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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket officials were expected to meet last night to address the crises that have affected the resumption of franchise cricket league after the festive break.To date, players at all the country’s five franchises – Matabeleland Tuskers, Mashonaland Eagles, Manicaland Mountaineers, MidWest Rhinos and Southern Rocks are yet to report for training after the festive break in protest over unpaid salaries.
League matches according to the ZC calendar are supposed to resume tomorrow but the situation looks bleak, meaning that the games will have to be postponed to a later date.
In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, ZC media and communications manager Lovemore Banda said he would be able to comment on what the future holds for domestic cricket today.
“There is a meeting tonight so you can call me tomorrow morning for more details with regards to the league,” said Banda.
Mashonaland Eagles are supposed to take on Southern Rocks while Matabeleland Tuskers are scheduled to play Manicaland Mountaineers in the Pro-50 One Day games which according to the calendar are supposed to be on tomorrow.
From Sunday to Wednesday the four franchises are supposed to lock horns in the Logan Cup. Only MidWest Rhinos will be on a bye according to the ZC calendar.
Domestic cricketers had a gloomy Christmas holiday as they were not paid their November and December salaries. Some members of ZC staff have even gone for six months without salaries.
ZC has for a long time faced financial challenges. The salary standoff affected second round of Logan Cup matches leading to cancellation of MidWest-Southern Rocks game in Kwekwe and the Manicaland Mountaineers-Mashonaland Eagles tie in Mutare. Both matches were supposed to have been played on December 17-20.
Senior players like national team cricketers Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda and Malcolm Waller are said to have downed their bats in protest against the delays in paying their salaries.
Last August, the Zimbabwe cricketers formed a union to participate in salary negotiations prior to the series against Pakistan.
The board’s financial condition also resulted in Sri Lanka’s tour to the country in October being deferred.
According to ESPNcricinfo ZC has asked the ICC for an additional loan of $3 million but an insider said the ICC may only agree to that if ZC provides an audit of the funds they received from the Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme earlier this year.
The financial crisis faced by ZC has led to cancellation of Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe. The two would have played a handful of ODIs and Twenty20s.
With Afghanistan’s trip being called off, Zimbabwe will have no practice before the World Twenty20 in March. They will have gone almost six months without any cricket, having last played Pakistan in September.
Online Reporter