While his former team-mates fret over their futures, or prepare for another mauling at the hands of Sri Lanka, Doug Marillier has a match against Preston this weekend.
 Marillier played in much of Zimbabwe's World Cup campaign |
Marillier, a veteran of five Tests and 48 one-day internationals, including the last World Cup, decided a month ago it was time to secure his long-term future. This weekend he will play his third match for Lancashire club side Fleetwood in the Northern Premier League.
"If I do well enough in the league I'll hopefully get spotted by a county who need a spinner or a batter who can bowl spin," he told BBC Sport.
And he believes many of his former team-mates could follow him.
The dispute over selection in Zimbabwe has reached boiling point this month, with 15 players refusing to turn out for the national team.
But players like Marillier have long been heading abroad, looking to escape the uncertainty of playing in Zimbabwe.
 |  If the ZCU don't turn around you may get a lot of Zimbabweans playing cricket in England |
Those with higher profiles, such as Neil Johnson, Murray Goodwin and Andy Flower, can sign as overseas stars in domestic first-class competitions. Former captain Heath Streak will play at least six weeks of this season with Warwickshire, whatever the outcome of the current row.
But others, like off-spinner Paul Strang, who is a stalwart at Liverpool side Wallasey, must be content with the life of the club pro, a job with a salary in the low five figures.
"Even though I was a centrally-contracted player I couldn't live on what they were paying me," Marillier says.
"It would be more beneficial for me to play even club cricket over here because I then have a bit of money outside the country."
Inflation in Zimbabwe went over the 600% mark this month and visitors during the World Cup could afford to hand out bundles of local currency as tips.
 Streak already has a deal to join Warwickshire in June |
For anyone who can make the move, sterling is very attractive. But of course it goes further than money, to the debate that has raged over selection policy since the introduction of "targets for integration" four years ago.
Those targets extend to the national selectors, several of whom have no first-class playing experience.
"If the ZCU don't turn around you may get a lot of Zimbabweans playing cricket in England," Marillier says.
"We understand it is an African country and we must be represented by the [majority].
"But when you are picking people who aren't good enough to play cricket or when people who aren't good enough to select are selecting sides that becomes a problem."
Streak aside, few Zimbabwe players would make county sides dash for their cheque-books and few are of the standard to take up an overseas player designation.
Marillier qualifies as a domestic player because of his British-born mother, while others could qualify through the controversial Kolpak ruling. But he still intends to return home when his playing career is over, and harbours hopes of raising a family in Zimbabwe.
"Zimbabwe is one of the nicest places in the world to live and to give that all up - and to give up playing cricket for your country - is the biggest thing," he says.
"You've worked so hard to get to where you are and to give it all away to play club cricket or county cricket is a huge step."
MMIX
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