At nearly 39, leg-spinner Graeme Cremer is fighting for a return to international cricket — a journey that began with his debut against Bangladesh back in 2005.
He will turn 39 next month, an age by which most international cricketers have already retired. Yet, Cremer is gearing up for a comeback more than seven years after playing his last match for Zimbabwe.
Last Sunday, the former captain made his return in Zimbabwe’s National Premier League. In his very first match of the 45-over tournament, he claimed 4 wickets for 43 runs. He carried that form into the next game, again taking 4 wickets for 44 runs.
His last international appearance came in March 2018 during the ODI World Cup qualifiers. Later that year, in December, he played his final professional match in the domestic Pro50 Championship.
Cremer’s international career began with the Chattogram Test against Bangladesh in 2005 — a match in which Bangladesh secured their first-ever Test victory. He took six wickets in that two-match series, followed by another six in two Tests on Zimbabwe’s tour of South Africa. That same year, he also played two Tests against New Zealand before Zimbabwe went into Test exile.
In 2006, he tried his luck in South Africa but was unsuccessful and returned home. His T20I debut came in 2008 and his ODI debut in 2009. Over time, he developed his batting skills alongside his leg-spin.
In 2016, Cremer was appointed Zimbabwe’s captain, leading the team in 8 Tests, 35 ODIs, and 5 T20Is until 2018. He even scored a century in a Test match against Sri Lanka as skipper.
However, under his leadership, Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, and life took a different turn. His wife, Merna, is an airline pilot, and Cremer stepped away from cricket to settle in Dubai with his family.
At the time, he said the break was temporary and that he wanted to return to Zimbabwe cricket soon — but that “short break” stretched to more than seven years. During this time, he stayed somewhat connected to the game, working with the UAE coaching staff, serving as director at Rajasthan Royals’ cricket academy in Jaipur, and even pursuing golf seriously.
Now, he is once again a cricketer. After two matches for Takasingha Patriots One Cricket Club in the National Premier League, he is the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Following a match at Kwekwe Sports Club last Wednesday, Cremer shared his excitement with 3mob.com:
“It’s amazing to be back. Kwekwe was my home ground for many years. To walk here again and play for a prestigious club like Takasingha feels great. They’ve embraced me, and the team environment is fantastic. I’m thrilled with how it’s started.”
Cremer’s comeback match last Sunday also featured Brendan Taylor, who scored 63 runs. Taylor, a close friend, recently returned to cricket after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban and overcoming drug and alcohol addiction.
“Brendan and I have been close friends for a long time. To be back on the field with him and watch him score runs was fantastic. Seeing him bat, sharing the field again, and the way he communicates out there… it’s all special. We’ve played so much cricket together, and having him by my side has been a big help.”
Both Taylor and Cremer have their sights set on the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted in Zimbabwe. The last time Zimbabwe qualified for the T20 World Cup, they were eliminated in the qualifiers by Uganda. They have not played in an ODI World Cup since 2015.
This time, Taylor has returned to lead the charge, and Cremer is eager to join him in that mission.
