will obviously be the best moment of 2019 for South Africa. Whether you know the rugby rules or not, it was evident how the Springboks made people from different backgrounds unite for a good cause. The late great Nelson left us with the famous words “Sport has the power to change the world”, and what I witnessed with the Springbok’s win clearly epitomize that.

World leaders and big companies are currently battling with the imminent and much talked about 4^th Industrial Revolution. Social Media is also another issue which needs to be addressed as it is here to say and shaping the way we live. Whichever way you look at it, social media has been the best thing which came with technology and it has also brought some unfortunate incidents especially with most of our beloved sports personalities.  Be it politicians, big corporates, athletes or artists they also have benefited from the emergency of Social platforms but we have seen how some content has backfired.

As a Sport personality, most of them will agree with me that they have benefited from Social Media not only by gaining their popularity but also being able to advertise their various brands and a close interaction with their fans. Now most athletes are getting more money on brands they advertise on social media platforms compared to their own salaries. Unfortunately, such deals come with a price and that price is making sure you know what you post and how you post it. How an average sports person maintain such level of good manners is virtually impossible. It’s not a surprise that we have seen some of our favorite sport personalities going that route.

The one which caught my eye recently was that of now former Australian rugby player Israel Folau. The start of 2019 he became the record holder for most tries scored in Super Rugby then just after that things went south. After making damning homophobic comments, Folau was quoted saying “Hell awaits homosexuals”, whilst commenting on his Instagram account.  That was the start of his downfall as most of his sponsors labelled that comment as disappointing. He went on to lose his contract with Rugby Australia as well as that of his franchise which goes to show how social media can also be the downfall for some athletes.

Another recent online incident was that of Manchester City’s Bernado Silva who posted a picture of his longtime friend and teammate Benjamin Mendy which instantly was highly criticized as racist and Silva had to put it down and forced to apologize. Even though he labelled it as a joke with a friend, he was charged for it by FA and might possibly be facing a 5 match ban. To him it might have been a small incident but the consequences he’s going to face might as well tarnish his image as a professional footballer.

The other incidents which are of a problem caused by social media is that of cyber bullying and this has psychologically affected most of our sports personalities. As a sport professional, they always say you are as good as your previous game and we have seen how they get vilified when they perform badly and get praised when they do well. Tammy Abraham received racial comments on social media after he missed a crucial penalty for Chelsea against Liverpool. That can affect the player’s performance and now he’s currently the joint leading goal scorer in the English Premier League. Wilfred Zaha, Kurt Zouma, Raheem Sterling just to mention a few have all suffered racial comments on social media.

The biggest worry for me on behalf of most athletes out there is how cyber-bullying can be policed by authorities in order for our beloved sport personalities to be protected. On the other hand, our beloved athletes should be wary of what they post as they have an influence not only on their followers but in communities we live in. Social Media is here to stay and its benefits are something all the sporting codes will never complain as communication has now been made easier.

Hamilton Masakadza will go down as a legend in Zimbabwe cricketing circles. Truth should also be told that he did not really fulfill his true potential and his batting statistics will prove that. In his latter stages of his career he was known by the name MUDHARA Hami which to some extent shows his longevity at the top level of cricket at the same time which shows he probably should have called time on his career a bit earlier.

Just like most black kids, he grew up in a township and because of his undeniable talent he got a scholarship to Churchill Boys High which had better cricketing facilities. Together with other young black cricketing talents like Taibu, Chigumbura, Chibhabha they were all part of the Churchill team from the Highfields township.  Talent wasn’t an issue for Hamilton because at the age of 16 and still a schoolboy, Masakadza became the first black Zimbabwean and youngest player to score a first-class century. To just put this into context this was a young black kid who was given an opportunity as a schoolkid to play first class cricket which some section of people used to view it as a white men’s sport. This inevitably made him get a Test debut against the mighty West Indies at Harare Sports Club. In the second innings of that game he scored 119 runs against the likes of Lara and Chanderpaul.  

I don’t think at that time he knew the impact of what he had done not only for the Zimbabwe cricket team but for the black community who historically were marginalized from playing cricket or even going to schools with better facilities. At the age of 17 after that special knock he became the youngest player to make a century on test debut. This inspired everyone that it was possible for anyone regardless of your background to make it as a top cricketer.

Some people might have called it a strange decision at that point but personally as a black kid I totally understood his decision at that time to put briefly his professional cricketing career on hold to study at the University of Free State. That was the beginning of the massive fall from grace for Zimbabwe cricket after the rebel crisis. A period which I managed to learn that mixing sport and politics will never work. Masakadza was recalled back in 2004 and the team he got into at that time was weaker than the one which he was in previously. It’s also not an excuse for the type of form that he got into from that period till the day he called time on his career. One might also say that the frustration from most of us Zimbabwe cricket lovers is that we knew the talent he had and for some reasons till now I fail to pin point why he failed to live up to most of our expectations. With more than 9 000 International runs, 50 wickets and also having the record of scoring most runs in a 5 match ODI series, it is those type of statistics you cannot take away from him.

