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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Cricket and cricketers’ salary impasse came to an end yesterday with the players agreeing to return to work pending the payment of outstanding salaries.
Cricketers have been on strike since last year in December, refusing to train or play until the financially crippled ZC clears their outstanding salaries.
Players in the national team are being owed six months salaries with those attached to franchises having gone for three months without pay. Speaking after meeting the ZC chairman Peter Chingoka and managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa, players’ representative Eliah Zvimba said cricketers “must start training at their franchises with immediate effect.”
He said ZC leadership had promised during their discussions to clear the backlog by Monday, February 10 – the day the league action resumes with the domestic Twenty20 competition in Harare.
“As we speak now players should be on their way to training at their respective franchises after a fruitful meeting we had with ZC. Anytime soon the monies should reflect in their accounts, with the latest date being next Monday because ZC has said they need 10 days to clear everything.
“Everyone must go for their practice and they must check with their franchise chief executive officers for more details,” Zvimba said.
The players’ representative Zvimba is a practising umpire and former managing director of Zimbabwe Indoor Cricket. He is a renowned labour practitioner who advises and guides players on labour-related issues, aided by his cricket background.
While franchises prepare for the tournament that will be used as part of Zimbabwe’s preparations for the fifth edition of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup which will be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6, national team players are expected to meet at Harare Sports Club this morning.
ZC media and communications manager Lovemore Banda confirmed the domestic season re-start.
“As we said in the statement, there was a meeting today to look at the resumption of the domestic season. The season will resume on Monday the 10th of February, 2014, with a Twenty20 tournament in Harare involving all the five franchises, to help with preparations for the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 tournament beginning in Bangladesh next month.
“Meanwhile, the players will continue with their practice either with their franchises, or the national squad where applicable. Those in the national squad will meet at Harare Sports Club where they will have fielding drills starting at 10AM and a fitness session at 3.30PM,” Banda said.
Brendan Taylor will lead the players for the Asian tour after ZC selectors retained most of the players that have been regulars in the national team. Other senior players that are shortlisted in the provisional squad include Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Matabeleland Tuskers’ Charles ‘Chopper’ Coventry who has been playing club cricket outside the country and seamer Brian Vitori.
Hard-hitter Hamilton Masakadza, Matabeleland Tuskers captain Sean Williams, top-order batsman Vusumuzi Sibanda and spin-bowler Prosper Utseya are on the list provided by Zimbabwe Cricket.
Matabeleland Tuskers’ pace bowler Tawanda Mupariwa has bounced back into the national team setup and is one of the many players who are targeting the domestic Twenty20 tournament as a platform to impress selectors.
The squad will be reduced to the final 15 after the Twenty20 competition that will end on February 16 at Harare Sports Club.
Provisional national team squad:
Sikanda Raza Butt, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Michael Chinouya, Charles Coventry, Trevor Garwe, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Netsai M’shangwe, Forster Mutizwa, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, Tinashe Panyangara, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor (captain), Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams, Cephas Zhuwawo
Online Reporter