England Men’s Test Match versus Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May poses a problem for Dane Schadendorf - namely the conundrum of who to support. 

Raised in Harare and a former Zimbabwe U19s cricketer, you’d think the choice might be straightforward, but Nottingham has been the 22-year-old’s home for five years and he holds a British passport.

“I think Zimbabwe, to be honest…” he eventually decides. 

“That’s weird to say, because I always usually support England in everything. Maybe I wouldn’t go as far as saying I want Zim to win, I guess I just want my mates to do well.” 

The mates about whom Schadendorf speaks includes the likes of Dion Myers - who scored an unbeaten half-century against India in the Chevrons’ T20 series against the world champions in 2024 - Clive Madunde and Wesley Madhevere; the next generation of Zimbabwe cricketers set to feature in Nottingham later this year. 

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Schadendorf would have stood a strong chance of featuring alongside them had he not opted for a move to county cricket in 2020, forfeiting his chance to play international cricket in the process.

But, for the wicketkeeper-batter, the chance to move to the East Midlands meant he could pursue gains that may have otherwise not have been made.

“There are times when I look back, with my friends playing for Zim now, and think it would have been nice…but I might not be the player I am now if I didn’t leave,” he says. 

“I started keeping aged 15 and joined Notts when I was 18, so when I first got here I still had a lot to learn.

“I didn’t have a clue about playing red ball cricket and how much it swings in England. That has made such a difference to my game. 

“Back in Zimbabwe, the ball barely does anything. It might turn but it doesn’t really swing. No one really bowls gas, either, so to come here and face players like [Olly] Stoney when he was playing for Warwickshire in the Second XI made me a much better player.”

“One of the big things for me was getting more consistent with my wicketkeeping. I could take good catches, but I could drop some easier ones as well and that was probably because I hadn’t been keeping for too long.”

You wouldn’t have known that he was only a couple of years into the job when he secured his first viral moment: a stumping of New Zealand’s Beckham Wheeler-Greenall in an U19 quadrangular series. 

An off spin delivery which turned through the Kiwi’s gate but missed leg stump saw Schadendorf spring to his left before flicking the ball back to effect the stumping.

“I wasn’t expecting that to be as big as it was,” he laughs, “It’s one of those things that happens in the moment. I just threw it back in case it hit, then everyone was like ‘woah’.

“It looked like I was a genius but, in reality, I was probably just chucking it back and hoping.”

He also scored 81 in an ICC Under-19 World Cup warm up game against eventual finalists India before appearing six times in the showpiece event in South Africa in 2020.

“It wasn’t a big surprise to be picked for that tournament,” he admits.

“I’d worked so hard and cricket had been a big focus for me for a long time. I was on the level of the best schoolboy players in the country at that time and some of the guys that made the team were my best mates, so it felt natural to be there. 

“That was actually the first time I’d played in front of a crowd though, which was really interesting. You never know how you are going to react but after the first few balls you relax -  heading out to field, you just don’t want to drop one!"

Ultimately, his performances helped pique the interest of Ant Botha, who had previously offered a trial to Dane’s older brother - and another former junior international cricketer - Jayden. 

Performances for Notts’ U18s and Second XI secured Schadendorf junior a professional contract, and his rise has since culminated in a full First-Class debut against Kent last year (having made one previous appearance mid-game) - with a recent contract extension keeping him at Trent Bridge through to the end of 2025. 

It means he could be sitting in the stands at his home ground as his former international team mates face off against the Three Lions in a few months.

“If I can watch, I definitely will be,” Schadendorf says. 

“It will be interesting to see how they do here because not many will have experience in these conditions but some of the talent that comes out of school cricket in the country is incredible.

“I wouldn’t necessarily be expecting them to win the game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the lads put in a good performance and showed what they are capable of.”

Before that fixture, Zimbabwe host a multi-format series against Ireland, whilst England compete in the Champions Trophy. 

Attention will then turn to the sides who have not played against each other in Test cricket since 2003, with Zimbabwe hoping to spring a surprise on Stokes’ men. 

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