The decline of his career has also seen the cricket of Zimbabwe in general going down which one might ask the question maybe the players are no longer motivated enough to represent our beloved country. The troubles of Zimbabwe cricket are a story for another day and it’s so sad that a legend like Hamilton Masakadza on his very last game the jersey of the country he loved and represented for years had no sponsor which was an anticlimax. People define a legend in so many ways but personally a legend is someone who left a mark on people and longevity which I feel both fits the bill for Mkoma Hami. A legend who inspired many and It is not a coincidence that his younger brothers Shingi and Wellington went on to represent the country as well which showed the impact he made. Thank you Mdara Hami, a very humble guy who played the gentleman’s game the way it should be played and most importantly for inspiring the black community.  

When the announcement was made that Chelsea Football Club will not be signing any player this 2019/2020 season, I was so devastated cause instantly I knew the chances of winning any trophy is gone. To make matters worse, arguably one of our best player for the past 5 years decided to leave and join Real Madrid. 

As a passionate Chelsea fan, I was really worried at the prospect of my team not going to compete with the big teams. Deep down there’s always hope that things might work for the better but it wasn’t looking good. It might as well be too early to call but personally I believe the appointment of Frank Lampard as the team manager was the best decision made by our board. A Chelsea legend and a darling of Stamford Bridge, super Frankie as he is famously known was thrown into the deep end of having one of the most challenging and exciting project ever.

The fact that automatically the ban doesn’t allow us to sign any world class players, Lampard was forced to dig deep into our academy and promote some of our home grown talent. It’s not a secret Chelsea as a club is well-known for not promoting as many youth players to the first team as we all wished. Ironically our youth system has been the best in English football for the past decade and they have won everything which is there to be won.

Most if not all the Chelsea fans have no great expectations for this season since we do not have any good players in our squad for Lampard to work with. It has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the club since we have the whole season to test most of our promising young players from the academy. Last season Sarri introduced us to Cullum Hudson Odoi but unfortunately the bright young talent’s season came to a premature end because of an injury. The start of this season we have been mesmerized by the talent of Tammy Ambraham , Mason Mount and Tomori. We got a rude wakeup call in our first game against Manchester United but it is those type of games and mistakes which will make the young kids coming through the ranks good in the long run. With Loftus Cheek and Odoi still nursing injuries and soon joining the squad, I can’t help but get excited by the prospect of seeing these young lads representing the badge of Chelsea at the biggest stage. I don’t expect us to win any trophies this season but I think it’s going to be that season we are going to unearth some real gems which will represent us for the next decade or so.

Friday the 20th of September we will be witnessing the start of the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Its going to be a one of the best world cups and traditionally Japan is well known for their good hospitality.

Going into this world cup, Wales are ranked number one making them the favorites on paper but when it comes to world cup almost everyone bring their A game. Wales will be representing the Northern Hemisphere and together with England poses the biggest threat to Southern Hemisphere teams. Personally i still rate New Zealand highly but the question on everyone’s lips is that, are they going to defend the Webb Ellis Cup? Its a fact that they have lost the fear factor which might possibly work in favor of the other teams.

The biggest threat to the All Blacks for me is the Siya Kolisi led Springbok side. They look like a well oiled machine and i was not surprised when they recently won the Rugby Championship. Having said that, it will all come to nothing when its world cup time. So the question will remain, is the world cup going to Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere.

We are also in for some few surprises along the way because teams like Argentina and France have assembled good squads. The host nation will also be taking inspiration from their fans which ultimately they will be motivated enough to go all the way. Its not a fluke that Wales are the number one ranked rugby team in the world which goes to show how consistent they have been for a long time. Ireland and France will also want to go all the way.

We are definitely in for a good and exciting world cup. I predict South Africa to go all the way. at the same time, New Zealand, Wales and England will be the real threats. For rugby fans, we are definitely in for a good world cup.

To say its an end of an Era will do no justice to what it has been a tough period for most if not all cricket loving fans around the world. It is well known that every beginning has got its end but it looks like most of us got caught off-guard.

It all started two weeks ago when Dale Steyn decided to call time on his Test career which spun more than 15 years. Before we even got over that, Hashim Amla also decided to call time on his International career. These two legends made their Test debut in 2004 and it was fitting for them that they called time on their illustrious careers the very same month. Steyn his career has been hampered by a shoulder injury and on the other hand Amla has been out of form for the past 2 years. But this will not take away the fact that they are true legends of the game and world cricket is poorer without them.

Growing up my childhood hero was Tatenda Taibu not because he was a good player but most importantly he was representing a certain section of the Black community which never had the opportunity to be exposed to cricket facilities. His premature retirement was tough for me to take but he truly made a mark in the Zimbabwean cricketing structures as he made more black kids to play cricket.

The most exciting part for me was the time when South Africa toured Zimbabwe and being fortunate enough to see my heroes from both countries play at Harare Sports Club. Dale Steyn steaming in from the Golf Course end and sharing the new ball with Makhaya Ntini was something i will be forever remember. On the other hand seeing Tatenda Taibu fearlessly pulling Shaun Pollock for consecutive boundaries. It was the African derby every cricket loving kid will dream to watch live given the opportunity.

Cricket being known as the gentleman’s game and seeing how the likes of Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla, Tatenda Taibu conducted themselves on and off the field has helped most of us 90s kids to follow not only cricket but seeing how we shoud conduct ourselves in life despite all the daily challenges. It is sad we won’t be seeing these legends playing cricket on International level again but ask all the 90s kids they will tell you what an honor it was to see these legends play cricket during their prime.