Living in the UK, thinking of Zimbabwe - Adam Hartley (UK)

I recently watched Zimbabwe in their thrilling win over England, it was great - since I was the only person at school who wanted Zimbabwe to win, I didn't make myself too popular! They had their revenge though, unfortunately!!!!

Yesterday's game against SA was brilliant. I must confess that I turned it off because I couldn't bear to see us losing to SA, and I couldn't believe it when I realised we'd won - naturally I recorded the highlights on Channel 4 last night.

I will of course be at Headingley in April!!!!

Congratulations - Barbara Gibson (Zimbabwe)

I would like to congratulate the Zimbabwe team on their wonderful victory over SA on Wednesday night. They were absolutely superb and kept their heads right until the last ball. The evening was only spoilt by biased commentating (as usual) and Lance Klusener's aggression towards Andrew Flower. Well done and may we do it again.

Information requested - Matthew Thorne (UK)

Would it be possible for the scores and cards for the earlier rounds of the National League to be put on the website and are there any cards/updates on the games played in the Midlands and Masvingo leagues that were featured in the earlier editions of the online newsletter ?

Did Mashonaland/Matabeleland or any of the other provinces play first-class cricket before 1993/94 ?

You are doing a great job with the magazine and I look forward as a Hampshire fan to watching the tour match during the summer.

Reply: Thanks very much. We will try to get the earlier national league scorecards, but I'm afraid those for Masvingo and Midlands are likely to be unobtainable; it's hard enough to get any reports from the provinces at all! No, 1993/94 was the first season in which domestic first-class cricket was played in Zimbabwe.

Charlie Lock - Paul Tasker (Australia)

Another player who seems to have disappeared is ACI Lock. He came out of nowhere, played one good Test match and never arose again.

Reply: Yes, Charlie Lock didn't stay long. He did play the following season but was not selected again. We plan to include an interview with him in our next issue.

Carlisle or Madondo? - Khalid Vayani (England)

Long time since I last heard from you. I keep reading your magazine and once more saying, please keep up the good work. Watching the Tri nations series I am pleased with Zimbabwe's performance. I hope they keep up the good work.

The selectors need to replace Stuart Carlisle with Trevor Madondo and give an extended run. Stuart Carlisle is clearly struggling at the international record and his record shows. When England play 4 one dayers in Zimbabwe later this month the selectors should play Madondo in all 4 games and see if can deliver the goods.

Carlisle or Rennie? - Tim Curtin (Australia)

Disappointing end to the Port Elizabeth ODI against South Africa, caused by the self-destruct modes of dismissal of Johnson, Andy Flower, Guy Whittall, and Heath Streak. They should remember Kipling's "... keep your head". Three of the four got out with unnecessary lofts into the outfield - the SA Ks, Kallis and Klusener, never lofted the ball until the very end. Pity after the outstanding bowling and fielding. Surely there are better strokeplayers available than Carlisle? Rennie would have made all the difference, whereas Carlisle simply isn't up to it.

Reply to both: I think Stuart Carlisle's brilliant century against Sri Lanka proves that he has what it takes, but that was scored at number four. In South Africa he has again been placed late in the order where it is so much harder to succeed, and few specialist batsmen find it easy there.

Colin Bland - John O'Shea (Ireland)

I read your article on Colin Bland with great interest on CricInfo. I was at Lord's when he ran out both Ken Barrington and Jim Parks. It was Parks, I think, who was ambling casually back into his ground having gone only four or five steps down the wicket, when the stumps were shattered by a direct hit to his great surprise.

I also witnessed his amazing fielding exhibition at the County Ground in Southampton, when he encouraged schoolboys like myself to believe that fielding was a fun, challenging part of the game.

Thanks for the article.

Reply: And our thanks to Alwyn Pichanick for writing it for us. Do any other readers have any great Zimbabwean players of the past they are particularly interested in? I'm sure he would be pleased to write further articles for us if we have any requests.