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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
AMENDMENTS to the International Cricket Council will affect all members and are not targeted at Zimbabwe as has been made to seem.
Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said if the proposals go ahead, all the countries will be impinged on.
Mukuhlani said all the boards were still looking at the proposals ahead of the ICC board meeting in April.
“All the boards are looking at the proposals, these are moves to take away full membership from all countries and these are not targeted at Zimbabwe. The meeting is in April, the matter may be put to vote, people may agree or not agree. Our full membership has never been discussed, these are constitutional amendments to say full membership should not be permanent,’’ said Mukuhlani.
Meanwhile, ICC officials Geoff Allardice and Faisal Hasnain visited the country for appraisal meetings with ZC. Allardice the ICC general manager of cricket was in the country for just a day while Hasnain, the world cricket governing board’s chief financial officer heads back to United Arab Emirates today.
Allardice met Mukuhlani, ZC CEO Wilfred Mukondiwa, national team coach Heath Streak and head of selection panel Tatenda Taibu on Wednesday, where he got to present what the ICC proposals means for Zimbabwe. Hasnain has been helping ZC with their finances.
“Geoff Allardice presented on the proposed new cricket structure from 2019 to 2023, ICC are trying to change the current FTP. In the current FTP, you negotiate your own games 2014 to 2023, obviously the smaller nations are finding it difficult getting game time because of the bilateral issues. The big countries arrange fixtures among each other, which is not good for Zimbabwe and Bangladesh,’’ said a ZC insider.
According to the ICC proposal, qualification for the 50 over World Cup will not be based on the current model which is unfair as big teams can avoid smaller ones so as to not lose rankings points. There is also a suggestion for regional qualifiers for the ICC World Twenty20 which many feel allows for growth of the sport.
While ZC appear to be fine with the ODI and T20 suggestions, they are understood to have issues with the Test proposal where a 9/3 split will be adopted with Zimbabwe playing the prolonged version against Afghanistan and Ireland. The top nine countries will play each other.
“Where ZC have issues is where they are proposing Zimbabwe play Test cricket against Ireland and Afghanistan. Zimbabwe has no issues helping Afghanistan and Ireland get ready for Test cricket because they are not ready, they are not the same.
The 9/3 must be fair, it is not fair to Zimbabwe, it should not come as a demotion, there is no reason for them not to play with everyone else. There must be a proper FTP that obliges teams to play against Zimbabwe,’’ said the insider.
Meanwhile, ZC are looking to countries such as Scotland and Namibia. The senior team is due to travel to Scotland in June for One Day International fixtures on their way to their tour of Sri Lanka while Zimbabwe A will make the trip to Namibia in April for 50 over and first class matches.
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Online Reporter